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Regional Connections
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According to last year's IRgA luncheon speaker Jeffrey Gitomer, "All things being (not so) equal, people want to do business with their friends." That is precisely what was happening throughout October as the regional reprographics associations held their annual conventions. I had the fortune of attending all four regional meetings with IRgA President Mike Carter, and Vice President Bryan Thomas who represented the IRgA at the WRA. From the IRgA's perspective, it is essential for me to meet with our customers (members) face to face each year in the formal and social settings the regionals offer. I truly enjoyed getting to meet with many of you, including our industry vendors who also attended the regional meetings. It was truly doing business with friends.
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What a difference a few years make! In 2003, there was uncertainty about where the industry was headed, and many had doubts that the IRgA would even survive. This year, most everyone was optimistic about our industry's outlook and offered positive feedback about the direction the IRgA is taking with its education and industry branding initiatives.
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Steve Bova, CAE
Executive Director |
The IRgA has regained its strength. The Board and staff are working diligently to enhance the association's value proposition through continuing adult education that is relevant to owners and employees of all reprographics shops. I encourage all members and non-members to participate in our upcoming webinar. See the story below for more details.
Wednesday, November 8
Learn about PDF Trends from your Conference Room
If you're an IRgA member, your dues dollars will be at work when you plug into the FREE educational webinar being held one week from today - Wednesday, November 8, beginning at 11:00 a.m. CST. What's more, you won't have to leave your shop, and neither will any of your employees who also can benefit by virtue of your company's membership in the IRgA.
From the convenience of your shop, learn about market trends related to digital file distribution and how these trends will affect your business. Where will PDF be in two years? Five? Ten? How will PDF be used in relation to TIFF, DWF and HPGL? What are reprographers doing, and what should they be doing today to prepare for the future?
Because the IRgA's mission is to serve the reprographics industry, non-member companies can participate for $99 per location - still a very good rate by educational webinar standards. Because the webinars are new from the IRgA, the free/$99 cost is an introductory offer to demonstrate the value of the IRgA. The association has initially scheduled four webinars for 2007, and the Education Committee will soon announce a webinar on operating efficiency for February 7. Some future webinars will be available to IRgA member companies only.
Here are the details on the webinar being held next week:
Subject: PDF Technology and Trends in the Construction Industry
Date: Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Time: 9:00 a.m. Pacific Standard Time, 11:00 a.m. Central Standard Time, 12:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
A panel of three experts will speak on industry trends and how they relate to working with PDF. They are:
Tim Huff - Senior Vertical Product Specialist-AEC, Adobe Systems, Inc.
Richard Lee - President, BlueBeam Software, Inc.
Ralph Levien - Chief Technology Officer, Artifex Software, Inc.
To register for this webinar now, click here.
The IRgA welcomes your feedback through info@irga.com, or you may contact me directly at sbova@irga.com. If you would like to check on the status of your membership in IRgA, please e-mail info@irga.com or call toll-free 800/833-4742.
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Inside the IRgA
Bukovsky Award Nominations Now Open
The Bukovsky Award honors the memory of George K. Bukovsky, who worked in the reprographics industry for over 30 years. During his long career, he was actively involved in the IRgA and worked to further the industry. The award was established after his death in 1990 to honor his outstanding contributions, and in 2007, the IRgA will celebrate 16 years of recognizing the individuals, reprographers and vendors, who have also made a lasting impact on the industry. There are several well-deserving candidates, so don't be shy. Nominate a friend or colleague today! Nominations are due by January 31, 2007. Click here for award criteria and a nomination form.
Save the Date for the IRgA 2007 Annual Convention & Trade Show
The IRgA's 81st Annual Convention & Trade Show will be held May 9-11, 2007 at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas. Members should have recently received a postcard in the mail, marking important convention dates, including the opening of on-line registration, the mailing of the Advance Program, and deadlines to book hotel reservations. More information can also be found on the IRgA website. Click here for the latest convention news and information.
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Last Chance to Sign Up for the Final Mounting & Laminating Course
The M&L Seminars integrate theory with hands-on training in the latest technologies and techniques. Openings are still available for the last class in 2006:
November 9-10 GBC Addison, IL
Reminder: class size is limited to 10 people. To register, click here.
IRgA 2007 Exhibitor Prospectus and Media Kit Available Online
The IRgA is proud to present the 2007 Exhibitor Prospectus and the 2007 Media Kit.
Now is the time to start planning for the 2007 Annual Convention & Trade Show. Exhibitor information, including sponsorship opportunities, is now available on the IRgA website. Click here for more information on exhibit space and sponsorship. To view the PDF of the 2007 Exhibitor Prospectus, click here.
The IRgA also has several advertising opportunities in various association publications, including REPRO REPORT, the IRgA News Digest, and the IRgA Membership Directory. The 2007 Media Kit features advertising opportunities, detailed editorial information, and submission material specifications. Secure your 2007 positions today! To request a copy of the 2007 Media Kit, click here.
Employee Handbook Sample Guide Available for Purchase
Start 2007 by updating your company's employee handbook. The Employee Handbook Sample Guide is a CD compilation of policies and handbooks of five IRgA member companies. By compiling and offering this information to our members for use in creating and updating their own handbooks, the IRgA is helping members save time and money. The CD is $49 for members and $99 for non-members. Click here to order the Employee Handbook Sample Guide and to view other resources and publications available for order at our online bookstore.
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Industry News
LexJet Named Technology Company of the Year
LexJet was named the Technology Company of the Year by the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) of Sarasota County. "This is a testament to LexJet's employees, who strive to make an impact both locally and nationally through involvement in our community and a dedication to excellence in everything we do," says Ron Simkins, LexJet's co-owner/founder, who accepted the Technology Company of the Year award on LexJet's behalf at the FDC's Hall of Fame luncheon held at the Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota, Florida. The EDC's criteria included corporate citizenship and community involvement, corporate responsibility through employee programs, and company growth, innovative achievements, and market expansion. LexJet was one of 58 companies that went through the nomination process, which included multiple interviews, a study of company processes, people, and technology, and an analysis of company sales and growth. For more information, visit www.lexjet.com.
InteliCoat Technologies Appoints New Product Manager
Cindy Coughlin has been appointed to the position of Product Manager, Digital Imaging. Coughlin joins the InteliCoat Marketing Team from William E. Wright Company in West Warren, Rhode Island, where she held a product management position. She also previously held marketing and market management roles with Omniglow Corporation and Empire Imports, both located in Western Massachusetts. Coughlin will be based at the South Hadley, Massachusetts headquarters of InteliCoat. For more information, visit www.intelicoat.com.
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Roland and Customers Receive SGIA Awards
At this year's SGIA Annual Convention and Trade Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, Roland and its customers were recognized with several industry awards. In the Andre Schellenberg Award competition, Roland customers earned the "Best in Show" and "Best in Digital Creativity" awards and placed first in the "Digital Fine Art Print" and "Digital Printing, Ink Jet" categories. In addition, Roland received the SGIA 2006 Outstanding Service Award, given in recognition for the company's contributions to both the organization and the industry. The company also received first place in its size category for the SGIA "Best Booth" competition. For more information, visit www.rolanddga.com.
A&E - The Graphics Complex is Recipient of "Houston's Greatest" and "Best Companies to Work for in Texas" Awards
A&E - The Graphics Complex, a 42-year-old, family-owned printing company has been named one of ten Corporate Honorees designated "Houston's Greatest" in the 3rd Annual Greater Houston Partnership Houston's Greatest Awards. The "Houston's Greatest" Award is an annual event honoring regional leaders who have advanced the greater Houston region as a business magnet. "I believe that by being included among the recognized companies, we are fulfilling our vision. We are humbled by our selection for this prestigious award," says Chuck Gremillion, president. For more information, visit www.aecomplex.com.
Océ Wins DPI Vision Award
Océ has been recognized at this year's SGIA Annual Convention and Trade Show with the Digital Printing & Imaging Assciation (DPI) Vision Award for the Océ Arizona 250 GT. The flatbed and roll-to-roll UV curable inkjet printer was honored as the new digital imaging product development most likely to have a profound and positive effect on the digital imaging industry. The decision is based on the product's relevance to the market, potential industry influence and prospective value to the product's end users. "We are proud that the Océ Arizona 250 GT has been selected for this honor, which recognizes the significance of the system's advanced technology," said Gido van Praag, President and CEO of Océ Display Graphics Systems, Inc. "The DPI Vision Award demonstrates that Océ is continuing its rich tradition of bringing to market innovative products that embody the Océ product values of quality, reliability, productivity and user-friendliness." For more information, visit www.oceusa.com.
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Ricoh Corporation Aligns with Tameran Graphic Systems Inc.
Ricoh Corporation and Tameran Graphic Systems Inc. have announced Tameran's entry into the Ricoh Technology Alliance Program. Tameran's Printfold Series of automated in-line and off-line folders for wide-format documents and its SureStak High Capacity Stacker are compatible with all of Ricoh's wide-format printing systems. "We are pleased to jointly offer cost-effective printing and finishing solutions for the wide-format market," said David Wise, vice president of sales and marketing, Tameran Graphic Systems Inc. "Working together with Ricoh enables us to provide wide-format users with the latest capabilities so that they can obtain excellence in performance and reliability and achieve the versatility, flexibility and productivity desired in a finishing solution." For more information, visit www.ricoh-usa.com or www.tameran.com.
SGIA Welcomes Indian Imaging Association
India's new specialty imaging association, the Screenprinting & Graphics Association of India, has signed on to SGIA under SGIA's National Association Membership Plan (NAMP), according to SGIA President/CEO Michael Robertson. NAMP status grants members-only access to the SGIA Information Network to the members of other national and regional imaging industry associations. The Indian group's aims and objectives include stimulating growth and development of the screen printing and graphics industry in Indian and to foster an attitude of cooperation among participants in the Indian screen printing and graphics industry. For more information, visit www.SGIA.org.
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Feature
Earning Green by Being Green
How to use environmental friendliness to attract more customers
By Ed Avis
You probably read or hear about the environment every day, from global warming to air pollution to shrinking forests. Some distant problem with zero application to your reprographics business, right? Well, maybe not.
"Not many medium and small print businesses traditionally have gone that route, but positioning themselves as environmentally responsible might be a way for them to compete in the marketplace," says Scott McDougall, president of Terrachoice, a "green" marketing consulting firm in Ottawa, Ontario.
That's right - positioning your reprographics shop as "green" could be a way to stand out in your market. Your customers read and hear the same environmental news as you do. If environmentalism is an issue they care about, they may be inclined to shop at a business that emphasizes the green angle.
How do you become known as a green business? There are two primary steps: first, work to make your repro shop environmentally friendly by adopting practices and products that have a reduced impact on the environment. Second, tell your customers you're doing that.
Read the complete article in the November/December issue of REPRO REPORT.
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For advertising information, contact IRgA Headquarters: info@irga.com or 800/833–4742. Or, click here to request a copy of the 2007 Media Kit.
Reprographic Industry Brand Mantra
Reprographers offer professional expertise in project-critical, large/wide format document distribution and management.
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