CJK Group Announces Minimum Wage Increase to $15 per Hour for U.S. Workers

It is no secret that the U.S. printing business had been battered for years as the popularity of digital formats significantly reduced demand for magazines, catalogs, and other printed materials. While sales of books held up better than those of their print counterparts, many of the largest printers worked across multiple product lines. And as a result, some of the industry giants (R.R. Donnelley, Quad Graphics) underwent wholesale makeovers, while smaller companies either closed or merged to cope with the plunge in demand. At a spring webinar presented by PW and Westchester Publishing Services, Jim Fetherston, president and CEO at the printer Worzalla noted that when the pandemic hit and book sales unexpectedly surged, North American printing capacity was at “historic low levels,” which led to demand exceeding capacity for the first time in years.

SCREEN Graphic Solutions Co., Ltd. announces its cooperation with KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc. in the development of the Truepress JET S320, an A3 sheetfed digital inkjet printer. The Truepress JET S320 prototype will make its debut at PRINTING United Expo October 18–20, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia. In recent years, especially in the commercial printing and publishing markets, there has been a shift toward businesses utilizing digital printing technology. This change is driven by a broader societal shift toward businesses that leverage digital data. In contrast to the traditional production of broadcast-style advertisements and prediction-based mass production, there is now a demand for data-driven targeting and personalized advertising materials. This shift has resulted in a move toward production that involves printing only the necessary quantity at the required time, often with targeted messaging.

Japs Olson of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, is reaping the benefits of its newly installed Speedmaster XL 106-6+LYY-P-6+L from Heidelberg. With the XL 106 LPL (Print, Coat, Perfect, Print, Coat) configuration, Japs Olson has seen increased efficiency and faster makeready times thanks to its ability to coat both sides of a job in a single pass at maximum speeds. Replacing the older Speedmaster SM 102 at Japs Olson, the Speedmaster XL 106 has already made a huge impact in increased productivity only 2 months after installation. With maximum production speeds of up to 15,000 sheets per hour, the peak performance press can handle a wide range of substrates from 27 lb. offset to 32 pt. board. “Our customers require high quality products with lots of colors,” said Bob Murphy, Chairman and CEO of Japs Olson. “The XL 106 is exciting because it’s a 12-color press and allows us to print on both sides. Our customers are now receiving their beloved colorful pieces with industry-leading quality at an incredible speed.” Click Read More below for additional information.