Thayer Long, president of the Association for Print Technologies (formerly NPES), has more than 20 years of experience in leading several industry-sponsored organizations and associations through times of change and transformation, specifically in the construction, finance and electrical industries. With his background, Long now has the opportunity to serve as president of the Association for Print Technologies (APTech) for two years.

How did you find yourself in the printing and imaging industry?

I started my career in publishing, working as a production assistant. My father also spent his career working in the packaging industry. When the position at the association became available, there was a natural gravitational pull that led me to apply and see where the journey took me. I could not be more thrilled on what the association leadership and the team I have the honor of working with has accomplished.

What role, under your leadership, will the Association for Print Technologies have in the industry?

Any industry is a community of sorts, and the printing industry is no different. We see a need, and thus an opportunity, to bring a far greater amount of alignment to the industry value chain. We believe an industry that is in alignment is one that is maximizing success and profitability for its participants. What does alignment mean? In essence, it means that the value chain partners believe and see how their goals or definitions of successful business outcomes are shared by their other value chain partners, especially those on either side of them. The complexity of printing and its vast array of applications – and also how printed products interact with other technologies – is demanding greater collaboration from the onset, and thus alignment.

How has the rebranding of APTech, formerly NPES, improved resources for your membership?

Our rebrand and vision announcement is just the beginning, not the end point. We have an 80-year legacy of which we are very proud, but there is an exciting journey still to be taken. Andy Grove, the leader of Intel, is quoted as saying “Success breeds complacency; complacency breeds failure. Only the paranoid survive.” What people can expect from APTech are two things: first, an unyielding drive to ensure what we are doing is relevant to the business outcomes of our member customers; and second, a much broader engagement with all aspects of the print value chain.

What challenges are you seeing in commercial printing, and how can APTech’s mission help alleviate them?

There are tremendous opportunities for the industry – but the most critical, in my opinion, is the opportunity for the industry to evolve itself. As our association manifesto states, printing is powerful, permanent and universal. It is arguably the single most influential and impactful movement on human history. As we evolve the industry into its next being, we need to do it in a unified fashion (hence the alignment focus as stated above). Our mission then will include convening the industry community through events and conferences – like our signature event PRINT – educating and providing actionable business intelligence for all components of the global print value chain, being an advocate for the industry in a more digital world and promoting industry standards that help advance the industry.

Tell me a little bit about the value of the APTech-managed organizations (GAERF, International Color Consortium and PRIMIR).

We offer great products and brands through the association. Our research program, which is known as PRIMIR, serves as an invaluable tool for industry members to gain insight into industry trends and to conduct forecasting. Our annual research and trends conference went through a major overhaul this year – and it now is known as the PRIMIR Insights Conference. Everyone should come to San Francisco in July! The International Color Consortium is a major platform for the ever-evolving area of color management, and one that is growing even more complex as the color gamut continues to expand as does the number of substrates that are now being printed upon. GAERF is home to our workforce development efforts, a number one issue facing almost everyone in the industry. GAERF is currently undergoing a robust strategic planning process, so everyone should stay tuned for more information.

What are your predictions for the industry over the next 10 years?

Wow, not sure I can predict that far out, but fundamentally we know the pace of change and technological advances is increasing, not decreasing. I believe in the industry, and therefore I believe in the next 10 years the industry will continue to evolve, adapt, lead and innovate itself. The applications of printing will grow. The value chain will be pushed closer and closer together. My hope is that people today heed this call to action, to change.

For more information: www.printtechnologies.org.

Having spent more than 35 years in the printing industry, Hal Hinderliter has experienced the ups and downs of an industry forced to evolve rapidly with the advent of the digital era. As such, Hinderliter – owner of Hal Hinderliter Consulting Services, Milwaukee, Wisconsin – has developed an expertise in digital prepress, market research, variable data and workflow management. His company focuses on providing consulting and custom training programs that enable clients to understand and utilize the newest technologies while improving product quality and increasing profits.

What drew you to the printing industry as a career?

I got my first job when I was 13 years old, working as a photojournalist for my hometown weekly newspaper. I was immediately fascinated by the process that turned my photographic prints into those big half-tone dots. I wanted to learn more, which led me to take a graphic arts class during my junior year of high school. I was immediately hooked, and the rest is history!

What important changes have you witnessed in the industry over the last few years?

These days it’s all about the newest technology. When I first started in print, we were all craftsmen. We worked with our hands, using X-ACTO knives and Rapidograph pens. There wasn’t a computer in sight.

Today, the use of computers and lasers and servo motors means that our customers get higher quality results, delivered faster and more cost-effectively than we ever could have imagined. The most influential of these changes may have been computer-to-plate technology, but even that accomplishment is being swept aside by a new generation of faster and larger digital print engines. These production enhancements have been accompanied by tremendous advances in communication, including PDF workflows, web-to-print portals and internet-connected hardware diagnostics.

What is “Print that performs”?

The internet, personal computers and mobile phones are a powerful combination when it comes to disseminating information. If the only value of a printed project is in its ability to distribute words and numbers, then it will soon be replaced by electronic media – if it hasn’t already. “Print that performs” is capable of more. It motivates people to buy, it enhances brand loyalty, it provides a method to transport a product, or it adds value in some other way. Those forms of print are more resistant to electronic replacement and will provide a more sustainable future for printers and finishers. Beyond the obvious utility of printed packaging, many of my favorite examples of “print that performs” come from the marketing department: pop-up 3D diecut mailers, ornate foiled brochures and luxurious magazines with UV-coated, soft-touch covers. In other cases, though, getting print to perform includes the use of variable data authoring tools to deliver only the content that is relevant to each recipient. Projects that are successful performers will be functional in some useful way, not merely informative.

How can printers diversify into other areas?

It really starts with sales and estimating. Shops that find themselves cutting margins to the bone in order to win those long-run, 4-over-4 jobs will eventually find that no profits means no reinvestment in improved technology, rendering them uncompetitive. Finding ways to please customers who want higher-margin projects means moving away from a “churn and burn” low-bid approach. Offering (or partnering with shops that can provide) value-added finishing and special effects will lead to the production of more functional print jobs, ones that can perform a useful service not easily replicated on a cellphone screen. Dimensional coatings, security inks (with taggants), rust-resistant stainless steel stitch wire, water-resistant synthetic substrates – the list of possibilities is practically endless, and many print buyers will be unaware of what is available unless you show them these options.

What will be the biggest challenges faced by those in the printing industry in the next few years?

Changing our mindsets! After so many decades of expecting that helpless customers will seek out our expertise in print reproduction, we’ve got to become proactive in finding and promoting a new expertise that’s focused not on a specific reproduction method, but on solving our clients’ needs. This trend can be a little hard to spot, because commercial printers who decide to target a specific audience often create a spin-off company under a new name. This allows them to tout their success with educational, healthcare, governmental or other specialized applications without being burdened by the “printshop” moniker.

How will HHCS continue to advocate and provide services for those individuals?

My consulting practice often includes assisting printers in rethinking their approach to the market, as well as the selection and implementation of new technologies and practices. It’s generally difficult for companies to look beyond incremental changes to their existing business methods; bringing in an outside consultant can enable the examination of entrenched procedures and illuminate new paths to profitability.

What trends do you see for the industry in the next few years?

The printers and finishers who will survive and thrive are those who will take a more vertical approach to the marketplace. Instead of offering a loosely defined set of services to all comers, vertical shops will look for opportunities where their capabilities and experience can provide turnkey solutions to complex business problems. Then, they’ll seek out customers who can benefit from these specialized solutions and offer themselves as a strategic partner.

How will HHCS continue to serve and influence the industry?

I’m developing courseware and educational curriculum that I hope will have a lasting and positive influence on the graphic arts, and I continue to enjoy my involvement with the OUTLOOK conference at GRAPH EXPO, as well as the MUST SEE ‘EMS awards. Of course, I also remain available to companies that may need some outside advice on their operations.

Daniel Dejan is the Sappi etc. (education, training and consulting) print and creative manager for Sappi North America, providing value-added marketing, sales and technical consultation. As a graphic designer with over 40 years in the industry, Dejan developed a fascination with paper and its ability to create dramatic pieces of marketing communications. In his work with Sappi North America, Dejan strives to educate and inspire the graphic arts community on the ways in which print communications can utilize tactile sensations to compete in a market continually overloaded with digital content.

How did you find the printing industry as a career?

I grew up in the industry. My father owned an advertising agency and felt it was good for me to learn production. When I was 16, I did an apprenticeship for one of the largest hot type shops in Chicago, which gave me a very strong foundation. I learned type, ink, paper and print production. Of course, most of that now is obsolete, but it was exactly the right kind of indoctrination. Later, I went to college and design school before starting my own graphic design and marketing firm. I ended up buying my father’s advertising agency and merging it with my own company. The rest is history.

What are haptics, and how do they relate to branding?

Haptics is the science of touch and how what we touch shapes what we feel. Humans are a very tactile species. We love to feel things that stimulate a response. At Sappi, we got together with Lana Rigsby from Rigsby Hull, a communications design firm in Houston, Texas. She brought in Dr. David Eagleman, one of the top neuroscience researchers in haptics. Together we created The Neuroscience of Touch: Haptic Brain, Haptic Brand. The book looks at communications through the lens of neuroscience, exploring how media shapes the brain and, consequently, the way a brand is perceived. Addressing haptics specifically, we look at the science behind why our haptic brains respond so well to haptic brands.

How did Sappi first become involved with haptics and the neuroscience of touch?

Sappi was doing research looking at the last ten years in marketing communications since the dot.com revolution. We came across a research study exploring what happens to the brain, from a neuroscience perspective, when we read ink on paper vs. the same content on a digital tablet. What researchers found was that, unlike reading on a tablet, reading ink on paper stimulates four of the five senses: visual, auditory (sound of differing papers as well as the pages turning), haptics (touch) and olfactory (the smell of ink and paper). Additionally, volunteers retained the content for much longer than when reading on a tablet. It was the first time we were better able to understand how strongly the senses play in our experience with reading. We now know that we read ink on paper differently than an electronic source, but we also assimilate that content very differently. For Sappi, this was a very important way of differentiating media, which led to the Haptic Brain, Haptic Brand project.

How can printers, finishers and binders use haptics branding to connect with their customers?

The beauty of foil stamping or the feel of soft-touch or quality paper impacts how we regard the company and the brand. By effectively engaging the senses, we can differentiate ourselves from our competition. Ink on paper is storytelling. We often see companies commoditize their communication due to budget restraints. However, when companies take the time to design and create a truly lovely catalog or piece of direct mail, consumers will value not just the content but the company and the brand for spending that capital to produce an aesthetic and impactful piece. People know that print costs money. Psychologically, it shows pride and also says to the recipient, “This is important and valuable. Please pay attention.”

What does it mean for the future of the print industry?

We need to understand the trends. We’re seeing a greater demand from the public for having their senses engaged, which can’t be done on a smartphone or tablet. We get very excited about new technology, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best and only way to connect with customers; it’s just the newest. What we are coming to realize is that while technology is wonderful, 75-84 percent of online orders are stimulated by magazine advertising, from catalogs and direct mail or a piece of collateral. Companies that migrated away from print a decade ago are coming back to it because they’re seeing it’s the best way of engaging their audiences. As humans, we love all the marvelous things the senses bring us. We may order online due to our expectation of “immediate gratification,” but we often are stimulated through print first.

What do you see for the industry five years into the future?

The print industry is growing and will continue to do well. Technology has opened up possibilities to do beautiful work, and that’s going to continue. The industry’s job is to help our customers differentiate their products or services from the competition in their markets. At one time, 4-color enabled that because everyone else was doing 2-color. Then, everyone was doing 4-color, and it became a matter of what to do next. The industry started taking advantage of special effects, such as foil stamping, diecutting and embossing, as part of the brand. It also started promoting soft-touch and sandpaper on magazine covers as part of the brand. It defined who they were. The minute end users saw that little flash of foil or felt that soft-touch cover, they reacted and knew who the company was. I think we’re going to continue to see that, as well as other yet-to-be-discovered techniques.

If we want to stand out from the crowd, we have to stop commoditizing. It’s not about the cost per unit. It’s about response rates and, more importantly, about conversion rates. It’s about getting people to buy the packaging off of the shelf and making them believe that you are the right company to do business with. Psychologically, as soon as we start to show that we are different by using special effects, our customers believe us and they buy more products and services.