Production inkjet technology has emerged as the cornerstone of today’s printing revolution. Inkjet has become a versatile and efficient solution for print service providers of all sizes. As we move into the future, critical factors like automation, artificial intelligence, and greater media flexibility promise to further enhance inkjet's capabilities while uncovering new opportunities for growth and innovation. Read More
The aftermath of a fire that destroyed the plant of a family-owned engraving business in upstate New York became a remarkable tale of the company’s recovery and rebirth with the help of its customers, vendors, and above all, its industry peers. Read More
If someone asked you what truly made you different, what would you say? Quality, price, and customer service like everyone else? Or could you articulate what truly makes you different from the guy next door? We have started a series interviewing printers who can answer the question differently. This week: The Foley Group in Yorktown Heights, N.Y. Read More
First, we pushed the constraint keeping a company from growing out the front door and into the market, the domain of our sales departments. This article will explore how lack of a true priority on customer creation may be the real issue. It might not be as much of a talent issue or lack of motivation as most of us think but, instead, a leadership issue where the true priorities that create growth are not managed. Read More
Xitron has been delivering agnostic solutions to drive CTP devices for decades. Now they have a full-featured DFE with all of the necessary workflow tools to drive digital printers, CTP devices, proofers, etc. In this Business Update video, David Zwang talks with Xitron's K2 Evangelist Alan Darling. Read More
The production inkjet market continues to mature at an impressive speed. Vendors are delivering genuinely capable platforms, and the hardware argument has never been stronger. And yet print providers continue to miss due dates, chase customer inquiries, untangle billing disputes, and absorb remake costs that have nothing to do with the press on the floor. Pat McGrew and Ryan McAbee explain how money is leaking from the workflow that surrounds the equipment. Read More
With more than 2,000 ColorStream units delivered worldwide, Canon has introduced the new 7000 series for mid-range production. To say that Canon has been broadening their portfolio of production printers is probably an understatement. There are new developments in the ProStream platform and the new iV7 B2+ cut sheet press is about to hit the street. Read More
The executive report looks back at 2025 and the first few months of 2026 and ahead to what the industry can expect, economically and technologically, in the latter half of 2026 and into 2027 and beyond.
The report includes current and expected business conditions, top business challenges, top business opportunities, and planned investments for 2026.
After an all-time worst month in February, shipments roared back up from $6.78 billion to $7.30 billion in March. Read More
According to the latest edition of County Business Patterns, in 2023 there were 947 establishments in NAICS 32312 (Support Activities for Printing). This represents a decrease of 54% since 2010. In macro news, Q1 GDP growth was revised down to 1.6%. Read More
April 2026 saw printing industry employment overall generally flat, down 0.4% from March. And while production employment was up 0.6%, non-production employment was down by 2.5%—basically the reverse of what we saw in March. Read More
Labor shortages, production bottlenecks, and growing workflow complexity are forcing print service providers to take a closer look at robotics and automation. In this article, Keypoint Intelligence examines where robotics can deliver the greatest operational impact, the challenges PSPs should prepare for, and the practical steps companies can take to build a more efficient and stable production environment. Read More
According to the latest edition of County Business Patterns, in 2023 there were 360 establishments in NAICS 323117 (Books Printing). This represents a decrease of 33% since 2010—although establishments were up from 2021 to 2022. In macro news, inflation in April grew 3.8% year-over-year. Read More
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WhatTheyThink's web roundup miscellany
A book designer who specializes in spine design. The Chinese postal service is using humanoid robots to sort packages. An amusingly overproduced Day Display. Allen Ginsberg’s spoken-word poetry recitation album is being reissued. The winners of this year’s World Food Photography Awards. A retired geneticist launched the online Museum of Plugs & Sockets. A viral warning about a new gas station scam is actually a hoax. What is the world’s longest domestic flight? Aw, et tu, graphene: Skeleton Technologies launches graphene-based GrapheneUPS for AI data centers. What is the quietest spot in the U.S.? Researchers finally cracked Richard Feynman’s “Restaurant Problem.” Malaysia’s kek lapis Sarawak is perhaps the world’s most complex cake. Welcome to WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany. Read More
Cheezy Snack is a cool retro typeface. The art and artistry of gyotaku, or fish printing. Don’t tell Prince: purple doesn’t exist. Next week’s NYC Zig Zag Festival is designed to be a “visual bridge between Italy and the United States.” A supposedly independent, locally owned news publication was actually all AI-generated. Some once-essential analog technologies that have been replaced by digital alternatives. Periodic Table D120 is a 120-sided die that contains all the known elements of the periodic table. A graphene-based cooling headband. Amazon’s AI shopping tool lets you search for items that don’t exist, for some reason. A unique folding chair design. Tips for how to win a tuna-throwing contest. Engineered algae could help solve our microplastics problem. Welcome to WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany. Read More
A sign-writer created the visual style of music festivals. The “2026 Milky Way Photographer of the Year” winners. AI appears to be catching on among the Amish. Sony has upgraded its wearable air conditioner. How to easily reuse produce bags. A complex digital water clock. A Nobel Prize–winning technology is able to extract water from dry air. Yes, it is possible to be allergic to water. Laser-induced graphene on Kevlar enables multifunctional structural composites. The “most desired” place in each of the 50 states. “The rise in plastic surgeons asked to create ‘AI face.’” K-pop band BTS has teamed with Oreo to release limited edition OREO x BTS Cookies. Welcome to WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany. Read More
A new film pays tribute to Roger Cook, designer of the standard Department of Transportation sign symbols. Dory Sign is a 5.2-in. E Ink display designed for small signage applications. Four men were convicted of smuggling cocaine in Xerox printers. An online gallery of phone booth photographs. Converting a hamster wheel into a phone charger. Putting AI in charge of a radio station. May 25 is Towel Day! Researchers develop ultra-sensitive graphene aerogel pressure sensor for flexible e-skin and wearables. How to tune rubber chickens. Could rice be the new graphene? “Vape sommeliers: the next frontier in fine dining?” Welcome to WhatTheyThink’s weekly miscellany. Read More
