Reprographics 101

(more than you ever wanted to know about the reprographics industry)

recent posts

about

  • LINK DSG joins forces with Asite and SaaS North America

    Press Release that came to me while I was on an extended vacation in Europe. So, I suspect that most reprographers are already aware of this Press Release.

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    LINK DSG joins forces with Asite™ and SaaS North America to Improve Content Management Capabilities for Building Projects

    Architects, engineers, contractors save time and money from workflow improvements and on-line collaboration

    DALLAS, TX – Sept. 16, 2011 — Architects, engineers and contractors now have an easier way to collaborate on the hundreds of documents required to complete building projects of all sizes.

    Asite’s cloud technology gives everyone involved in a construction project access to key documents online, allowing for increased collaboration, fewer mistakes, reduced rework, and time and cost savings.

    The collaborative solution for the building industry is a joint effort of LINK Document Services Group, Thomas Reprographics, NRI and SaaS North America. The solution is powered by Asite technology, which provides an easy-to-use Web-based platform that is widely used by architects, engineers and construction industry for increased project collaboration and workflow management.

    “We’re pleased to offer the Asite solution to our clients to simplify their collaboration and improve their workflow management capabilities,” said Bryan Thomas, Co-Founder of LINK Document Services Group. “Partnering with Asite gives our clients a proven technology with a strong track record of improving content management on construction projects of all sizes.”

    Asite technology allows architects, engineers and contractors to load project documents to a secure website hosted by Asite, with permission granted to project members to review, revise, comment and collaborate. This ensures everyone on the project team is working from the most current, accurate versions of construction documents.

    The Asite technology includes the ability to view files in more than 250 formats without users needing the software on their individual computers. The technology also includes communication tools and the ability to build in rules for access and workflow to ensure documents are reviewed by the right people at the right time.

    “These features are exactly what our clients want and need to increase their efficiency and collaboration,” said Doug Magid, President of NRI. “The access to a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform lets our clients take advantage of today’s cloud technology to get projects done on time and on spec.”

    Additional features available in Asite include bid management, procurement services, document storage and management, collaborative building information modeling (cBIM), global print distribution, reporting capabilities, and the automation of key tasks.

    “We are excited to welcome LINK, NRI and Thomas Reprographics to the Asite partner community,” said Tony Ryan, Asite CEO. “Together, we will continue to provide leading digital services to the AEC industry throughout the world in an effort to simplify the complex document management tasks they face every day.”

    ###

    About LINK Document Services Group, LLC

    LINK Document Services Group gives clients access to experience in a way they can’t get with other Managed Print Services (MPS) providers. We provide one source for our clients’ needs by tapping into the expertise of four leading document companies. LINK partners are all recognized AEC and reprographic leaders that are committed to providing a full range of services and the best possible customer care. By combining our resources, we provide the greatest breadth and depth of experience available in the industry. LINK is your one source for any document services you need. www.linkdsg.com

    About Thomas Reprographics, Inc.

    Thomas Reprographics, Inc. combines more than 55 years of experience in the visual communications, reprographics and printing industries. Thomas Reprographics is based in Richardson, TX, with more than 30 locations strategically located across the United States. www.thomasrepro.com

    About NRI

    NRI is a trusted peer and business partner to design, architecture, engineering and construction professionals, providing integrated graphic and content solutions custom tailored to their unique requisites. For the creative community, marketers and artists, NRI delivers exquisite color print and software solutions. NRI consists of four divisions providing a wide range of services: Reprographics, ColorGraphics, On-Site Services, and Technology Services. As a woman business enterprise (WBE) with over 110 years of experience, NRI has proven itself over and over as a technology, service, and quality leader in the industry. It is constantly looking for ways to raise the standards in the industry for the benefit of its clients and employees, as well as fellow reprographics and imaging companies. NRI currently has locations in New York, New Jersey, Washington, DC, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, California and Georgia.www.nrinet.com

    About Saas North America

    SaaS North America is a SaaS distribution and professional services company founded to deliver collaborative Software as a Service to traditional industry in the North American market. With data logistics as our keystone, SaaS North America delivers economies of scale which surpass any single source solution. Quickly and securely. http://www.saas-northamerica.com

    About Asite

    Asite was founded in 2001 and is based in the city of London. We help businesses share information and build knowledge in a secure environment in the cloud. Every day, professionals the world over use the Asite platform to manage their projects and supply chains collaboratively and to get the information they need – when and where they need it.

  • Stadium Capital continues building its position in ARC shares

    Recent Form 4 filings with the SEC reveal these purchases since August 23rd, 2011:

    Transaction Date

    Purchase Price

    # of Shares Purchased

    # of shares owned, after purchase

    %age of O/S Stock Owned

    8/23/11

    $3.79

    30,600

    4,676,921

    10.12%

    8/24/11

    $3.88

    17,991

    4,694,912

    10.16%

    8/25/11

    $3.80

    244,000

    4,938,912

    10.69%

    9/2/11

    $3.54

    29,315

    4,968,227

    10.75%

    9/6/11

    $3.45

    1,833

    4,970,060

    10.75%

    9/8/11

    $3.57

    6,591

    4,976,651

    10.77%

    9/9/11

    $3.49

    11,641

    4,988,292

    10.79%

    9/12/11

    $3.54

    17,256

    5,005,548

    10.83%

    9/20/11

    $3.56

    13,737

    5,019,285

    10.86%

    9/21/11

    $3.50

    9,170

    5,028,455

    10.88%

    9/26/11

    $3.47

    5,500

    5,033,955

    10.89%

  • AIA ABI Index for August 2011 jumps to 51.4 !!!

    After a four month period of “scores” below 50, the AIA ABI Index for August 2011 jumps to 51.4 !!!

    Architecture Firm Billings Rebound Modestly in August

    By Jennifer Riskus

    [Jennifer Riskus is Manager, Economic Research, The American Institute of Architects]

    Education, other institutional, and multifamily projects are most vulnerable to financing problems

    The AIA’s Architecture Billings Index (ABI) unexpectedly showed a very modest rebound in architecture firm billings in August with a score of 51.4. (A score over 50 indicates growth in firm billings.) This comes on the heels of four consecutive months of fairly substantial declines. Comments from survey panelists this month continue to indicate very mixed business conditions around the country, and the AIA will be tracking the score closely over the coming months. Inquiries into new projects continued to grow, and more firms reported an increase in design contracts in August than in July, although the majority of firms continue to report a decline.

    Business conditions remain weak in all regions of the country and for architecture firms of all specializations. Since these figures are computed as three-month moving averages of the index scores, the slight bump up in billings is not apparent in these breakouts. By region, firms located in the Northeast reported the sharpest downturn in firm billings for the second month in a row. Business conditions in August also continued to deteriorate at firms with a residential specialization, in spite of moderate growth reported by those firms earlier this year.

    Weakness persisted in the overall economy in August, highlighted by a net employment change of zero for the month, only the second time that this has ever occurred, and the first month with no employment growth since September 2010. Construction employment was essentially flat for the month, while architecture services employment increased modestly for the fifth consecutive month in July (the most current data available). The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index declined sharply in August, falling to a score of 44.5 (1985=100), the lowest in more than two years, as consumers became more negative about the future outlook. And while the Federal Reserve’s most recent edition of the Beige Book indicates increased demand for multifamily projects in the New York, Philadelphia, and Cleveland districts, home prices remain flat overall. In addition, commercial construction remains weak in the Cleveland, Atlanta, Chicago, and Kansas City districts, although the Chicago district is tempered slightly by growth in the industrial construction sector.

    Stalled projects remain a major issue for architecture firms. Nearly two-thirds of firms (65 percent) report having at least one design project under contract that is currently stalled, but likely to eventually proceed to construction. Three-quarters of these stalled projects are delayed due to difficulties obtaining financing. Firms report that all project types have been impacted by financing issues, with four in 10 of these projects being in the institutional sector: education (16.3 percent), healthcare (9.3 percent), and other institutional projects (15.7 percent). Multifamily residential projects also account for a significant share (15.1 percent) of projects stalled due to problems obtaining financing. In contrast, industrial, single-family residential, and office projects each account for less than 8 percent of projects stalled with financing issues.

    This month, Work on the Boards participants are saying:

    • • We are seeing an increase in industrial activity, although we have heard from other firms that multifamily housing has slowed down again. However, a large home builder has announced a new development, and they have recently begun to complete a development that has been on hold since 2009.— 25-person firm in the South, commercial/industrial specialization


    • • We are busy and getting busier. Have hired two full-time and two part-time employees in the last two months.— Five-person firm in the Northeast, institutional specialization 


    • • In the last six months, inquiries and initial feasibility analysis work have dramatically picked up. In the last week, our office has had one stalled project released from a three-month hold, and signed contracts for a new single-family home, and a residential renovation project. With the market soft, construction costs have seen a substantial reduction, leading to a small surge of clients seizing an opportunity.— One-person firm in the West, residential specialization


    • • Owners are taking longer to begin contracts. Most clients are renovating existing facilities instead of [starting] ground-up new construction. Work from non-profit entities is virtually nonexistent.— Eight-person firm in the Midwest, commercial/industrial specialization

    To view the charts/graphics published with the article, visit this Internet address:

    http://www.aia.org/practicing/AIAB091074

  • Final Judgment against Florida Blueprint Service (Jacksonville)

    Note: I was traveling in Europe for three of the past four weeks and am now playing “catch up” on articles for the blog. Sorry for the absence. I would have posted while in Europe, but I forgot to take with me my laptop power cable!

    Final Judgment against Florida Blueprint Service (Jacksonville)

    On August 16, 2011, the Circuit Court of the 4th Judicial District in and for Duval County, Florida issued a final judgment in favor of CIT Technology Financing Services, Inc. against Advanced Engineered Solutions, Inc. (dba Florida Blueprint Service). The amount of the judgment was $48,393.83.

    Florida Blueprint Service, which operates in the Jacksonville, FL Metro area, is not affiliated with Florida Reprographics. Florida Reprographics operates in the Tampa, FL Metro area. Florida Reprographics is operating under Chapter 11.

    I’ve posted in my Google Docs library a copy of the final judgment issued by the Court against Florida Blueprint Service. Here’s the Internet address of that document:

    http://tinyurl.com/3txkamj

  • Marketing Director seeks graphic imaging assistance / support in Mexico City, Mexico

    This past weekend, I attended a four-day-long wedding event at resort hotel in the countryside near London, England. During this event, I met the Marketing Director of an Architecture firm that has offices in New York City and Mexico City, Mexico.
    She is relocating, in the very near future, from the firm’s New York City office to the firm’s Mexico City office. She would like to receive information about reprographers in the Mexico City area who offer high-level color graphic imaging assistance / support. If any of you have contacts with reprographers in Mexico City, please kindly provide me that information so that I can pass that information along to her.
    Thank you.

  • First commercially available Memjet wide-format printing device

    Note: I was traveling in Europe for three of the past four weeks and am now playing “catch up” on articles for the blog. Sorry for the absence. I would have posted while in Europe, but I forgot to take with me my laptop power cable!

    Well, how about this one – news announcing, finally, that there’s actually going to be a commercially available Memjet wide-format printing device.

    Xanté teams with Memjet for Excelagraphix 4200 wide-format launch

    By Simon Nias Monday, 12 September 2011 (found on PrintWeek.com)

    Xanté has teamed with Memjet to unveil its first wide-format press, the 42in wide Excelagraphix 4200 colour inkjet printer, which is also the first 42in device based on Memjet technology, at Graph Expo in Chicago.

    The Excelagraphix 4200 uses an array of five overlapping 8.77in Memjet Waterfall printheads, each containing 70,400 nozzles, to generate a maximum print width of 42in (1,067mm).

    Xanté said that the device had been designed to print high-impact, full-colour, large-format pieces on a wide range of substrates at “screaming fast” speeds, and at a price point that’s affordable for a fast ROI.

    The press is based on Memjet’s wide-format colour printing components and technologies, including the Waterfall printheads, which are capable of printing at 6in (152mm) per second at a resolution of 1,600dpi or 12in (305mm) per second at a resolution of 1,600x800dpi.

    Each printhead has five ink channels (CMYKK) and two rows of nozzles per channel, while the press can print on a wide range of media, including foam board, corrugated cardboard and paper. Sheet sizes can vary from 210x210mm up to a maximum of 1,067mm wide by 30m long.

    Media thickness is configurable and media transport dependent. Nominal printhead to paper spacing target to maintain is 0.7mm.

    According to Xanté, the press can be used to print jobs including oversized architectural or engineering documents, maps, indoor signage, POP displays, packaging, folding cartons, corrugated boxes, and newspapers.

    Robert Ross, chief executive of Xanté, said: “The industry has been watching to see what Memjet would do, and Xanté is honoured to be part of an event that is breaking ground and has the capacity to significantly alter the production landscape for the better, and for the long term.

    “We’re utilising two particular Xanté technologies: iQueue Color Smart Worfklow, and our unique handling of diverse substrates, to create what will likely be the fastest and, in terms of lower capital and operational costs, most efficient ways to print colour.”

    Memjet wide-format president Mike Puyot added: “This partnership combines the best of both worlds. As soon as they saw what they had to work with, both Memjet and Xanté engineers got excited about the exponential value of the pairing.

    “The Xanté Excelagraphix 4200 is just the tip of the iceberg in what we’ll start seeing in affordable, high-speed colour solutions. Memjet colour printing technologies offer end-users the freedom to print exactly what they want, when they want it, and where they want it; directly on manufacturing floors.”

    The partnership was also given the stamp of approval by Frank Romano, RIT Professor Emeritus, who said “merging the high-tech inkjet of industry innovator Memjet with Xanté’s extraordinary skill at productising sophisticated innovations into ‘everyman’ solutions gives us, in the Excelagraphix 4200, a glimpse of printing’s viable future”.

    Romano added: “Xanté has long been a pioneer in bringing new printing technology to all graphic arts businesses, big and small. From image- and platesetting, to laser printers, they have provided cost-efficient alternatives. Now they enter the wide-format world.

    “Xanté has proven itself capable of filling technology gaps that were cost-prohibitive for other manufacturers to fill. Robert Ross and his team consistently fill those gaps with amazingly progressive and yet inexpensive systems. As a result, many hundreds of shops and in-plants are able to produce commercial quality work and compete in their markets.”

    Memjet has already announced OEM partnerships with Lenovo and LG Electronics this year, among others. Memjet’s technologies are also the recipient of the 2011 InterTech Technology Award from the Printing Industries of America.

  • In Memoriam: Jack C. Cohen, FAIA

    Early this morning, just after returning to the U.S. from Europe, we received an e-mail from a close family friend to let us know that Jack C. Cohen, FAIA, founder of Cohen & Haft Architects (which later became known as CHHKK Architects and which, later on, after two of CHHKK’s young lions became the principal owner/managers of the firm, adopted the name Torti Gallas & Partners), passed away, suddenly, on Sunday night. We mourn Jack’s passing and join with family, friends and business associates in expressing our sincere condolences to the Cohen family.

    Simply put, Jack was an amazing person, one who had a profound impact on everyone he was associated with. My father-in-law, Gerson (Gus) Nadell, was close friends with Jack for probably close to 60 years; that friendship started even before Jack helped Gus found Silver Spring Blueprinting (Cohen & Haft was our very first customer, a relationship that began in 1963.) Although slight in stature, Jack was a commanding presence, a true leader in every sense of the word, leader. Together with his partners and associates he built his Architecture firm into one of the leading firms in the Washington, DC Metro Area. He played an important mentoring role to many, many people, both those he directly worked with and those who were vendors to his company.

    I had two, very successful, extended careers in the reprographics business before retiring from full-time participation in December 2007, and I owe a serious debt of gratitude to the two people who formed the foundation for my career in the reprographics industry – to Gus, who taught me how to do business – and to Jack for making sure I completely understood how to take care of customers.

  • U.S. Government Solicitation for: Printing, Imaging, Binding, and Distribution of US Patents

    If you’re really anxious to get eye-strain, then here’s a solicitation, from our Federal Government (Federal Business Opportunities) for:

    Printing, Imaging, Binding, and Distribution of US Patents

    Solicitation Number: DOC52PAPT1100031

    Agency: Department of Commerce Office: Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) Location: Office of Procurement

    Contracting Office Address:

    P. O. Box 1450 – Mail Stop 6 600 Dulany Street, MDE, 7th Floor

    Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450

    Primary Point of Contact.:

    Erin Fox-Ramirez, Contract Specialist erin.fox-ramirez@uspto.gov
    Phone: 571-272-6587

    Fax: 571-273-6587

    GENERAL INFORMATION

    Notice Type:

    Combined Synopsis/Solicitation

    Posted Date:

    September 7, 2011

    Response Date:

    Oct 13, 2011 2:00 pm Eastern

    If you’re interesting in being a proposer, get to it, time is of the essence. I’m not going to bother to post the set of solicitation documents (there are a bunch, and I’m too lazy – or, should I say, I’m not getting paid to do this.)

    I wonder why this procurement isn’t being handled by the U.S. Government Printing Office.

  • Does Thoroughbred Software actually offer ePlanroom software?

    Well, “I’m so old” that I can remember when Thoroughbred Software was in the process of developing its first billing and accounting software package for reprographers.

    It’s been a long, long time since then. And, it looks like Thoroughbred’s “Solutions IV” software offering for reprographers has expanded, quite a bit, from way back then.

    Here’s what I saw, today, when I looked at a current list of their software (and SaaS products):

    http://www.solution-iv-reprographics-software.com/b_repromodules.php

    Although I did not see any information about this in the list of products/services I mentioned above, it “looks like” Thoroughbred offers some sort of ePlanroom software; at least that’s what it says on this particular page:

    http://www.solution-iv-reprographics-software.com/datasheet/reprodigitalplanroom.php

    Anyone out there using Thoroughbred’s ePlanroom software? If so, how about some user comments?

  • “Generic Marketing” vs. “Niche” Marketing – what works best?

    The traditional way of presenting one’s products and services – in the reprographics industry in the U.S. – is to provide a list of the various services and products one offers. Such as would be the case if one offered, and provided, this “list” of services and products:

    · Small-format black & white copying and printing services

    · Small-format color copying and printing services

    · Small-format scanning services

    · Bindery and finishing services

    · Large-format black & white copying and printing services

    · Large-format color copying and printing services

    · Large-format scanning services

    · Finishing services, including mounting and laminating, etc.

    · Digital document management services

    · ePlanroom services

    · OnSite Solutions (FM’s)

    · Large-format reprographics equipment (sales, leases, rentals)

    One might also say that the company offers “posters, banners, billboards” and one might also say that the company offers “plan and spec” printing services for design and construction documents.

    With respect to all of the above, I’d refer to this way of promoting one’s services and products as “generic” marketing.

    To me, “niche” marketing, which is growing fast and is in widespread use, already, in many industries, is the attempt to closely depict and define what one offers – and to advertise/promote products and services – in such a manner where there is no question, whatsoever, that the company offers the service or product a consumer (B2B or whoever) is interested in buying. If a company is going to take “niche” marketing seriously, would it not be a good idea to consider developing a series of web-sites to promote different “niche” services. For example, if I’m a reprographer who does play in the large-format color space, should I not consider creating a separate web-site that promotes “just” banners and posters? Call it “www.bannersandposters.com”? And, if I’m going to offer large-format digital wallpaper, using my HP wide-format latex printer, how about a web-site that promotes “http://www.customwallpaper.com”?

    The question is, what works best? Generic marketing? Or, niche marketing? Or, maybe it would be best to do both?

    I’ve traveled a lot over the years, especially by plane. Nearly every time I sit next to a person on a plane and engage that person in a discussion – which naturally leads to the question “what business are you in?” (and, then I get asked that same question), I explain (after I’m asked that question) that I’m involved in the “reprographics business and industry”. Almost always, that statement is met with a blank stare; the person I said that to does not know what “reprographics” is. Related to this blog post, if I’m a marketing person working for a company getting ready to do a tradeshow and need to print large color banners and posters, am I going to Google “reprographics”, or am I more likely to Google “banners and posters”. And, if I do the latter and do wind up on the page of a reprographics company, am I going to immediately gain comfort that the vendor I found is one that specializes in banners and posters?

    I would encourage reprographers to think about the idea of creating “niche” web-sites that make it very simple to market and sell “niche” products and services (including web-2-print ordering applications, specific to the niche products and services).