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.
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 PiezoInkjet 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!
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.
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.
Last week I traveled to the Big Apple to meet with some of our members and attend Canon’s ImagePROGRAF Reseller Roundtable. I took some time to walk this great city and see for myself if "the city that never sleeps" was awake or not in terms of new construction around town.
I was surprised to see so many open lots with nothing being built on them. Reprographers in Gotham tell me that many projects had been put on hold for a variety of reasons - the biggest and most obvious one being a lack of funding.
It floored me. Here I was in the financial center of America and things were basically standing still. An exaggeration, maybe, but it was a matter of perception - the financial capital of the world finally appeared to be asleep.
The Canon Roundtable was interesting, an event Canon hosts in conjunction with the US Open Tennis Championships in Queens, NY. It was great to meet with some of Canon’s top resellers and learn what they are doing to be successful in their respective markets during these challenging economic times. Canon let us in on some of their new market share statistics and they confirmed that Canon is serious about large format.
They are, it seems, quickly taking market share from HP and Epson in the aqueous inkjet large format market space.
Back out on the town, I had to resist the urge to hold a finger in the air to see which way the financial winds were going to blow. We're in a waiting game, I think, but there is an underlying sense of optimism that things will pick up once money starts flowing again.
PEiR members are struggling with the reality that they can't be focused solely on AEC - still. This confuses me. You don't have to look far to see that the people who are doing the best in these stagnant times are the ones who are out there hustling new business, owners networking and mining every last dime out of connections made at social networking functions and pre-established business contacts.
Others are streamlining their pricing model, removing every last barrier that would make a customer say "Hmm, I dunno..." and offering "Read the Meter" solutions charting a company's use of services at the beginning of the month and end of the month and billing them once for everything in between.
It's clean and it's working, particularly as businesses are watching every penny and can't afford to spend more time than they have to accounting for them. There are some other trends developing in the market... we'll talk about them in the days to come.
In the meantime, stay in touch and let us know how you're doing.
Paradigm Imaging Group is announcing release of their imagePRO Gx 42 HD Plus series scanners.
The company says the imagePRO Gx 42 HD Plus series scanners deliver the sharpest CCD image capture available on the market. With true 1200 dpi optical resolution, 2D LED illumination and low energy consumption, these scanners are the industry leaders in versatility and efficiency. Not only can the imagePRO Gx 42 HD Plus scanners handle high fidelity color graphics, these scanners are also capable of capturing fine line detail in technical documents. This unique combination of vivid color reproduction and highly accurate line and detail replication make these scanners the perfect fit for reprographics, fine art, design, architecture, engineering, and facilities management.
The imagePRO Gx 42 HD Plus scanners also boast a state-of-the-art paper transport system, allowing for the safe scanning of delicate originals. The thick media (T) models can accommodate mounted originals up to .8” thick, making the GxT 42 HD Plus perfect for fine art applications. All Gx 42 HD Plus models are Energy Star® compliant, reducing energy requirements by using 30% less power when in operation and 94 percent less power when idle.
Interested? Contact: Jane Hicks 1590 Metro Drive, Suite 116 Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Phone: 714.432.7226 Fax: 714.432.7222 Email: jane@paradigmimaging.com
We held the drawing on Monday Nov. 19 and the lucky winner was Scott Schamens of Badger Blueprint in Waukesha, WI.
