The future of Printing in Construction

By Shaun Meany

I have always been interested in printing and copying (output technologies) and have been keeping a keen eye on the development of output devices since the early 1980’s. I guess now I am showing my age.

Photo Credit: USC Viterbi School of Engineering

Since my early years in business I have watched output technologies evolve from analog devices like the mimeograph machine, the electric typewriter, the 2-4 color offset printing press, and the thermal and electrophotographic (Xerox) copiers, to digital devices like: impact printers such as dot matrix and band printers, thermal, piezoelectric and continuous inkjet, digital-electrophotographic (i.e. laser/led) and now 3D rapid prototyping printers.

I was reading an article recently about a new printing technology that is taking 3D rapid prototyping technology to a whole new level. Apparently a scientist at Caterpillar, the world’s largest manufacturer of construction equipment, is starting to support research on “Contour Crafting,” an automated construction printing system that its creator believes will one day be able to build (print) full-scale houses in hours.

Basically, the system is a scaled-up version of the rapid prototyping machines now widely used in manufacturing and in some cases architecture to “print out” three-dimensional objects designed with CAD/CAM software, usually by building up successive layers of plastic. Instead of plastic, Contour Crafting will use concrete.

So if you think the future of the printing industry is at its twilight as some have suggested, you might want to take a step back and look at where printing is going into the future. And you had better hang on – it will be quite an exciting ride.

Source of this information can be located at: Caterpillar Inc. Funds USC 'Print-a-House' Construction Technology

PlanWell Instant Desktop Services Webinar, Thursday Sept. 4, 2008 10AM PT

The PlanWell Instant Desktop Services Webinar was so well received we are doing an encore Webinar, this time on Thursday September 4, 2008 10 a.m. Pacific Time.

Click on the link to sign-up: http://planwell.com/pwcal_signup.php?ts=d&sessionId=3249&t=PST

Here are a few comments from PEiR Members who took time to write us after our last Webinar:

I think that was great Webinar yesterday, I found it insightful to see how an end user can use Instant Download in a collaboration workflow.

John Lipari (Plan & Print Syracuse, NY)


Hi Shaun,
Great WebEx presentation today. I sat in with several of our associates and we will be implementing the Instant Download/Printing. The management staff here is currently working on making our services better and I may have some more questions next week.

Reg Garner
Triangle Reprographics
Orlando, Florida


Do you want to take advantage of the latest high margin digital services available in PlanWell Enterprise? If you do, please join me for a training session on PlanWell's Instant Download, HP Instant Print and PlanWell Easy Print for KIP features.

In this Webinar session I will review the following:

1) What will your network need to make it technically accessible?
2) What do you have to do in PlanWell to make these features work for your customers?
3) Live Demonstrations of these new services.

Who should attend: Owners, production and salespeople.

Date: Thursday Sept 4, 2008
Time: 10:00am Pacific Time.

Shaun Meany
President
The PEiR Group
1981 North Broadway, Suite 360
Walnut Creek, CA 94549
925-658-0212
shaunm@planwell.com

Oce’ GT 250 Webinar, Friday Sept. 5, 2008 10AM PT

On Friday September 5, 2008 10 a.m. PT, Oce’ will be presenting a webinar on the Oce’ GT 250. This event will be for PEiR Members Only!

The Océ Arizona 250 GT printer is quite simply a technology disruption: a UV-curable flatbed and roll-to-roll inkjet printer that delivers exceptional image quality to take display graphics to the next level.

Use it to add new services by printing photo-quality images on virtually any media imaginable. Take on work that was never before possible with lesser quality printing systems. The Océ Arizona 250 GT printer gives you endless opportunities to increase your display graphics revenue.

With Océ, you know you can grow your display graphics business — securely and profitably. We are the only company that offers a total solution for the large format visual communications market, including hardware, software, consumables, training, service and financing. Our mission is to help you reach your business goals for years to come.

Please click on the link provided below to sign-up. To sign up now click here:

KIP 3100 Product Promotion in Support of PlanWell EasyPrint for KIP

KIP is pleased to present special introductory PEiR Group pricing on two roll, multifunction KIP 3100 monochrome or mono/color systems to support the powerful new PlanWell EasyPrint for KIP feature!

PlanWell EasyPrint for KIP is an integrated print utility that connects the KIP 3100 IPS System and PlanWell Enterprise, making document printing simple and fast. PlanWell EasyPrint is based on an intuitive touch screen interface. All you need is an Internet connection.

How It Works
PEiR Group Members may purchase KIP 3102 STF systems at special pricing for all orders placed. For more information, call The PEiR Group at (925) 658-0200.

Important PEiR Group Vendor Updates

There are some important vendor announces for PEiR Group members:

Price Changes:
Océ
Azerty
Xpedx
HP (TekGraf)

Product and Promotions:
Canon
Spiral Binding – promo through December 31, 2008, receive free merchandise
Pittman / Charrette – offering free sample roll of new product
HP Reseller Program – Promotion
ESP – New PEiR Group Vendor

Please go the PEiR Group web site to get further details under “partner prices.”

If you have forgotten or need a login and password for the web site, please contact The PEiR Group at (925) 658-0200.

Tell Us What You Want To Talk About

The PEiR Group is holding its Sales and Operation Managers Conference in the 4th quarter of 2008.

We ask that you click on the link and complete the survey below so that we can better focus on subjects our members would like to be covered at the conference.

Click Here to take the survey.

As always, The PEiR Group appreciates the input of its members. Feel free to contact us via this blog or at any of the contact numbers given to share your thoughts and ideas about our industry.

Canon Announces Regional Launches for iPF810/820 Printers

Canon will be conducting one day, regional launch events for its new iPF810/820 printers in September, you may want to save the dates.

To sign up click here:

Here are the Cities and the Dates:

Jamesburg (New Jersey) - September 9
Atlanta (Norcross, GA) - September 11
Chicago (Itasca, IL) - September 16
Dallas (Irving, TX) - September 18
Irvine (Los Angeles) - September 23

PEiR Group Member Alert: Océ 9160 Arrives in Australia

The folks at Océ say they’re making their new Océ CS9160 eco-solvent wide format digital printer available to Australian shops. Those of you Down Under may want to check out this machine, built for creation of high quality indoor and outdoor durable prints onto a wide range of uncoated media.

Potential applications include banners, posters for indoor and outdoor, general signage, canvas reproductions, backlit imagery and pull up display stands.

To support the launch, Océ is promoting a “Think Opportunity, Think Océ” trade-in offer, giving users a considerable discount on their outdated wide format printer to move up to the new Océ CS9160. Users can log on to www.thinkopportunityoce.com to register their interest.

Tell ‘em The PEiR Group sent’ya…

A PEiR Group Staff Report

Lot of talk out there about digital printing, the digital economy… and digital this and that these days, right?

But you know people are seriously evaluating the digital marketplace when the global stock markets sic their analysts on the industry. Dublin, Ireland-based Research and Markets recently compiled a report on our “Digital Future,” – and came up with some interesting findings.

The report covers a variety of topics including past, present and future market positions; technologies and products; equipment suppliers, document management, financing and economics of print, plus a resources section of suppliers.

Interviews with companies such as Quark, IBM, OCE, Hewlett Packard, One2One, Lloyds/TSB, British Airways, Renault UK, TJ International and more are featured.

Key Conclusions from Research and Markets:
The Digital economy is on a solid growth track. In addition to its steady growth as a sales opportunity, we are seeing rapid, consistent growth in digital printing and black-and-white and colour copying volumes, as well as significant plans to invest in additional digital printing units, whether as upgrades or as additional capacity. Both printers and their customers are consistently showing growth in their use of key applications like Web-to-print, variable data printing, and short-run digital printing.

Key to growth in the digital printing marketplace is the diversity of press sizes, speeds, and price ranges in the equipment market, reducing the barrier to entry and making digital production affordable in production environments of all sizes and volumes. The data clearly shows that the line of demarcation, in terms of size, between serious players and those whose budgets are too restricted to do anything but dabble, have all but disappeared.

Quik Facts:
- 41% of all graphic arts firms now say they offer some type of digital printing in-house;
- 17% of graphic arts firms say that their volumes of full-color digital printing are increasing “a little” (1-25%) or “a lot” (25% or more);
- 11% of creatives see “digital printing” as a top sales opportunity for their businesses.

The PEiR Group Blog – A New, Interactive “Point of View”

Starting today, The PEiR Group will use blogging technology to help bring its members the latest news and vendor offerings available – in an interactive format designed to foster discussion and the sharing of ideas beneficial to us all.

This format will replace our traditional Point of View (POV) newsletter. We think you will find that it offers several distinct advantages over the old offering, including the ability to communicate directly with our staff, to get the latest news and advice from your colleagues, and – in the near future – to see video tutorials of product offerings and other print industry hardware as they come online.

We believe that a newsletter delivered in this format presents several distinct advantages.

Blogs can:

Build Community: Blogs provide your business with a chance to share your expertise and knowledge with a large audience – a strong benefit for technology-based companies.

Enhance Communications: Blogging provides several communication benefits. As shown by Business Weeks’ “Blogging for Business,” blogs give businesses a chance to tell their side of the story without interference from the media or biased industry analysts.

Sidestep “e-newsletter procrastination:” A blog post can be as short as one sentence or as long as several Web pages. But a short paragraph with one or more links works best; it's easier and quicker to write and will help you sidestep the procrastination that often accompanies publishing an e-newsletter. It’s also easier to read and digest.

Allow readers to give Feedback: I hope you find our new POV and this new mode of communication stimulating and informative.

Please do not hesitate to “drop us a line” in the “comments” window of these or any upcoming story as we move forward. Hearing from you means that we can continue to address the needs and interests of the global reprographics community.

Sincerely,

Shaun Meany
President
The PEiR Group

"Who Should I be Talking With About Bid Communications?"

By David Swider, Sub-Hub

Many of you who have phoned or emailed ask: “Okay Dave, we identified or qualified which companies to target for Bid Communications, now who should we be speaking with at these companies?”

As most of you know, the answer varies, but in most cases it will be one of these three no matter the size of the company:

· Bid Coordinators or Assistants
· Estimators or Project Managers
· VP of Construction, Executives or Owners

Any or all of these three positions will have an interest their company’s Bid Communications. It is however, important to know what language they all speak. By language, I mean “what are they hearing?” In most cases, you will find the following:

· Bid Coordinators and Assistants – The language they hear best is features and benefits.
· Estimators or Project Managers – The language they hear best is more bids on bid day, better bid coverage.
· VP’s, Executives and Owners – The language they hear is more profitable projects, reducing risk, higher margins.

At the end of the day, these are the functional areas you want to address when it comes to Bid Communications. Just remember to ask yourself: “Am I speaking their language?”

Re-Introducing your PEiR Group Member Services Team

Do you ever find yourself wondering what the current vendor pricing is, if you have any product brochures in stock, where you put the latest article of the POV, etc?

As part of the many benefits that PEiR brings to your business everyday, there are three very real, time saving resources right here in our Walnut Creek offices. John Bidwell, Janet Benson and Nicole Sisneros make up the member services team. We are here to help you with whatever it is you need, whether it be finding a print partner, double checking that you have correct vendor pricing, ordering product brochures, getting some new ideas on how to better your business practices, signing up for training – we are ready and willing to help!



Janet Benson
(925) 658-0214

Nicole Sisneros
(925) 658-0213

John Bidwell
(925) 658-0215

OCE' TRADE UP YOUR 9800 PROMOTION ENDS 8-29-08

Subject: 30,000 Reasons to Trade Up to an Oce TDS800 Pro Series

Only 9 business days left for PEiR Members to trade up their Oce’ 9800’s for a TDS800. and participate in the "30,000 Reasons To Trade Up to an Océ TDS800 Pro Series by August 31, 2008" promotion.

There will not be any exceptions to get the $30,000 or $25,000 after August 31, 2008.

Remember the last day of business in August is the 29th in 2008 !!!

Please call Barry Foust at 412-475-1792 or your local Oce’ representative for complete details.