Wide-format digital printers have been around for some time now. Capabilities range from printing sign and display applications like banners, posters and point of purchase materials to technical applications such as charts, maps and engineering drawings. Over the years, manufacturers have continued to engineer advances in these digital printers to provide a greater assortment of widths, higher output quality, different ink technology and wider substrate capability such as printing to acrylic, metal, glass and textiles. (more…)

With the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions starting to relax in many countries and states, there is a renewed focus on getting ‘back to normal’. For many, this signifies a return to the office – but it’s not as simple as picking up old habits. Preparing for a safe and efficient way to bring employees back to the workplace is a complex topic, and there are a lot of conflicting opinions out there. So let’s take a look at what we should be expecting for the return to work…and what not to. (more…)

Human beings, by nature, are not solitary animals. Rather, they are among the most social creatures in existence, and have a very strong tendency to partner with others where there are common interests. People with a strong interest in music will attend concerts, and even if only for a few hours, will tend to align in behaviors, excitement and fun at the same points of the performance. This, too, is the human inclination that can bring thousands of people in a stadium to their feet during a sporting event in a perfectly synchronized “wave” of standing and sitting again. This is just how we humans are. (more…)

Last year, I wrote a blog exploring whether advertising is dead – the answer was a resounding no, but creating compelling and relevant content was key for optimising engagement. Fast-forward to 2020, and as the human race has had to adapt to a global pandemic, the question has once again resurfaced. And I’m now asking my team the question of whether we should be marketing our products and services to our customers. Knowing that many of our partners will be thinking along the same lines, I thought I’d revisit the topic in today’s context, and see how we can successfully engage audiences in this ‘next’ normal. (more…)

Recently I had the opportunity to speak to Bob Skelley from The Channel Company and Andy Slawetsky from Industry Analysts about the strategies my team has deployed to support the channel during the coronavirus outbreak, and how we will continue post-pandemic as they approach the reopening of their businesses. These conversations were a really great way to reflect on where we’ve been and how we can succeed in the future. (more…)

There is no denying it: the first half of 2020 has been rife with uncertainty. Leaving businesses, employees, and leaders having to adapt to working in the unknown, and yet still be accountable to find ways to thrive. For myself and the fellow Konica Minolta leadership team, it was a strong ‘wake-up call’ to take an analytical look at what we have been prioritizing, and to make sure the decisions we make can support not only our customers, but our employees, dealers, and partners too, through these trying times. (more…)

If I had to describe myself in three words, they would be: planner, optimistic and persistent. They also happen to be three essential qualities to be a successful event organizer, especially in light of recent challenges our area of the business is facing. (more…)

It’s no secret that real estate has always been a very paper-intensive industry. Paper dependency has always been the only option for brokers and sales associates because it’s been the easiest medium by which to communicate information with home buyers and sellers. The ability for a broker or associate to print a document and hand deliver or fax it to the intended party has been the tried-and-true process for decades. And, although not the most economically efficient process, it does get the job done. (more…)

As campuses across the country closed and sent students home to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, faculty members moved their classes online at an unprecedented pace. Online courses and distance education were once thought of as the opposite of what a college experience should be, with “sub-par learning experiences” or for-profit companies acting as educational institutions. But now, online learning has quickly become a necessity to keep classes going and colleges and universities alive. (more…)

Investing in technologies that improve operating efficiency, lower production costs and expand capabilities are top of mind for most print service providers (PSPs.) According to a recent NAPCO Research survey, 65 percent of PSPs report that competing against low-cost producers is a critical/moderate challenge. At the same time, more than three-quarters of these providers are expanding the print applications they offer customers. These trends have many providers investigating the benefits of a B2+ format press. (more…)