There IS Strength In Numbers - Especially When You're About To Go "Belly To Belly!"

By Rick Ysunza
The PEiR Group

Besides being a lot of fun it was great to see the interaction among PEiR members at our Executive Conference in Las Vegas last March. It was a fun dynamic, with a lot of great ideas and success stories bouncing back and forth.

Something that came out of that meeting for me is a simple tale of numbers equalling strength. We are now more than 150 member companies across the country - and internationally. I couldn't help but wonder if any of you were tapping into the strength of those numbers, picking up the phone and asking a colleague a hundred or three thousand miles away how things were going in their market.

There's a list of more than 450 names in our PEiR Group contact roster. You may want to take advantage of that and call. Your peers are a great resource and have a wealth of knowledge about survival in this at-time crazy industry.

I picked up the phone recently for a quick talk with P.J. Vidani of Green Bay Blue. Always fun to talk with, P.J. eagerly shared some of his secrets - including his "belly to belly" approach to pitching prospective customers - standing there and talking with them firsthand to determine their needs.

P.J., and others, also talked about "taking off the AEC hat" and seeking out non-core opportunities these days. Needs are shifting but business is still business, some people may have a different perception of what it is you do - you may have to take some time and explain it to them.

There will be lots of time to do this at our next Executive Conference but nothing is stopping you from reaching out right now and getting a few ideas from your fellow PEiR members. It may not be "belly to belly," but it's the next best thing!

Oce' Colorwave Promotion thru November 30th, 2009

Oce’ Colorwave 600 promotion thru November 30,2009


Oce is having a promotion for on the Colorwave 600 thru November 30, 2009

Ask you local Oce’ representative for details, or call the PEiR Group at 925-658-0200

Drytac introduces recyclable blockout banner material for UV flatbed printers

Drytac introduces recyclable blockout banner material for UV flatbed printers

Richmond, VA, -Drytac has added a recyclable blockout banner material, for UV flatbed printers to its line of print media.

Made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), EarthSmartT Eclipse can be recycled in commercial plastics recycling programs to become raw material for products like trash bags and landscape fabric. It is also certified by ASTM International (ASTM) to biodegrade in most landfills.

EarthSmartT Eclipse is a bright white 15 mil, curl-free banner material.
It is available in 54-inch, 63-inch and 72-inch wide rolls.

Using the EarthSmartT Eclipse banner material with Drytac's Panda StandT can provides a complete eco friendly display solution for the end user.

About DrytacR

DrytacR is a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of graphics finishing materials and equipment, including UV curable and aqueous liquid laminators and liquid coatings. It recently launched the EarthSmartT brand to help customers identify its eco-friendly products.
For more information about EarthSmart*T Eclipse* or to request a print sample, visit www.drytac.com

Scott Schamens of Badger Blueprint Wins PEIR Group Drawing, Scott Gets Hotel Accommodations For The Next Conference!

The PEiR Group thanks all those who completed the PEiR Group Conference Survey recently. As we mentioned, everyone who filled out the survey form would be entered in a drawing for hotel accommodations at our next conference.

We held the drawing on Monday Nov. 19 and the lucky winner was Scott Schamens of Badger Blueprint in Waukesha, WI.

Scott, who didn't know his response would automatically enter him in the drawing, says he was "surprised" to find out he'd won and that PEiR would be taking care of his lodging when we get together next:

"I’m not one to respond to surveys very much and I did not read all the details... I have enjoyed going to the conferences (as they push) me further to learn about the business and what is happening on the technology side," he was kind enough to write. "I feel you have been a great value to me and do want to go and get something out of it. That is why I responded, I want to help out when you ask for input in order to keep the quality going."

Thanks, Scott! We appreciate that. You're a winner in so many ways!

Shaun Meany is reviewing all of the suggestions you were all kind enough to forward and will make an announcement soon as to where and when our next conference will be held.

HP T1200 Design Jet Promo - Click On The Graphic!

Shaun And The PEiR Group Visit Chicago - City Of "Broad Shoulders"

A couple of weeks ago I went to Chicago to attend the Print '09 Trade Show. Talking with a couple of attendees, I learned that there was a significant downturn in attendance this year. Nonetheless there were over 10,000 attendees and probably just as many vendors, and everyone was ready to do business.

All major manufacturers of printing devices were there to show off their latest technologies. Heidelberg, Agfa, Xerox, Océ, Canon, EFI, HP and a host of others displayed a variety of new digital devices and workflows (see Shaun's video, left).

One manufacturer, Agfa, demonstrated a new inkjet press called the Dotrix Modular. This revolutionary printer is capable of printing at 75 lineal feet per minute at widths of up to 24 inches. Watch the video for a demonstration of this exciting new Piezo Inkjet Technology that might someday be available for our reprographics industry!

This year, Print ’09 included a Large Format Pavilion where HP, Océ, Canon and Epson showed their latest products. HP was well positioned at the show, demonstrating their Designjet Latex Technology which is targeted for environmentally responsible outdoor print applications (signs, car wraps and textiles). According to HP, the performance of these printers is comparable to low-solvent printers. HP Latex inks are made with water and are really safe and green when compared to other traditional ink technologies. Keep your eyes open for the announcement of HP’s new 42 and 60 inch models; you might want one of these in your shops!

One message that came through loud and clear at the show was that commercial printers are busy diversifying their businesses. Just as many of you are beginning to expand your services into non-AEC markets, off-set print shops are beginning to offer POP and other large format graphic applications, as well. Info Trend research indicates that 33 percent of offset print providers are planning to add or upgrade their large format printers .

Where is printing going? I see a convergence of the various printing sectors: off-set, reprographics, sign-shops, quick printers and Print on Demand. To be successful in digital printing in the future one will require capital, the right mix of digital technologies (hardware and software) and services coupled with market and application expertise.

Okay? What do you think of my amateur video? I promise to get better!

Regards,

Shaun

PEiR Group Conference Survey - Click The Link And Take The Survey!

The PEiR Group is preparing to schedule its 2010 conference schedule and we would like to have members give us some input as to our approach.

Now's the time to let us know what you want us to address in the coming year!

Click HERE to access the survey.

Webinar Alert: PlanWell DataBridge for Prolog Users

The PEiR Group will be hosting a webinar on the new PlanWell DataBridge for Prolog - a recently released application that seamlessly links the two powerful online planrooms.

When:

October 20, 2009
Time: 11:00 a.m . Pacific
Sign-Up Here

What are the key features that PlanWell Data Bridge offers your GC’s who use Prolog?

• Synchronized Project Information
– PlanWell project content flows into Prolog
– PlanWell updates Prolog with document information
– PlanWell automatically creates links in Prolog to PlanWell documents
– Creates a more complete project archive in Prolog

• Synchronized Bid Packages
– Bid packages, and documents distributed and managed by PlanWell
– BidCaster usage keeps address book current
– PlanWell provides a broadcast status report/Bid Call Report

• Synchronized Contacts
– Synchronized address book for PlanWell and Prolog

What are the Benefits to the GC Using PlanWell DataBridge with Prolog?

• Eliminate redundant data entry and reduce labor and administrative costs

• Experience dramatically increased productivity throughout the project management cycle

• PlanWell will index your drawings for you – getting them into Prolog then takes just a click of a button

• Dynamically updated packages are imported during the indexing process

• Sub-Contractor information is kept up to date as drawings are distributed through PlanWell

• Updated sub-contractor information may then be synchronized with Prolog

• Leverage digital workflow to generate more bids and win more jobs

• Dramatically increase team productivity by seamlessly sharing data between PlanWell & Prolog.

I look forward to seeing you at the October 20th webinar.

Sincerely
Shaun Meany/President
The PEiR Group

PEiR Group EasyPrint Program - Support For The PlotWave 300 Now Available

We are pleased to announce the availability of PlanWell EasyPrint™ support for the Océ PlotWave 300!

You can now order the firmware upgrade for the following PlanWell EasyPrint enabled printers:

 Océ TDS450
 Océ TDS700
 Océ PlotWave 300*

*Requires a separate software/hardware kit, which can be ordered at no charge. See below for the part numbers.

FAQ’s

Q: What components are in the Océ PlotWave 300 EasyPrint kit?

A: The kit contains the following: metal post and mounting brackets to attach the touch screen monitor to the PlotWave; touch screen monitor; cables; firmware CD; and installation instructions.

Q: How much does the PlanWell EasyPrint integration cost?

A: Océ does not sell PlanWell EasyPrint software so they are not charging anything for this integration, not even the hardware interface kit required with the Océ PlotWave 300. They have simply made 3 of their printers EasyPrint compatible.

Q: How do I order PlanWell EasyPrint software/hardware kit?

A: The part numbers to order the TDS firmware upgrades and the PlotWave software/hardware kit are below. Contact your Océ sales rep who can either add this part to your new machine orders, or add the kit as a component to an existing machine in the field.

Océ PlotWave 300 Kit
9718037 – PlotWave 300 Easy Print Software/Hardware Kit

Océ TDS450 Kit
9718038 - TDS450 Easy Print Software Kit
4986354 - TDS450 Easy Print Enabler license

Océ TDS700 Kit
9718038 - TDS700 Easy Print Software Kit
4904999 – TDS700 Easy Print Enabler license

If you have any additional questions regarding these integrations, please contact your Océ sales rep.