Printing Industries of America, Inc.

Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation, Sewickley, Pa., will honor Robert Birkland with the 2007 William D. Schaeffer Environmental Award. Birkland, president of Dallas, Pennsylvania-based Cirrus Consulting Group, has a career in the printing industry spanning more than 25 years. His early success as a mechanical engineer lead Birkland to become vice president of engineering for Arcata Graphics in Baltimore. During this time, he participated in a committee that wrote regulations for the printing industry, which eventually became the basis for the Clean Air Act. In addition to his many accomplishments, Birkland’s environmental efforts include replacing alcohol in fountain solutions in several

Pittsburgh-based Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/GATF) has partnered with the International Cooperation for the Integration of Process in Prepress, Press and Postpress (CIP4) to form a JDF (Job Definition Format) User Group, focusing on the implementation of JDF-enabled systems and cross-vendor implementations. JDF is the industry specification designed to facilitate process automation and the integration of different applications and systems in and around the graphic arts industry. The first JDF User Group meeting will be held March 24–25 at PIA/GATF’s Pittsburgh headquarters. Highlights include a hands-on look at JDF implementations within the facility, discussions of the challenges to creating successful

The Board of Directors of the Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/GATF), Sewickley, Pa., passed a major key initiative concerning sustainability. As a result, PIA/GATF has joined with the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) and the Flexographic Technical Association (FTA) to form one central location for information on sustainable, “green” printing activities. Within the printing industry, the importance placed on the level of a company’s environmental friendliness has increased dramatically. Many printers are facing a growing number of inquires regarding sustainable printing practices. According to a recent survey conducted by PIA/GATF, more than 90 percent of printers believe their customers will

Headquartered in Sewickley, Pa., PIA/GATF (Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation) presents the Web-to-Print Primer, an unbiased, one-stop comprehensive resource guide for printers, print buyers and marketing professionals who want to learn the ins-and-outs of the web-to-print marketplace. PIA/GATF’s EBC (E-Business Council) group has compiled the primer to provide detailed information on web-to-print, and answer key questions for graphic arts professionals. The publication also addresses practical areas that will help readers determine how best to proceed in implementing web-to-print successfully. Topics include: • The pros and cons of building a solution or licensing one from a vendor • Which options to offer

Pittsburgh-based Label Printing Industries of America (LPIA)—representing label converting, packaging and box-wrap printers throughout North America—will hold its Fall Management Conference at The Palms in South Beach Miami, Fla., Nov. 4-7. This year’s theme is Adapt to Survive & Thrive. Veterans and newcomers will have access to leading industry experts, ground-breaking topics, and unparalleled networking opportunities. Adapt to Survive & Thrive will help attendees gain the competitive advantage and provide tremendous insight into the latest trends and issues affecting the industry. A myriad of topics will cover where packaging is heading; the state of paper; the six mega trends you need to know now;

Headquartered in Sewickley, Pa., PIA /GATF’s (Printing Industries of America /Graphic Arts Technical Foundation) 6th annual Variable Data and Personalization Conference—scheduled for Nov. 4 to 6 in Phoenix—will feature an expanded array of topics. “There are close to 50,000 digital presses in the [United States] and Canada, and owners are reporting that variable data is their most profitable segment. Our expanded content reflects that a lot of companies now have considerable experience under their belt,” said Jim Workman, vice president of training for PIA/ GATF. The conference has been reorganized into three special seminar tracks: a “fundamentals” track for those relatively new to variable

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PIA/GATF (Printing Industries of America / Graphic Arts Technical Foundation) will host its annual Presidents Conference in conjunction with the Binding Industries Association (BIA) Conference on March 2 to 6, 2008, at the Fiesta Americana Grand Coral Beach Hotel in Cancun, Mexico. Print and bindery executives are tackling more challenges than ever. Faced with competition and decreasing revenues, they must seek new ways to market while reducing costs. The Presidents Conference is an annual three and a half-day program focusing on management issues currently affecting owners, presidents and senior executives in the industry. Highly acclaimed, notable speakers and consultants from the industry

The Printing Industries of America (PIA), headquartered in Sewickley, Pa., welcomed the recent passage of H.R. 6407—the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006, approved by both the United States House of Representatives and the Senate in the final hours before both chambers adjourned the 109th Congress on Dec. 9. PIA is a co-founder of the Coalition for a Twenty-First Century Postal Service, and passage of comprehensive postal reform legislation was the group’s top legislative goal this Congress. H.R. 6407—the first major overhaul of the United States Postal Service (USPS) in three decades—calls for a ten-year cap on postal rates, and the tying of

THE GOOD NEWS is, United States printing shipments grew at a robust pace over the first quarter of the year, up 4.2 percent ahead of last year’s first quarter, and total U.S. printing industry production could reach more than $170 billion for 2006, reported Ronnie H. Davis, Ph.D., vice president and chief economist for the Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/GATF), Sewickley, Pa. Printers’ prices were also up an average of 2.2 percent from last year’s levels—the highest rate since before the 2001 to 2002 recession—indicating a strong print market is providing printers some pricing leverage. The bad news is, operating costs such

THE GOOD NEWS is, United States printing shipments grew at a robust pace over the first quarter of the year, up 4.2 percent ahead of last year’s first quarter, and total U.S. printing industry production could reach more than $170 billion for 2006, reported Ronnie H. Davis, Ph.D., vice president and chief economist for the Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/GATF), Sewickley, Pa. Printers’ prices were also up an average of 2.2 percent from year-ago levels—the highest rate since before the 2001 to 2002 recession—indicating a strong print market is providing printers some pricing leverage. The bad news is, operating costs such as