The Industry's Changing. Time to Lead

You’ve heard the expression, “It’s not the size of the present, it’s what’s in the box.” Same goes for the IRgA Convention & Trade Show – our industry’s largest and most significant annual event. While the number in attendance was lower compared to recent shows (this is the current trend across the entire convention & trade show industry), the quality of the education and networking events was as high, or higher, than ever. We are grateful to the reprographers and industry suppliers who supported the event and for their dedication to the industry.

I truly believe that those who commit to attend their association’s annual convention – both reprographers and vendors – are industry leaders. It’s no coincidence that these companies are the ones that are driving the industry’s future. It happens in every industry.

Total attendance was 534, with 137 reprographics companies and 47 exhibitors in attendance. The ratio of reprographers to vendors was approximately 1:1.

The reprographics industry vendor pool is significantly shallower than in the past – due to mergers, consolidations and natural attrition. The IRgA is keenly aware of the challenges it faces as we address not only the current economic situation, but the continuing paradigm shift that our industry is experiencing – that being the evolution from a provider of prints to a service-oriented partner in the management of digital information.

Volunteers Wanted
All of us within the IRgA are committed to reinventing the organization in the same manner that you are reinventing your companies. It’s time to move forward and create the reprographics industry of tomorrow. There are many great minds among us, and we need your leadership to mold an enduring, successful industry.

To become involved and make a difference, click here and “sign up” by July 10 to work for an IRgA committee between now and the 2010 Convention next May. There’s lots of work to do and many hands will make for light work. Who’s in?

2009 IRgA Annual Convention Presentations Available Online

Were you or some of your colleagues not able to make it to the 2009 IRgA Annual Convention & Trade Show? You can still take advantage of this year’s event by purchasing audio recordings of the educational presentations. For more information or to view available presentations, click here.

The IRgA would like to thank its exhibitors and sponsors of the 2009 IRgA Annual Convention & Trade Show. Click here to view the full list of the companies that supported this year's event.

The IRgA is excited to announce Palm Springs, Calif. as the host city of its 2010 Annual Convention & Trade Show. The event will be held May 19-21, 2010, at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Please join us for what promises to be among the industry's most exciting and informative three days focused on the wide- and small-format digital printing industry. For more details, click here

The IRgA invites you to share your knowledge and expertise with reprographers, industry experts and vendors at the 2010 IRgA Annual Convention & Trade Show. Your presentation abstract must be submitted no later than Friday, June 5. You will be notified in early September if your abstract has been accepted. You can submit your information online, click here.

The IRgA Association recently announced Mike Carter, president & COO of Lynn Imaging, Lexington, Ky., as the 2009 recipient of the George K. Bukovsky Award, the association's highest honor.

The Bukovsky Award honors the memory of George K. Bukovsky, who worked in the reprographics industry for more than 30 years. During his career, he served as a champion for the IRgA and actively promoted the industry. More importantly, he served as a friend and advisor to countless IRgA members. His enthusiasm and spirit were an inspiration to all those with whom he worked. Carter, too, is a champion for the reprographics industry and the IRgA. Click here for more information on the Bukovsky Award and to view past recipients.

The IRgA will host its next webinar — "The 3D Printing Panel Webinar" — on Wednesday, July 8, at 11 a.m. to noon Central Standard Time.

3D modeling is a fairly new service for the reprographics industry, yet one that reprographics customers have been using for decades. The evolution of model creation from an expensive, laborious, hand-crafted process into a rapid, accurate and cost-effective service has created an opportunity for new revenue streams and exciting new services for reprographers to offer their customers. Registration will open soon. Visit IRgA’s Webinar Web page for more details.

As a benefit of your company’s membership in the IRgA, we are pleased to share the results of the 1st Quarter 2009 Reprographers Survey. The survey was conducted independently for the IRgA by the Research Group within Robert W. Baird Company. Click here to access the survey results. Your username and password are required.

IRgA members can access the new 2009 IRgA Membership Directory and download it at the IRgA Web site. Click here. Your username and password are required.

CREST Foundation, Inc. recently announced that online applications are open for the 2009/2010 academic year. To apply for a CREST Foundation scholarship, students may go to: http://apply.crestfoundation.org/. The mission of the CREST Foundation is to fund and award scholarships to children of reprographics industry employees who wish to pursue a better education but who lack the financial means to do so.

The foundation awarded $100,000 in scholarships in its inaugural year for the 2008/2009 school year. The foundation will process applications this summer for Fall 2009 Scholarship Awards. The online application session will be open through the end of May. READ MORE

Maximize Uptime with Extra Process Cartridge Each Teriostar printer includes an extra process cartridge so you can replace it without waiting. No other company in this industry offers this option. At 6.2 D-size PPM, Teriostar LED printers are the perfect solution in the CAD/AEC/GIS marketplace. Learn more at www.seiko-i.com (Seiko I Infotech (SIIT) is a division of Seiko Instruments USA, Inc).

Wide-Format Imaging Announces 2009 Reprographic Shop of the Year

When Gene Klein began working summers in his dad’s blue print shop, little did he know that one day he would be running one of the leading output fulfillment providers in the country. For 48 years, the San Mateo, Calif.-based BarkerBlue Digital Imaging has been on the cutting edge of technology, has paved new roads in planroom technology and has led the sustainable movement in the industry. For their years of service and dedication, they have been selected by Wide-Format Imaging as the Reprographic Shop of the Year for 2009. READ MORE

Océ Expands its Display Graphics Sales Channel in the U.S.

Océ recently announced an agreement with Advantage Sign Supply, Inc. (ASSI) for ASSI to become an authorized reseller of Océ Arizona® Series of UV curable flatbed printers in the United States. ASSI will be selling the Océ Arizona 200 GT, Océ Arizona 250 GT, Océ Arizona 350 GT and the Océ Arizona 350 XT printers. ASSI is the only authorized reseller of the Océ Arizona brand of printers in the United States in addition to the Océ direct sales organization. READ MORE

In Other Headline News:

• Neschen Americas Welcomes Jim Cain and Mike MacPherson
• Colortrac Large-Format Scanner Wins Readers’ Choice Top Product of 2009 Award
• Extend Application Ranges with New VUTEk Printers from EFI
• Contex Partners with Resellers for Big Opportunities

Short-Term Pain for Long-Term Gain