Membership has Its Advantages! On a positive note, the U.S. economy will not see a recession in 2015. However, as measured by U.S. Industrial Production, it is decelerating with trends signaling further descent in the rate of growth for the near term. According to the Institute for Trend Research (ITR)—an NPES partner that provides members with expert economic analysis and industry forecast reports—while manufacturing activity will moderate and the consumer will remain strong, employment is expanding, especially in the private sector. Currently, with several leading indicators having reached tentative cyclical lows and now on the uptick increasing their rate of growth, it’s a positive sign for the U.S. economy that suggests an accelerating expansion beginning in the first quarter of 2016. Based on this anticipated positive growth, NPES members should use this time to examine their labor and capital needs. Labor costs are rising and, coupled with moderate inflation next year, could squeeze margins so it will be important to look for ways to automate or otherwise increase labor efficiency in order to keep costs in check. As a business owner or CEO of a supplier to the printing industry, how does the general economy impact the potential for your business? More importantly, when you look at your company’s sales data, how do you know if you’re keeping pace, leading or lagging with your competition? To effectively assess your performance in the marketplace, you need access to some crucial information: if and when the recovery will strengthen…how long it will last, what is the market size for different products, who is buying what, and when they will be making those purchases. To help explore these questions, NPES member companies have an unparalleled resource available to them: the NPES Market Data Program. The NPES Market Data Program has provided participants with critical information on the size of the printing equipment and graphic arts supplies marketplace for nearly 60 years. The program is free, legally monitored, and highly confidential. There are various program elements that provide NPES members with targeted data on the products that they produce and sell. The “traditional” printing equipment and graphic arts supplies program provides dollar and unit shipments for nearly 80 key industry product categories. Participating member companies provide monthly shipment information to an independent consultant and, in return, receive quarterly market data reports. From these data, members can confidently gauge their performance, evaluate the emergence of new market trends, and forecast future product sales. NPES conducts this data collection effort through an independent consultant to ensure the confidentiality of participating members. The NPES Market Data Program is driven by the needs of the participants, and the flexibility of this program allows participants to recommend additional categories as new markets emerge, assuring that NPES remains THE authoritative source for printing and publishing market data. The Production Digital Color Press program collects quarterly unit data and dollar estimates of these products by five duty cycle classes for North America, giving those members timely and cost-effective data on the size of this market, shifts between classes of products, and information on whether the market is growing, declining or stable. To further enhance the information provided by the program, NPES works with the Institute for Trend Research (ITR), led by Principal Alan Beaulieu, to provide participating member companies with the quarterly NPES Advisor. This report offers U.S. market specific updates and forecasts on six key industry product segments: printing equipment, pressroom equipment, sheetfed offset presses, bindery equipment, graphic arts supplies, and direct to metal plates. ITR also provides snapshots of U.S. macroeconomic indicators that members can use to predict their own future activity. These quarterly reports, with an annual value of nearly $20,000, are provided at no cost to those NPES member companies that participate in the NPES Market Data Program. Member companies that do not participate in the NPES Market Data Program receive a limited report with basic information on printing equipment and graphic arts supplies. The free NPES Market Data program now offers it all: current and historical shipments information for key products, expert analysis and forecast of where those markets are going, and the ability to know which customers to target to make a sale. To participate in the NPES Market Data Program and receive these valuable benefits, contact Rekha Ratnam, Assistant Director, Market Data and Research, at e-mail: rratnam@npes.org or phone: 703/264–7200. LED Energy Curing Expands to Russia, India, and South Africa – Oh My! The adoption of LED technology in the sheetfed market is growing nearly 50% year-over-year Russia’s finest business leaders from the printing industry toured the worldwide headquarters of Air Motion Systems, Inc. in early July to see first-hand the success, quality, and power of LED UV. The secret is out! The adoption of LED technology in the sheetfed market is growing nearly 50% year-over-year. Countries such as Russia, India, Poland, and South Africa have taken notice and have begun installing Air Motion Systems, Inc. (AMS) (Booth 460) LED UV Energy Curing systems. Offset printers around the world are catching on to the many benefits of the AMS LED (Light Emitting Diodes.) Some of the benefits of LED include instant drying without heat to the substrate; mercury and ozone free; instant on/off; elimination of spray powder and protective coatings; no marking; and reduces makeready time and waste. An LED system can increase press capacity by as much as 30% to 40%. LEDs last as long as 20,000 hours and reduce energy consumption by as much as 70%. Dry sheets go directly from the press to the bindery, thus, increasing press production and eliminating the need to stage product. Printers such as Crossmark Graphics and Thysse Printing Service, both located in Wisconsin, were early adopters of LED technology and are now reaping the quality and financial rewards of LED. Jim Dobrzynski, Sr., Founder of Crossmark Graphics recently summed up the success of his decision to implement LED two years ago by saying, “We are looking at two record-setting years after deciding to move forward with LED UV. LED energy cured inks come off the press dry, ready for the bindery, and with no marking.” Thysse Printing Service purchased a second AMS LED equipped sheetfed press earlier this year. According to Owner, Jason Thysse, “Our press sales on the first LED press increased 30% to 40% in a very short time period because we are able to turn jobs faster. I cannot imagine ever going back and printing conventional again.” According to AMS, more than 200 LED UV systems are operating worldwide, and that number continues to grow weekly as new customers and new countries come on board. “The last several years have been truly amazing as printers discover the benefits of instant-dry LED technology,” says President and CEO Steve Metcalf. “With greater press speeds and multiple substrate capabilities, the AMS LED technology is creating a renaissance among sheetfed printers. It can best be summed-up by the smiles and profits LED UV generates. “LED typically pays for itself in just a few months,” adds Metcalf. “Those who have installed it on one press quickly look to convert other presses within a short period of time. In short, LED allows our customers to accelerate other pressroom capital purchases.” The AMS XP9 can dry up to 30,000 sheets per hour, on virtually any substrate material and can be placed anywhere on the press - interdeck or delivery. 18 September 16, 2015 | GRAPH EXPO Official Show Daily | PrintingNews.com
GraphExpo Show Daily September 16, 2015
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