BMI Joins Tomorrow’s Workforce Coalition to Shape the Future of the Printing Industry

Direct mail has been on a wild ride the past few years. First, there was the COVID-19 pandemic that seemingly led to every brand and customer pulling back on every conceivable marketing vehicle as we all struggled to figure out what was going on and where we would fit into it. Then as that waned, in 2022 we saw a massive surge in volumes, with brands rushing to get back in front of their customers as consumer spending skyrocketed, leading to record years for many direct mail printers. And then there was 2023, which saw severe inflation leading to a pullback in spending across the board, coupled with aggressive moves by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to raise rates. It’s enough to make you dizzy. But as we peel back some of those trends and what is driving them, we can get a good idea of what to expect for 2024 — and where you should plan to invest your capital expenditure dollars to capture as much growth and new direct mail business as possible.

The SGP Partnership, announced Simpson Print of Bloomingdale, ON, Canada has achieved its sustainability certification. From wide format to UV offset, digital and more, Simpson Print has a range of printing capabilities from packaging to retail displays, signage and fixtures. “Simpson Print has long since recognized the significance of sustainability within the marketplace,” said Carla Johanns, Simpson Print president. “SGP certification offered the most credible and robust resources to align our staff and customers, as we plan for a cleaner and more efficient future. Our primary objective is to be leaders in reducing our carbon footprint and taking the courageous steps required for the brands and retailers that demand sustainable action from their supply chain and vendors.”

Color Ink, based in Sussex, Wis., is a family business that has never stopped evolving. From its original roots as an advertising agency in the 1970s, to the decision in the 1980s to branch into commercial printing, to the full-service visual marketing services company it is today, Color Ink embodies the concept of convergence in action. “The company was started in 1975 by my grandfather, Jim,” Austin Meissner, sales and sourcing manager for the shop, says. “He decided to start his own ad agency, but because he was brokering out so much print, he decided to get into commercial printing in 1984. In the late ’80s, the company had become successful enough to move into a dedicated space in Hartland, Wis., before outgrowing that and then eventually moving into its current location, with two buildings and 105,000 sq. ft. of space. But just as Color Ink evolved from an ad agency to a commercial printer, it also embraced new technologies and the shifts in the market as time has progressed. Today, Austin Meissner reveals, they see themselves not as being a commercial printer as much as a boutique printer — heavily involved in a wide mix of projects that include everything from event space, pop-up retail locations, and even interactive elements with light and sound.