The status of the United States printing platemaking industry (1/4)

——Representation of Krefu, director of Kodak’s film media in Japan, in Japan

â–  Taiwan's Long Chen Co., Ltd. Huang Xiu-chen Translated Source: Taiwan Printing Think Tank

On December 8, 1999, Mr. Kevin P. Clifford, Director of the Print Media Department of Kodak Films, USA, sent Mr. Kevin P. Clifford to report the latest status of printing in the U.S. printing industry to Japan's printing and platemaking industry. With permission, I would like to translate the full text of the report to share the readers and use it as a reference.

Mr. Crichford serves as the trade relations manager for Kodak's US and Canada regions. He often supports the activities of the U.S. and Canadian printing industry groups. He also serves as the Director of Print Media. He often supports various printing and platemaking companies, advertising agencies, and publishing companies. It also bridges the communication between customers and companies.

1. Changes in the environment surrounding the industry have changed the business landscape of the printing industry

The world is undergoing various changes every day. In the process of printing platemaking, we are undergoing very dramatic changes from the creative stage to the prepress work to the final print job. The speed of this change is also accelerating. Because in the United States, the change in the printing market is far faster than in Japan. Therefore, all the experience we have experienced in the United States is believed to happen in Japan in the near future. If we are in the United States, we will experience more progress. If you are slow or in the wrong direction, you can use it in Japan to avoid it and only share its success. The survival of the printing companies and how to prosper and develop is indeed true for all players, and the reality of the new markets that do not understand this transformation cannot be realized.

First of all, it is the customer's every move is changing, and again, the personal requirements are getting higher and higher. By using the latest technology, we can obtain more profits from it, that is, "use principles to profit." Therefore, changes in the way of work and various human relations related to work are also necessary. It is believed that in the near future, there will be new technology emerging. Although there is still a lot of uncertainty, its impact will undoubtedly be global.

Then, the expectations of customers have also changed. Printing was originally considered to be a widely-spread mass media, but it was changed by more and more customers' "personalization" requirements, that is, more and more focused on the results of a relatively small number of readers. The number of printed copies is also decreasing. The Internet is an example of how this “personalization” has accelerated dramatically. In the past, the operating time was determined by the complexity of the work. However, today’s customers in the United States, no matter how complex they are, are looking forward to the work. Time can be shortened.

Moreover, there are pressures to constantly reduce costs, and quality requirements have been one of the factors that differentiated factories before, but they are also considered to be of high quality today. That is, the quality requirements for all printing platemaking plants are basically the same. Therefore, all the printing plate making industry will not be able to meet the challenges caused by this expectation in order to survive.

As a result of this trend, the printing company's production performance has improved. In order to meet this customer's expectations, companies have to invest in digital technology. In accordance with the tighter integration of work processes, integration is used to increase production efficiency, and business issues are regrouped and reconstructed. As a result of this M&A integration, we will re-create life and improve efficiency.

Here are a few examples; the AGT Corporation of the United States is based in New York with ongoing integration efforts. They acquired a company called "Seven Seven World Wild" and also acquired Dibang Group. Headquartered in Canada, Montreal's Kebei Co., Ltd. recently acquired World Color World Color." Still, Consolated Graphics is a US company and has also acquired 8 companies in the last 2 years.

According to the digital integration, the resulting merger boom has greatly improved the productivity of the industry as a whole, and then provided shorter working hours and reduced costs.

Since then, the trend in the printing industry has been to promote “prepress” operations to advertising agencies/publishers or even to the printing companies themselves. Companies that specialize in color separation have only introduced new businesses or have disappeared since then.

2. Digital technology is the driving force for the transformation of the industry

Information Technology has triggered this change. It is the most fundamental change that has taken place in the industry. The first thing that can be seen is the cost of investing in computers and the improvement of operational functions. Microprocessor speeds, although measured in units of millions per second (MIPS), can be doubled every 18 months, and the memory capacity can be doubled every three years. Database and data management technologies have also matured, and more and more information processing operations have become easier. Furthermore, the development of networks and hardware has continued.

According to this, a worldwide database can also support information technology. Although the digitization of information is a system of input and output, in the use of lasers for image output, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) is applied to image formation. Then, the use of the CCD on the print heads of printers actually took place. From the acquisition, preservation, processing, operation, imaging, and transmission of information to the display, electronic methods can be used to import prints. Changes in the industry, although a threat, are also an opportunity.

Digital technology has the most dramatic impact, which can be seen from the unbelievable utilization rate of the WWW Internet. In the United States, only 3 million people accessed the Internet in 1994, but by 1999 it had reached 145 million people. It accounts for one-third of the total US population. It is estimated that by the year 2003, the number of people online will reach 60%, and the number of people shopping on the Internet will account for about 30% in 1999. By 2003, 75% of the population will be shopping online. Then the so-called inter-enterprise e-commerce reached approximately 1,300 billion U.S. dollars in 2003. In 2006, 40% of all transactions were forecasted using e-commerce transactions on the Internet.

3. Evolution from printing to new media

Many people in the industry feel the threat from the Internet. They see that the expenditure on advertising has been shifted to the Internet. This is true. On the one hand, the amount of advertising prints projected in 2000 is US$30 billion. Most of the road advertising is only US$5 billion. Companies that publish books or companies that publish periodicals are all very concerned about the development of e-books. This kind of technology has progressed very quickly. Microsoft has a software called "Clear Type" that can be used with 300dpi as the target of its dot resolution. The explanatory text on the dot can also be as clear as the printed matter. Microsoft Corp. , RR, and other publishing companies want to work together to develop software that converts publications into the specifications of new open-end e-books. The necessary contents of such e-books will be available in the near future. Some CD media will also replace printed materials. According to the report of the US Department of Commerce, a commercial telephone directory is taken as an example. The same number of CD-ROMs as the traditional telephone number printing department are also published at the same time. Various kinds of documents, etc., as well as various kinds of communication prints, etc. are also being turned into new media.

4. The emergence of Internet hacking - to promote change

The new progress in the United States is the emergence of Internet hackers. The procurement of these corporate print products has been shifted to e-commerce. As mentioned above, it is predicted that 40% of all US companies in 2006 will use the Internet for transaction volume. In fact, it includes the procurement of printed materials. In fact, many print buyers will certainly welcome efficient, low-cost quotes. Many printing companies such as Impresse, Noosh, Collabria, Marketing, and Central are established to meet the needs of print buyers. How do each company become to customers, or who can provide the cheapest price in the world to every home? At the same time, how will the way to provide high-quality and efficient print products become? Now it should have been settled.

That is, non-reduction of production costs and improvement of operations can not, but the most important thing to Collabria company is to understand the importance of customer relations, suppliers and customers into one, suppliers are very concerned about, to maintain contact with customers According to this, Collabria's existence is only expected, and then it can establish the company's brand positioning and reputation.

5. Website increases printing demand

The Internet also provides growth opportunities. For example, on some occasions, the Internet will contribute to the demand for print. In terms of print catalogs and brochures, direct sales companies using the Internet in the United States are expected to increase their actual volume of printed products by 21%, and sales of books will grow even more. Because bookstores on the Internet, there are many new ideas that can cause the loss of buying desire. In the past, among consumers, the desire to purchase books has been somewhat lost. This is a place worth reviewing.

There are more companies in the United States, which are building new business forms. In an attempt to re-invent the company, it is nowadays the development of new media, the development of websites, or the management of digital assets. There is a recent saying that "the so-called digital asset management is a base for countering the competitive threat posed by electronics." According to this statement, the printing company stands in a very unique position, that is, also manages the customer's content files, and then can provide electronic prints, electronic communications, and actual printed materials.

Although Panduit is still demonstrating its commitment to print quality, it has developed new growth opportunities, not only a printing company but also a new communication company. Printing is still one of the means of communication in the future. It will serve as a very important central position. Although the graphic arts and printing industry is on the verge of death, it is contrary to the predictions of experts from all walks of life.

6. The 21st Century Can Also Play a Role in Print Media

As a cutting-edge supplier to the printing industry, the future of our printing industry is still very promising. As the world is eagerly aspired to print products, printed products can provide a variety of values. Therefore, in the new century, the results will still continue to grow.

The strength of print media is here. For example, the use of paper media is convenient, but electronic media cannot yet be said to be completely user-friendly. Paper media is still very cheap, and electronic media equipment is still expensive. Paper has its independence and can be brought anywhere. However, because of the need for wiring, electronic media must also be connected to the Internet. Paper media has been widely used in countries all over the world for so long