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IRgA Issues Statement on Digital Services
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There has been much discussion related to defining what digital services means to the reprographics industry and whether it is considered appropriate to charge for these services. Today, the IRgA releases the first ever industry best practices statement - on accepted practices for charging for digital services.
In a three page document, the IRgA:
- Defines digital services from our industry's perspective;
- Issues a statement that it is customary and acceptable for reprographics shops to provide digital services and charge customers fees for the digital services to be performed;
- Outlines reasons why it is necessary for firms to charge for such services;
- Identifies services that typically incur a charge; and
- Suggests best practices for both reprographers and reprographics customers.
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Click here to download the statement.
Two years ago, the IRgA Board of Directors created a Digital Services Committee for the purpose of exploring the current and best practices for providing digital services. The association conducted an industry survey to gain a snapshot of those current practices, and conducted educational sessions on the topic to discuss the findings and gain additional insight. |
Steve Bova, CAE
Executive Director |
The statement is one step in the process of raising awareness of digital services within the reprographics industry. The committee will present a follow-up session on digital services at the IRgA's Annual Convention this May. In the meantime, the IRgA has hired Navina Waterman to compose a series of related documents, called the Digital Services Guide, which will be distributed electronically. The sections of the guide have been determined to be:
- Digital Services as they Relate to AEC
- Digital Services as they Relate to Color
- Selling Digital Services
The first chapter is under development. Navina is gathering information about the subject and visiting some reprographics shops for her research. For those interested in making a contribution, you may contact Navina at navina@earthlink.net.
The process of providing digital services will continue to evolve. In the meantime, it is essential for reprographers to be in front of the curve and to begin to define their businesses based on this reality.
The IRgA welcomes your feedback through info@irga.com, or you may contact me directly at sbova@irga.com.
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Inside the IRgA
Register Now for the IRgA 2007 Annual Convention & Trade Show
Registration for the IRgA 2007 Annual Convention & Trade Show, May 9-11, 2007 in Dallas, TX, is open online! Click here for more information and to register now! The IRgA Web site also includes the most current information about educational programming, the schedule of events, the annual golf tournament, the trade show, signing up as an exhibitor, hotel and travel accommodations, and convention press passes.
Please indicate source code EM3 when you register online.
2007 Convention's Wednesday Motivational Session
This year's Convention will feature a new Wednesday afternoon motivational session. If you are registered for the full convention, but will not be playing golf, still plan on arriving early on Wednesday to attend "The Best Way to Predict Your Company's Future Is to Invent It!" with Fred and Dan Akers of the Akers Performance Group. The session will be held from 2:30-4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 9th.
Trade Show Almost Full; Reserve Your Space Now
If you're an exhibitor, there is a limited time left to start planning for the 2007 Annual Convention & Trade Show. Don't delay, almost ALL of the trade show space this year has already been sold! 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.
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NEW! IRgA Member Benefit Feature-Online Industry Publications
According to a recent survey on IRgA Educational Publications, only a third of the membership frequently uses the publications available to them and many were unaware of their availability. If you are an IRgA member, we want to remind you to access valuable publications on the IRgA Web site as they are highly valuable and insightful to your business. You can download and print these documents to reference and benefit from the industry insight and best practices on providing certain services. Check out some of these FREE publications available to IRgA members:
Industry Journal Vol. 1 - Business Strategies
Industry Journal Vol. 2 - Facilities Management
Industry Journal Vol. 3 - Small Format Imaging
Access these publications by logging into the IRgA Web site and clicking on "Publication Downloads" on the "Members Only" drop-down menu. To access the member login page, click here. If you have forgotten your member login, please contact IRgA headquarters by phone at 800/833.4742 or by e-mail at info@irga.com.
In addition, the IRgA offers access to even more publications and reports to its members and non-members for a very low fee:
Compensation and Benefits Study
Operating Ratio Study
The Future Reprographer
Employee Handbook Sample Guide (on CD)
Managing Large-Format Digital Files
Find more information and order any of these publications by visiting the IRgA online bookstore.
Watch for more valuable publications to be added this year! The IRgA is in the process of developing other publication projects and updating current publications.
If you are not a current IRgA member company, join or renew your membership to have access to these publications in addition to the numerous additional member benefits that provide value to your company.
2007 Mounting & Laminating Seminar Schedule Now Available; Registration Live Online
The IRgA, in conjunction with Drytac Corporation, will again be offering its Mounting & Laminating Training Seminars this year. The two-day program for equipment operators integrates theory with actual hands-on training, progressively providing the fundamentals of mounting and laminating technology and techniques. Day one covers foundational information, while day two concentrates on more advanced trouble shooting and special applications training. This year's schedule features a seminar in Canada. To see the 2007 seminar schedule and to register online, click here. For a PDF brochure and registration form available for download, click here.
Members Only: Operational Efficiency Webinar Now Available to Download
The IRgA held another successful Webinar yesterday, February 7th, attracting 150 individual participants and 98 member companies! "Operational Efficiency: How to Become More Efficient" with Chuck Freidrichs, of Project Web Portal, and Jim Hertle, of Perkinson Reprographics, is now available to download for members only. To access this Webinar and all of the Webinar archives in the IRgA's Online Education Series, click here. If you have forgotten your member login, please contact IRgA headquarters by phone at 800/833.4742 or by e-mail at info@irga.com.
IRgA 2007 Media Kit Available Online
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. There is still time to secure your 2007 positions today! To request a copy of the 2007 Media Kit, click here.
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Industry News
IBM and Ricoh to Create Joint Venture Printing Systems Company
Ricoh Corporation and IBM have announced the formation of a joint venture company based on IBM's Printing Systems Division as Ricoh strengthens its capabilities in output solutions, including production printing. On closing of the agreement between Ricoh and IBM, Ricoh initially will acquire 51 percent of the joint venture, which will be called the InfoPrint Solutions Company, and will progressively acquire the remaining 49 percent over the next three years as the joint venture evolves into a fully owned subsidiary of Ricoh. InfoPrint Solutions Company's worldwide headquarters will be located in Boulder, CO, currently the headquarters of the IBM Printing Systems Division. The General Manager of the IBM Printing Systems Division, Tony Romero, will head the new company as President and Chief Executive Officer. For more information, visit www.ricoh.com or www.ibm.com.
Océ Garners Top Honors from BERTL in Onsite Service and Support for Second Consecutive Year
Océ announced that the company is the second-year recipient of the Platinum Award for Onsite Service and Support in BERTL's 3rd Annual Readers' Choice Awards. The BERTL Readers' Choice Awards are based on the cumulative findings from thousands of end-user surveys. For more information, visit www.oce.com.
IPC Moves to New Headquarters
Image Products of California has moved to a new, larger facility. The new address is 1891 Delilah Street, Corona, CA 92879. Their toll free phone number remains 800/221.8831. Their new phone number is 951/817.9100, and their new fax number is 951/817.9200. For more information, visit www.imageproductsCA.com.
NRI Appoints New President and Vice Chairman
National Reprographics Inc. (NRI) has announced the appointment of Douglas Magid as president and Sol Magid as vice chairman. Prior to the appointment, Douglas held the role of vice president of administration. He began his career at NRI in 1994 as a sales account executive. As Douglas assumes the role of president, Sol will fill the role of vice chairman. Sol was president of NRI since 1974. For more information, visit www.nrinet.com.
PLP Acquires Job Tracking Software Business from Triangle Reprographics
PLP Digital Systems, Inc., announced the acquisition of the Job Tracking System software business from Triangle Reprographics of Orlando, FL. Initially developed in 2001 as custom, in-house job tracking solution by Triangle Reprographics, the software is now used by Cushing & Color Chicago and AIR Graphics as well. Available as an independent module, OpCenter Track allows companies to determine the status of jobs, including wide-format AEC, small format, and color. OpCenter Track is built around the concept of Log Views, in which one line of information is displayed per job filtered by production status or department. Each line contains the job number, the job name, the customer name, the current production status, either the current production department or the driver assigned, and the due date and time. It also features alerts when jobs are completed within an hour of deadline or if jobs are late. For more information, visit www.plp.com.
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Feature
BIM-What You Need to Know
Building information modeling has gone from obscurity to ubiquity. Find out how it will affect your business.
By Navina Waterman
"If you want to survive, you're going to change; if you don't, you're going to perish. It's as simple as that." Thom Mayne, the 2005 Pritzker Prize winner, shocked many in the AEC community with this statement at a building information modeling (BIM) seminar at the most recent American Institute of Architects (AIA) convention.
In less than three years, BIM has gone from being obscure to de rigueur. According to Kermit Baker, AIA's chief economist, recent AIA survey respondents felt that BIM will be accepted as the industry standard within two to three years. James Jacobi, principal and chief information officer of Walter P. Moore and Associates, a large engineering consulting firm headquartered in Houston, feels it will be three to five years for BIM to be mainstream and perhaps 10 years before it reaches everybody. This is similar to the path of CAD acceptance in the 1980s and 1990s.
As a reprographer, why should you care? BIM is not just a small change in the tools used by the AEC community, but rather part of a quite dramatic change in workflow and project delivery methodology, thus having the potential to greatly affect the reprographer's involvement. For starters, it's all digital! And it will eventually affect the quantity and type of printing needed for construction projects.
Read the complete article in the March/April 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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