Letter from the manager
Here at the BIA, we have just wrapped up our 2015 annual conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This year’s event brought the postpress industry, suppliers and printers together with the co-location of the Print Leadership Summit. From this event, attendees learned how to build their businesses using LinkedIn; heard panel discussions and case studies from binders, printers and vendors; and got to network with top executives. We heard some great feedback from vendors and attendees, and we will be applying this information to the BIA and our future events.
This was my first time at the annual conference since coming on as manager of the BIA back in March. I met some great industry professionals who I look forward to keeping in touch with in the future. From what I’m learning, I can understand what a valuable and interesting area the postpress industry is, and I am thrilled to be part of it.
If you are interested in speaking with me about the BIA or what you would like to see in the future, please don’t hesitate to contact me at ckapanyko@printing.org. I encourage your feedback on how you would like to see the BIA help you.
Regards, Chrystal Kapanyko
BIA Annual Conference Wrap-Up
In mid-May, the 2015 BIA annual conference was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This was the first year the conference co-located with the Print Leadership Summit, so attendees were able to participate in the keynote sessions, as well as any of the PLS tracks in which they were interested.
The BIA track brought in speakers TJ Tedesco, Grow Sales; Paul Reilly, New Direction Partners; Valerie Price, Coyne Graphic Finishing; Scott Warrick, Scott Warrick Consulting, Training & Employment Law Services; Patty Meyer; Corey Perlman, eBootCamp, Inc.; and Daniel Dejan, Sappi Fine Paper North America. Additionally, two informational panel sessions and a vendor rapid-fire session were presented.
The final day focused solely on the BIA tour. This year, there was one tour that included three stops: Muscle Bound Bindery, Daily Printing Inc. and 612Brew. At Muscle Bound Bindery, attendees were given the opportunity to see binding capabilities from side-sewn case binding, Otabind and PUR layflat adhesive binding, as well as EVA and PUR perfect binding capabilities. At the next stop at Daily Printing Inc., attendees were given the chance to see the latest technology and equipment to satisfy sheet-fed printing needs. To round out the day, attendees heard the background of 612Brew, as well as the historical location in which the brewery is housed.
New Benefits for Members
As your postpress resource, the BIA is dedicated to supporting its members through the finest networking in the postpress industry and education on the latest innovative technologies. With the recent expansion in member benefits, members enjoy access to value-added resources that allow them to be more competitive and profitable. Here are some of the new benefits a BIA member can enjoy:
- Discounts for Printing Industries of America-hosted conferences, which include the Color
- Conference and Continuous Improvement Conference
- Special pricing on publications made from Printing Industries Press
- Discounts on courses through the Integrated Learning Center
- Discounts on purchases made from Printing Industries of Americas National Buying Power Program
- Access to professional peer networking forums, like virtual peer groups
- Digital access monthly to Printing Industries of America: The Magazine, with articles written by industry professionals on a variety of topics
- Opportunity to contribute to the new BIA blog
See a complete listing of member benefits by visiting www.printing.org/biamembership.
Industry Communication
One big push from the BIA to become a top educational resource is to engage with the industry and suppliers to the industry. The plans to do this not only includes the new BIA blog, but via social media channels, a BIA resource page and the BIA listserv.
The BIA offers this array of communication channels to the industry as a way for professionals to speak to one another to acquire ideas, tips and even assistance when needed. This connection is vital for any company trying to stay competitive in the industry.
The BIA blog contains information on various topics that help the postpress community, including sales and marketing along with binding. The blog will help to develop the conversation on the BIA social channels on Twitter (@Binding) and LinkedIn (search for BIA Binding Industries Association). Be sure to connect with us on these channels to keep up with the conversation and the latest BIA news.
While the BIA listserv is a great members-only benefit, it gets people engaging with one another when help is needed or when looking for a recommendation on equipment. As for the BIA resource page, which is in development, it will house links to educational material for the postpress industry. This will be a one-stop location to the current trends and tips of the industry.
As we move into the middle of 2015, the BIA is a nonstop force to provide members and the industry with a variety of resources and education. For the latest news on BIA, connect with us on social media and check out www.printing.org/bia.
