2018 May/June

Leveraging Print to Complement eMarketing Omni-Channel Strategies for Profitability

June 12, 2018

Article courtesy of Canon Solutions America and NAPCO

A Print Service Provider (PSP) must modernize and analyze diversified channels such as database management, email, web to print, website development and hosting, wide format, social media, industrial print and new technologies such as AR, VR, QR and video.

When a PSP can integrate one or more of these technologies with print into a single, seamless marketing campaign, delivering a highly targeted, consistent message, it has earned customer respect and an ongoing business relationship. It’s essential to effectively deliver content by using all channels in a cohesive, unified fashion. These vital avenues of communication are always changing, but the 600-year-old form of content delivery continues to resonate – print.

Defining eMarketing and explaining the omni-channel

All marketers are challenged with presenting their message in a way that attracts the attention of their target audience. Since the introduction of the internet and mobile devices, methods that cut through the digital marketing abyss fall into the category of eMarketing. eMarketing, internet marketing and digital marketing are grouped together when searching for a definition. Is there a difference? Probably not; the difference is purely semantic. It is easiest to define eMarketing as online communications.

The term omni-channel is becoming pervasive in the marketing world. It first came to prominence in the retail sector where it denoted the integration of different shopping methods: online vs. store vs. phone. Now the term has expanded to mean a seamless integration of multimedia touches to create unified messaging and customer experience. To run a business with full omni-channel attributes teaches us many things. The marketplace must be the guiding principle. While print used to be one of the most dominant media in how to reach and touch a targeted audience, now digital is foremost. Digitization is everywhere.

While the omni-channel paradigm is important, a PSP must always focus on how to build trust in their customers’ minds. They must clearly demonstrate their mastery of the tools that will influence the actions of the ultimate end user. Trust then leads to developing a “sticky” business relationship between the PSP and its customer.

Internally, eMarketing is catalyzing organizational thought processes. A smart PSP must recognize and offer new types of services. Here are some of the components that most marketing and print professionals consider the essentials of successful omni-channel marketing.

Content management

Content needs to trigger an emotion or a desired action. A PSP who can partner with customers to maximize effective content delivery generally has a successful strategy in place.

Print

Print is an essential part of the omni-channel, but it must be used differently. It’s important not to underestimate the power of delivering powerful, engaging and creative content via a printed document. The challenge is how to leverage the power of print with other omni-channel media. Print is a great trigger medium for creating beautiful graphics, a compelling message and a call to action. The best print vehicles to do this with are: 1) personalized direct mail. Print – when personalized and customized – gets a 6.5 percent response rate compared to one to two percent for nonpersonalized direct mail, according to Melissa Data, 2) customized catalogs and sales materials, 3) Trans-promo.

Internet

Plain and simple, the internet is pervasive in all our lives.

Email

Personalized emails are a practical way to follow up to personalized direct mail, but it is difficult to do well with email alone. This vehicle can be an excellent way to replicate campaigns and reinforce the campaign message. Email marketing consistently outperforms other marketing channels, including social media, because it’s personal and direct – if it doesn’t get caught in the spam filter.

Social media

Social media trends are changing at a fast pace, which makes it difficult to define the best path for success. Many platforms come and go quickly, but one thing is certain: The social media instant message is dominating the marketing space for young people.

Mobile apps

With mobile becoming almost a connected part of lives, this omni-channel component cannot be ignored. Based on research done by Shopify, 53 percent of all eCommerce is done via mobile devices.

Wide format messaging

The dynamic expansion of wide format has positively impacted the eMarketing world. It is no longer just about posters or signage, but wall coverings, window treatments, textiles and other industrial uses as well.

Video

A common denominator that seems to link all omni-channel platforms is video. YouTube has dramatically changed the course of marketing. People love to watch a short, engaging video.

Interactive media

QR codes have been around awhile but still have some life in retail and the packaging space.
Virtual reality (VR) is shaking up the online world. Ever since Oculus Rift hit the scene, the excitement about virtual reality has become very real and tangible. Although no statistics exist as to how this technology will change the eMarketing world, the possibilities are huge. VR helps create a unique sensory experience that can’t be found anyplace else.
Augmented reality (AR) is already a big part of the eMarketing scene. Many existing players have created some truly functional yet awesome apps and uses for this technology to help shoppers put their minds at ease by allowing them to literally visualize the look and feel of products from their digital devices. The future will see more companies riding this technology, offering customers a more immersive visual shopping experience.

Database management

The increasing demand for relevant data is one of the major drivers for marketers today. The growing requirement for PSPs to offer this service is vital to any eMarketing efforts within the omni-channel. Data analytics, which track the various marketing campaigns, determine success or failure and determine scalability mapping for future campaigns.

360-degree view of the changing marketing landscape

Each year, Content Marketing Institute (CMI) surveys thousands of marketers and publishes a comprehensive research report on content marketing trends and practices. And year after year, it’s the same story: The majority of marketers do not have documented content marketing strategies – and the absence of that strategy could be hurting their chances of measurable success.

In fact, CMI reported in its 2017 Benchmarks Report that 63 percent of B2B marketers do not have a documented content strategy, while 61 percent of the most successful ones do. Now, a documented strategy doesn’t necessarily mean your company will create an award-winning content marketing program, but research clearly shows a correlation between a documented strategy and successful content programs.

Ultimately a PSP’s business strategy must serve several different purposes and take a number of different forms. The key, however, is to have it align with what the customer needs to achieve their goals.

Revamping the print experience

When it comes to delivering content, one needs to think about the end user first and how they want to be engaged. If a PSP can demonstrate how successful an omni-channel, unified, positive message – starting with a captivating, creative, personalized printed piece – can be, then that strategy can be duplicated in many niche verticals and create a “sticky” business customer relationship.

The goal of a marketer is to learn which channel works best for which customers and reach them there. Personalized direct mail is an excellent initial engagement medium. It can set a brand apart. Personalized newsletters and promotional materials that deliver relevant content tend to send people to online media that then achieve the desired result of engaged customers. The digital printed piece becomes an essential element of this campaign strategy.

The underlying technology to any personalization campaign is database management. Data technology has paved the way to improved marketing efficiency and then measuring defined results with the capability to offer predictive add-ons. When a printed piece can be personalized to almost every extent, the chance of the targeted person positively reacting is much higher.

Role of data

Data is everywhere, and one of the best opportunities for profitable growth lies in mastering data analysis for print and omni-channel communications. If you’re making a push to change your business strategy, or want to prove that the omni-channel efforts you’ve already put in place have been beneficial to your company and your customers, you must be a viable database player. Data drives all personalized content delivery, no matter what media channel.

Data comes in two flavors: Big Data and Little Data. Big Data encompasses large volumes of data – structured and unstructured – that inundate a business on a day-to-day basis. Little Data describes data that relies on targeted data acquisition and data mining, such as what items individual customers purchased at a local retailer. Keep in mind, it’s not the amount of it that’s important, but what organizations do with the data that matters. And between print and other omni-channel uses, there is a lot that a print provider can do.

An important term that relates to defining data is “patternicity.” This word refers to the human tendency to find meaning in random events. Gathering Big Data or Little Data into useable forms is the cornerstone of patternicity. This sounds logical, and all marketing programs today hinge on knowing the vital information obtained on marketing targets and then leveraging it successfully. Good marketers look for partners who can assist in determining buying and event patterns, and things that can be used as a predictive model for future actions. If the printer can acquire basic data management skills, great value can be achieved for a customer. Printers who master data management are destined for success.

Mastering the digital transformation

The number one challenge facing today’s PSP management is digital disruption. Print is not going to disappear any time soon, but how the business world employs the ink-on-paper medium is dramatically changing.

Advancements in technology and the rapid proliferation of digital media, data analytics and mobile requires PSP executives to lead their companies by providing new service offerings and skills. A key element of this transformation is building new digital customer experiences. Underlying all this is a solid IT infrastructure. The PSP must look for software providers and outside vendor partners to support the eMarketing implementation. Established companies know they cant do this transformation alone. Partnering is the best way to bring talented, experienced people into the equation without breaking the bank and overcome the fear of making the wrong decisions.

Either new people must be hired, or existing employees must be trained to make this transformation successful. Infrastructure must be built with security measures in place and documented to protect customer data.

“Leveraging Print to Complement eMarketing Omni-Channel Strategies for Profitability” was commissioned by NAPCO and written by Steven Schnoll in 2017. It is run here in PostPress courtesy of Canon Solutions America. Edited for space by PostPress editors.

Key Steps in Mastering the Digital Transformation

Perform a SWOT analysis to determine company status.
Talk to key customers to get their insights into what is changing in their respective businesses to ensure your investment is not a waste of money.
Research software vendors and outside service partners to evaluate options and the price of success.
Determine employment requirements – training existing team vs. hiring new people.
Create a database infrastructure with proper security measures and analytics.
Install productive digital print engines.
Learn what it takes to become a trusted adviser to customers.

Proper Design Key for Successful Folding/Gluing

June 12, 2018

by Jeff Peterson, editor-in-chief, PostPress

With the multitude of paper stocks, coatings, inks and other finishes available today, it has become more important than ever to have communication up front on any job that will be moving through folding/gluing equipment to finish the project.

Whether it is a folding carton, direct mail piece or presentation folder, specific areas need to be addressed prior to the folding/gluing process and before the piece is printed, coated, decorated and/or diecut.

“It is surprising to hear that in many cases the folding/gluing process isn’t even considered at the design stage,” said Chris Leary, director of sales at W.H. Leary Co. “Unlike printing and diecutting, the finishing process is three-dimensional and the structure of the carton is critical to successful finishing.”

Coatings and metallic finishes

Many of the pieces, especially folding cartons, are typically coated in some way before they are folded and glued. This is important to do, in many cases, to help protect the print and prevent scuffing. However, it is always important that this coating is not applied to the glue flaps where the glue from the folder-gluer is applied. Even an aqueous coating can prevent the glue from properly penetrating the paper stock and creating the right fiber tear.

“UV coatings or any type of coatings should be avoided on the glue flap,” said Bobst North America Product Support Manager for Specialty Folder Gluers Yvan Magni. Magni pointed out that there are now technologies available, such as plasma surface treatment, that allow operators to treat the coating surface to get the glue to properly penetrate. However, even plasma treating the stock is based on having the coating applied properly, so it isn’t always 100 percent efficient.

Leary added that if the stock being used includes a metallic surface (hot or cold foil, or a metallic board), “glue assist” perforations may need to be added during the diecutting process in the gluing area on the carton. This will allow for cold glue to penetrate the metallic surface and create a proper bond.

“Another idea when working with a metalized surface is to use a combination of both hot melt and cold glue,” explained Leary. “The hot melt system can apply a couple of dots to hold the carton together while the cold glue sets.”

If the carton or other printed piece is not coated, it is important the ink dries completely before putting it through the folder-gluer.

“If you dare to run pieces that aren’t coated, at least wait until the ink is completely dry before running them through the folder-gluer,” explained Chris Pett, engineering manager for Brandtjen & Kluge. “Wet ink can wreak havoc. It can easily scuff and can offset from tracking on the machine and then transferring ink back onto the pieces.”

Paper stock/carton board

This is an example of a metalized board with glue assist perforations that can be performed in the diecutting process.

As with any type of process, the quality of the paper stock can have a huge impact on the folding/gluing process. The better quality of stock, the more likely it will run smoothly through the machine and decrease rejects. The challenge is in the end user balancing the cost of the paper stock. For larger runs, the paper or board can have a huge impact on the final cost of the job. So this must all be considered. (See side bar on carton boards.)

Pett pointed out that glue flaps on heavier board will fold more easily and lie flatter if they are scored in the same direction as the paper grain. And with lighter stock, ranging from 4 to 8 point, the paper may fold better when it’s turned over and scored from the opposite side (reverse scored).

“It is best to be proactive and get the folder-gluer operator(s) involved to validate the best way to score the stock being used,” said Pett. “We have seen some 4-point stocks have perfs in place of scores. In these instances, we noticed that the folds followed along the perfs better than the scores.”

Pett also recommended following the diemakers’ suggestions on scoring the piece. The diemaker should have a comprehensive chart that will match up the correct matrix and scoring rule thickness with the material thickness to help ensure optimal scores for excellent fold quality.

Although scoring is mostly done during the diecutting process, there is folding/gluing equipment available where a blank aligning module and creasing section adapted with creasing rollers can be used and potentially eliminate the need of an additional process through the diecutter.

“This type of creasing process can help with precise and straight guiding of the folding and allows the paper fibers to be re-molded after the printing and the coating process,” explained Magni. “This allows the paper fibers to bend in the newly created scoring channel instead of breaking, and essentially will help avoid cracking.”

Avoiding scuff

The best way to avoid scuffing of the printed piece through a folder-gluer is to be sure it is coated. This can be either a cured UV or aqueous coating that can be applied inline or offline. Either way, as discussed earlier, it is best to keep the coating off the flaps or other areas that will be glued.

Even if the carton or other printed piece has been coated, it is still best to avoid contact with any static tooling (bars, guides, deflectors, etc.). However, the belts on the folder-gluer also can create challenges with scuffing, particularly the feeder section where a carton will go from zero speed to over 2,000 feet per minute in a matter of seconds, which can create a burn-out effect on the printed side of the carton.

“The belt manufacturers have done an incredible job in the past few years to create rubbers that can sustain those high speeds without putting too much stress on the printed surface,” explained Magni. Magni went on to say that the operator also has a part to play in this process; a good setup allowing for a larger surface of these belts to contact the carton also will lower the burn-out effect.

Ultimately, the use of a good quality coating, a quality folder-gluer machine, and fresh and clean belts with a good setup should all help combat any type of scuffing. “In the worst case scenario, the production speed may need to be reduced slightly to avoid any scuffing,” continued Magni.

Conclusion

The design of the piece and the consideration of areas such as the coating used and the quality of paper/board are important to achieving a quality outcome on the folder-gluer. Pett recommended communication from the end-user, printer and the final folder-gluer operator as an important step in determining final quality.

“When creating designs, get the folder-gluer operators involved early,” said Pett. “They have a vast amount of experience. Show them the drawings and ask them to show you how it would run through the machine.”

“Every step along the way will affect the next one, and the more mistakes or wrong choices that are made during this process will not only affect the time needed to produce the job, but most of all, will increase the cost of manufacturing which will affect the profit of the job,” concluded Magni. “This is why I always emphasize the fact that a well-conceived job starts by the design team’s knowledge of the products and equipment that will be used during the manufacturing process.”

Tactile Experience Has Created a Resurgence in Print over Digital

June 12, 2018

by Taylor Graham, marketing & sales coordinator, Royle Printing

Could you imagine your life today without any of your electronic devices? For the past decade, nearly everyone uses a smartphone, computer or tablet daily. Whether that’s to read up on the latest news, check your Facebook feed or post a picture to Instagram, we’ve become nearly dependent on our electronics. With the rise in use of devices increasing every year, it is believed to spell the certain doom for any printed media – or at least that’s what everyone assumes.

Today, marketing and advertising companies are utilizing both print and digital media. On average, when considering the “Print Is Not Dead” arguments, the conclusion is often that print media continue to be a trusted source of information.

According to a 2010 multi-country survey (from book research by American University’s linguistics professor Naomi Baron), 92 percent of 420 college students surveyed said they prefer reading in print over any form of electronic media. While online reading is great for interpersonal communications, respondents explain that a physical printed piece has fewer distractions than viewing materials online and results in less eye strain and headaches.

But the real question is why do people find print media a trusted source of information?

We already know the overabundance of information posted online has a short shelf life, making it easy for just about anyone to share some sort of story – factual or not.

“There is physicality in reading – maybe even more than we want to think about as we lurch into digital reading,” said developmental psychologist and cognitive scientist Maryanne Wolf of Tufts University in a 2013 Scientific American article.

But if everyone just printed a bunch of magazines and newspapers, then does that automatically make it all true? Of course not – we have to dissect this even further. What is it about print media that digital just cannot replicate? The answer is the experience.

“The implicit feel of where you are in a physical book turns out to be more important than we realized,” said Abigail Sellen of Microsoft Research Cambridge in England and co-author of The Myth of the Paperless Office. “Only when you get an e-book do you start to miss it. I don’t think e-book manufacturers have thought enough about how you might visualize where you are in a book.”

What many successful companies realize is that a printed piece of content is an extension of their brand. It should elicit an emotional experience for their reader that extends far beyond what’s typed on the page.

“It never runs out of battery and is likely to be picked up a couple of times,” said Christian Kallenberg from We Like Mags at the FIPP World Congress. “I asked my 12-year-old daughter why (she and her friends) spend their pocket money on Mädchen (a monthly German teen magazine), and she said ‘While it’s cool to flip back and forth, if you finish the magazine, you get the feeling you’re done.'”

Focus your company’s media strategy, as multi-faceted, multiple media are needed to fully reach your audience. From blog posts, social media accounts, a magazine, your website, etc. – they should all be consistent in delivering your brand.

So how do you begin to build this experience? It’s really where you get to be creative on how you’d like your readers to consume your content. Talking with your print provider is a great way to see what types of tactile coatings are available to you.

Applying a unique coating to your magazine can take your brand from ordinary to extraordinary. With daily lives dominated by touchscreens and keyboards, print provides a much-needed break away from the screen. Haptic research shows that its the physical nature of print that gives readers a sense of what they’re reading. Compared to the cluttered internet, this unmatched physical and tactile experience gives print a share hold of any company’s content strategy.

“When we read ink on paper, and we look for the narrative, it’s storytelling. When we go online, it’s presentation,” explained Daniel Dejan, print/creative manager of North American Sappi Fine Paper. “The term that’s being used is “Bi-lateral Literacy” and the fact that when presented with ink on paper, our heart rate goes down and our blood pressure goes down. We go back to reading the way we were taught when we were children. The beauty of that is it’s much more penetrating; it has a longer mnemonic retention. If it is done well, it’s very meaningful to us. We esteem it with added value; and in some cases can become a treasure.”

“The flip side is,” Dejan continued, “we either need something immediately, we want immediate gratification, or if we really need a deep understanding, or the decision we’re making is going to make a long-term value, we want it in print.”

In January 2013, Anne Mangen of the University of Stavanger in Norway and colleagues conducted a study with a class of tenth graders of similar reading ability to study one narrative and one expository text, each about 1,500 words long. The study evaluated the differences in reading retention between print and digital in young readers.

The report states: “Half the students read the texts on paper and half read them in pdf files on computers with 15-inch liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors. Afterwards, students completed reading-comprehension tests consisting of multiple-choice and short-answer questions, during which they had access to the texts. Students who read the texts on computers performed a little worse than students who read on paper.”

Mangen noted in her observations, “Students reading pdf files had a more difficult time finding particular information when referencing the texts. Readers on computers could only scroll or click through the pdfs one section at a time, whereas students reading on paper could hold the text in its entirety in their hands and quickly switch between different pages. Because of their easy navigability, paper books and documents may be better suited to absorption in a text.”

Taylor Graham is the marketing and sales coordinator at Royle Printing. Royle Printing, based in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, specializes in the production of magazines and catalogs. Royle received the “Best of the Best Workplace in the Americas” designation by Printing Industries of America. For more information, visit www.royle.com.

The Economist’s View: Steel Tariffs – Good, Bad, Both?

June 12, 2018

by Chris Kuehl, managing director, Armada Corporate Intelligence

There are few things more certain than death and taxes, unless it is a debate over one or the other. The plan to impose stiff tariffs on steel imported into the US has been discussed and considered and argued over for years – decades even. Once upon a time, the US was perhaps the world’s biggest steel producer, but many things changed in that industry and there was too often a delay in responding and too many strategic mistakes.

It has never been a single-issue problem. It is true that labor costs have been a factor, and it is true that environmental laws have been a factor. It also is true that many other countries have sought to bolster their own capabilities when it comes to steel output, as this commodity has long been wrapped around a host of other issues. Nations do not want to be vulnerable to others when it comes to steel supply; this is an industry that still accounts for a lot of jobs – but not as many as in the past. It is a point of national pride to have a thriving domestic steel sector, and many governments have been subsidizing and protecting that sector for many years.

Over the last decade or two, the US steel sector has been under a great deal of stress for a variety of reasons. The costs of production are higher than in rival producer nations; there has been a steady decline in the amount of available scrap; and steel users have started to shift to other products (aluminum in cars and the growth of plastics). The recession hit the steel sector hard, with declines in many key steel-consuming sectors, such as vehicle manufacturing, construction and the like. That demand is only now starting to come back.

Right now, there are nine operating integrated steel mills in the US – down from 13 in the year 2000. There are about 112 mini-mills in the US, which use scrap metal as opposed to iron ore. The mini-mill sector accounts for about 60 percent of all the steel produced in the US, and the sector’s greatest challenge is that scrap is a harvestable resource – and one that is dwindling. There is less metal in vehicles to begin with, and they are not being scrapped as aggressively as in the past. The slowdown in construction activity has meant fewer tear-downs, and severe restrictions remain on scrapping ships in the US, as there are all manner of environmental hazards with which to contend.

These are the factors that led steel companies to seek some kind of shelter from global competition. The current drive to impose tariffs would not be the first time this tactic has been explored. Under George W. Bush, a 25 percent tariff was imposed on imported steel, but the effort was abandoned just two years later, as it was doing far more harm than good to the US economy. The two-year experiment created a host of issues for the US and invited retaliation from the affected countries – most of which were and are US allies.

The current effort is grounded in national security concerns (and that was the rationale used in 2002 as well). The assertion is that a country’s national security depends on access to steel – its own steel. That assertion is grounded in the kind of industrial production a country would need to engage in should there be a major conflict. Steel would be needed for ships and tanks and trucks and all manner of construction. Of course, there are many other commodities that would require similar protection these days – everything from aluminum to lithium and cobalt and all those rare earth minerals that are key to electronics.

The majority of the steel that comes into the US is from nations that are either allies or at least friendly to the US. The top exporter to the US is Canada (17 percent) and then Brazil (14 percent), South Korea (10 percent), Mexico (9 percent), Russia (8 percent), Turkey (8 percent), Japan (5 percent), Taiwan (3 percent), Germany (3 percent) and India (3 percent). The top 10 exporters to the US account for 80 percent of the steel the US brings in. The other 20 percent is spread among nations that export just a little to the US.

China has ostensibly been the target as far as limiting steel imports to the US, and it is the nation that always mentioned is as an unfair competitor. It is accused of dumping steel and cheating on a wide variety of global steel rules, but the reality is that China is not even in the top 15 suppliers of steel to the US. The bottom line is that imposing a stiff tariff would affect US allies and friends far more than it would impact nations of which the US is suspicious.

The impact of a steel tariff on the US domestic economy

The rationale behind these tariffs is threefold: to provide a boost to the US economy, to create (or at least to preserve) jobs and to support the businesses involved in steel production. Questions exist as to how effective the tariff would be in terms of achieving these goals, but the bigger issue for the US economy is that this tariff would have a profound and negative impact on those industries that use steel.

Studies from a variety of think tanks and government agencies assert that for every steel-specific job in the US, there are 60 jobs in steel-using industries – automotive, construction, machinery manufacturing and the like. It is hard to estimate the impact of something that has not happened as yet, and those who have tried must make assumptions that may or may not be accurate. The proponents of the tariff assert the impact will be minor, and those who oppose it can come up with catastrophic numbers.

The best assessment is to look back at the 2002 tariff as guidance. Two of the hardest-hit states were Michigan and Ohio, which lost 9,829 and 10,553 jobs, respectively. Both states rely heavily on steel to manufacture a variety of products. It is likely that several thousand jobs were preserved in states such as Indiana and Illinois, where the steel operations exist. On balance, the data showed that five time more jobs were lost than were gained or protected due to high-priced steel.

There is no doubt that the US steel industry has been hit hard by waves of unfair competition over the last few decades. There are countries that overtly subsidize the production of steel, and others that deliberately overproduce with the intent of dumping that excess capacity. China has been at the center of these debates, but it is not the only county engaged in these tactics. China consumed the bulk of the steel it produced in the days of double-digit expansion and thousands of projects all over the country. Every region wanted its own steel operation, and China had no issue with this, as it needed the jobs and the steel. Since then, the construction sector has slowed, and China no longer needs the steel. This has not stopped these regions from producing, as they still need to preserve the jobs.

The tariffs have been a political football in the last few months, with exemptions based on whether the countries are helping or hurting the US effort to control China. The latest deadline was down to the wire and then extended for another month. The uncertainty has been taking its toll, and steel prices have risen sharply – despite the fact that 85 percent of the steel imports and roughly 90 percent of aluminum imports are still taking place. The steel makers in the US are hedging their bets to some degree and seem to expect the tariff regime to be in place at some point. Meanwhile, the latest data on manufacturing show a sharp slowdown based on higher prices for steel and aluminum, and lately of oil as well.

Chris Kuehl is managing director of Armada Corporate Intelligence. Founded by Keith Prather and Chris Kuehl in January 2001, Armada began as a competitive intelligence firm, grounded in the discipline of gathering, analyzing and disseminating intelligence. Today, Armada executives function as trusted strategic advisers to business executives, merging fundamental roots in corporate intelligence gathering, economic forecasting and strategy development. Armada focuses on the market forces bearing down on organizations.

More information: www.armada-intel.com

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