Purdue University has a new, wonderful Professor!

John M Kamp

Instructor - Lean Principles and Tools On-line Lean Six Sigma Program at Purdue University

Reprographers, please kindly take the time to participate in the Mid-Year Survey Reprographics 101 is conducting!

The cut-off date for participation has been extended to July 22nd.

Survey results are absolutely meaningless unless there’s widespread participation.  If there isn’t substantive participation, it is highly likely that I won’t bother to publish the results.

Participation-confidentiality is assured.  We are using Survey Monkey to conduct this survey, and the information gathered by Survey Monkey does not, in any way, shed light on who actually participates in the Survey.

What reason could you possibly have for not participating in this Survey?

Are you not interested in comparing (benchmarking) your results with the results of others in the industry?  Are you not interested in comparing your opinions with the opinions of others in the industry?  Are you unaware that information about trends could have an affect on your company’s strategic plan and on your exit strategy?

Best regards,

Joel

Link to Survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Reprographics101_2013MidYearReprographerSurvey

ARC Document Solutions Completes Bond Repurchase to Reduce Long-Term Debt

News Release

ARC Document Solutions Completes Bond Repurchase to Reduce Long-Term Debt

WALNUT CREEK, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 07/10/13 -- ARC Document Solutions (NYSE: ARC) today announced that the company has concluded the open-market repurchase of approximately $7 million in aggregate principal amount of its 10.5% senior unsecured notes due December 15, 2016. The repurchase was intended to reduce ARC's long-term debt and annual interest obligations, and made no use of the Company's $50 million revolving credit facility which remains undrawn. "As expected, our cash position through the second quarter has strengthened and we have worked through the majority of the costs associated with the restructure we implemented in the fourth quarter of 2012," said K. "Suri" Suriyakumar, Chairman, President and CEO of ARC Document Solutions. "While we have a number of opportunities to invest our excess cash, the most compelling was to deleverage the company by repurchasing a portion of our debt. We may consider additional steps to further reduce our debt and interest obligations in the future provided conditions favor the company, and our performance and the economy continue to improve." ARC's high-yield bonds were issued on December 1, 2010, in the aggregate principal amount of $200 million and are due inDecember 2016. The bonds are senior unsecured obligations of the Company, and bear an interest rate of 10.5% per annum, payable semi-annually on June 15 and December 15. The bonds contain an optional call provision dated December 15, 2013.

Learn how to sell document management solutions

Educational Training Event to be held in Las Vegas in early August:

http://www.p4photel.com/calendar/how-to-sell-document-management-solutions

Mid-Year Survey of Reprographers - it only takes about 15 minutes to complete the survey

Reprographers, please kindly take the time to participate in the Mid-Year Survey Reprographics 101 is conducting! 

The cut-off date for participation is July 15^th.

Survey results are absolutely meaningless unless there’s widespread participation.  If there isn’t substantive participation, it is highly likely that I won’t bother to publish the results.

Participation-confidentiality is assured.  We are using Survey Monkey to conduct this survey, and the information gathered by Survey Monkey does not, in any way, shed light on who actually participates in the Survey.

What reason could you possibly have for not participating in this Survey?

Are you not interested in comparing (benchmarking) your results with the results of others in the industry?  Are you not interested in comparing your opinions with the opinions of others in the industry?  Are you unaware that information about trends could have an affect on your company’s strategic plan and on your exit strategy?

Best regards,

Joel

Link to Survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Reprographics101_2013MidYearReprographerSurvey

Contex Launches All-in-One HD Scan Station Repro for Market's Fastest Wide Format Scanner

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Press release from Contex

Specially-Priced Standalone Solution Enhances Productivity and Reduces Overall Scan Time

Rockville, MD - Contex, the world's leader of wide format scanning and imaging solutions, today announces the release of the HD Scan Station Repro. Built to address the demands of productivity scanning, the HD Scan Station Repro packages innovative Contex technology into an all-in-one solution that maximizes efficiency and delivers accurate, high-quality captures upon first scan. The HD Scan Station Repro combines the award-winning HD Ultra scanner with an adjustable stand and built-in computer tray, a 17-inch touchscreen, and Nextimage Repro software. Its innovative design erases time-consuming processes from scanning, resulting in a simplified and productive scanning experience. Available for the HD i4250s or HD i4290s models, the HD Scan Station Repro is specially priced until September 1st.

As an all-in-one scanning solution, the HD Scan Station Repro integrates seamlessly into an office workflow. Its adjustable height and movable touchscreen allow users to customize the stand to their preferences. The built-in computer tray consolidates equipment into a centralized unit, thus eliminating time-wasting trips between scanner and computer. User-friendly Nextimage Repro software streamlines operations by simplifying scanning and connecting directly to any printer or device in the network. Current HD Ultra owners can easily upgrade to an HD Ultra Scan Station Repro with a scanner license and HD Ultra Scan Station Repro Kit, comprised of the Nextimage Repro License Key, stand, and 17-inch touchscreen.

"Contex prides itself on providing its customers with the best scanning solutions to suit their business needs," states Steve Blanken, General Manager, Contex Americas. "With the HD Scan Station Repro, we've eliminated the usage of separate components from scanning by designing a standalone solution that surpasses industry standards of productivity and usability."

Driven by the HD Ultra's innovative features, the HD Scan Station Repro boasts best-in-class image quality and speed. 48-bit CCD technology captures fine details while Contex Natural Light and the widest color gamut possible ensure the highest accuracy in color reproduction. With an unrivaled scan speed of 8-inches a second in color, the HD Ultra can scan up to 620 Arch E-sized or 642 ISO A0-sized documents in an hour. Additionally, the scanner uses xDTR2 technology and Gigabit Ethernet to deliver maximum throughput and facilitate network sharing.

Richard Romano of WhatTheyThink.com reports on FESPA 2013 show in London

I always enjoy reading Richard Romano’s trade-show review articles, and here’s one from Richard about the FESPA show in London.  (Richard writes for the popular printing industry web-site known as whattheythink.com).

Report From FESPA London 2013

By Richard Romano
Published: July 3, 2013

Here’s just one of the many paragraphs from his FESPA show report:

“Xerox was showcasing one of its most recent announcements, the IJP 2000, certainly one of the fastest poster printers I’ve ever seen. Being a single-pass device with stationary printheads, it’s capable of speeds of (says the spec sheet) up to 420 m²/hr. (4,520 ft²/hr), pumping out a color sign in as little as five seconds, a 30 foot banner in about a minute, and a run of 200 prints in about 20 minutes. Actual mileage will vary, of course, but it’s still much faster than the average wide-format device on the market today. Its width is 42 in (1.1m) and it can print a maximum length of 98 in (2.5m). “It’s an indoor signage printer with high productivity and high image quality, when fast turnaround is a big issue,” says Geoffrey Rummel, Xerox’s Wide-Format Manager, Graphic Communication Business Group. Xerox has already had their first sale of the IJP 2000, to a Danish bank looking to produce its own internal signage.”

Link to complete article:

The East Enders: Report From FESPA London 2013

Then the bottom just dropped out, along with my spirit and self-respect. (Must Read!)

Although this gut-wrenching, heart-wrenching article was written by a guy in the “printing” business, I think it would be of interest to reprographers, especially to owners of reprographics companies

“All was going extremely well those first 20 years, with 20% increases in revenue every year ending at $9.5 million in sales in 2008. Then the bottom just dropped out, along with my spirit and self-respect.”

Link to article:

http://whattheythink.com/articles/64222-then-bottom-just-dropped-out-glimpse-printers-ordeal/