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Spring is a busy time for trade shows and association conventions, and one that holds special significance for me is the annual Xplor International convention. Xploration® 2015 was held in Orlando, Florida at the Wyndham Orlando Resort, April 13-16, 2015. As you may know, Xplor International is a worldwide, not-for-profit professional association that consists of thousands of users and suppliers of the products and services that create, modify and deliver customized information using a wide variety of document technologies. Members are transaction and commercial printers who design, produce, and deliver high volumes of print. The association’s mission is to provide education, information, and networking opportunities that support and help drive the success of its members and the companies for which they work. Xploration 15 was the perfect blend of internationally recognized education and networking events tailored to meet the business and personal needs of document and customer …

All of us have many demands on our time. How to prioritize those demands is an important key to being successful. I’ve found that a good way to enhance one’s success in our industry is to make it a priority to attend relevant educational and networking conferences - like the recent Spring MAILCOM event. This conference is chock full of all sorts of useful information for mail communications and distribution professionals. The industry is undergoing rapid change as businesses adapt their mail and communication systems to the digital age. What better way to stay abreast of these changes and add more value to your organization than to participate in one of the largest mail communications conventions in the world. Sponsored by MSMA (Mail Systems Management Association) and MAIL magazine, this event supports the industry with education, meetings, networking, certifications and a dynamic exhibition hall of the latest technology, automation, and other tools. The Spring conference, held March …

March saw two Canon customers open their doors for approximately 70 print service providers. These two events were part of the Inkjet Insider Summit series sponsored by Canon’s Production Print Solutions division. CSAA Insurance Group, located in Northern California, hosted the West coast attendees at their in-plant facility and Data-Mail, Inc., located in Connecticut, hosted the East coast group at their full-service direct mail lettershop production facility. Between the two events, print service providers were able to learn how these two very different organizations are utilizing the Océ ColorStream 3000 production inkjet press in their environments, have an on-site tour, see the digital presses in action, and ask questions about each organization’s transition to inkjet. “Great perspective in a live environment,” commented one attendee. “Very informative and a good opportunity for networking,” added another. Attendees at these events had an opportunity to learn more about Canon …

Color consistency and repeatability are important – to your shop and to your clients. But producing reliable and consistent color can consume considerable time and money. An increasingly popular way to best analyze color and print-related issues to assure repeatable, predictable results is to become a G7 Master qualified facility. Have you heard of the G7® process? Perhaps you’ve had inquiries from potential clients about whether you are a G7 Master shop. Some print buyers will only work with G7 Master printers because they know that a G7 Master printer is a skilled, tested, and proven leader in color print production, is an expert in matching proof-to-print across any process, ink or substrates, delivers print at the highest level of quality, and reduces cost and speeds time to market. G7 is an internationally accepted set of best practices for achieving consistent color reproduction across a wide range of proofing devices, printing devices (both digital and offset), and substrates. …

Mid-sized, high volume print and electronic services providers and direct mail companies came together February 17-20 in Orlando, Florida, for the 24th annual INg Forum. INg is a networking association for the print and electronic service provider industry. The annual Forum brings together INg members plus some of the biggest name vendor partners to discuss key business and technical issues facing the industry and share best practices on running and growing member businesses. Here are some of the session highlights from the Forum related to production inkjet and how to leverage this technology to expand your print business: “The In and Out of Inkjet Printing” – Mary Schilling of Schilling Ink Jet Consulting spoke about inkjet as a production technology and how to best leverage inkjet papers and substrates to create a highly effective and profitable document. “Introducing Inkjet to Your Sales Force and Your Customers” – This topic was specifically requested by a survey of INg members. …