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How Will Repro Go as COVID Fades?
I’ve had conversations with a half dozen APDSP members over the past couple of weeks, and nearly everyone has said that business is picking up. They say construction is returning to their communities and customers are ordering prints again. Customer Read more
Apr 29, 2021
5:25 PM
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Andy Dean Photography
Business Growth Opportunities ‘Outside the Box’
There are two great strategies to use to look at how one can grow a business in a declining market. First is to take a deeper dive into your business and evaluate what has changed or evolved. For example, services have evolved with managed print serv Read more
Apr 14, 2021
5:30 PM
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Attacked! Ransomware Hits Dynamic Reprographics
One day in August 2018, Lisa Tipps and her employees at Dynamic Reprographics in Austin walked into the shop and noticed an odd message on nearly every computer screen: “If you want your computers back, go to this link and pay.” Read more
Oct 21, 2020
10:02 AM
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hapabapa Getty Images
Crappy Year Continues, But with Bright Spots
Could 2020 get any worse for Precision Images in Portland? The APDSP member firm was hammered by COVID – sales in April were down 46 percent – then in late summer protests in downtown Portland became violent. Finally, in September smoke from nearby f Read more
Sep 24, 2020
11:27 AM
Tech News
Memory: 80 Years Ago Konrad Zuse Built the First Computer
Three years ago a group of APDSP members visited the annual meeting of motio, the German reprographics association. They met with Horst Zuse, the son of Konrad Zuse, who invented the computer. In recognition of the 80th anniversary of Zuse's inventio Read more
May 13, 2021
3:30 PM
Interview: Canon U.S.A.’s Amit, Rich and Ed Discuss the New Printer
Canon U.S.A. recently announced the launch of the latest imagePROGRAF printers, which compete with LED printers for fast CAD printing, as well as color. In this interview (edited for clarity), APDSP Managing Director Ed Avis spoke with Canon U.S.A.’s Read more
May 13, 2021
1:54 PM
Printerpoint Now Tracks KIP Tiers
Printerpoint just released a new feature that tracks the new KIP Tiers billing categories and effortlessly transmits them to e-automate. Read more
Apr 15, 2021
5:15 PM
Paradigm Introduces Colortrac SmartLF Scanners
Paradigm Imaging Group, the North American Distributor of Colortrac scanners, announces the introduction of the New Colortrac SmartLF SCi scanners. Colortrac is a world leader in large format scanning and brings new patented technology to the NEW SCi Read more
Apr 15, 2021
5:10 PM
Major Launch: Canon Introduces imagePROGRAF TZ-30000 Series
Further showcasing its commitment to innovation and pushing the boundaries of print, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is excited to announce the latest additions to its imagePROGRAF line of large format printers with new hyb Read more
Apr 14, 2021
8:30 AM
Printerpoint Now Integrates with ECI e-automate
Finally, wide format printer meters can flow directly into ECI e-automate. As more and more traditional small format printer dealers branch into the wide format market, a powerful solution that not only streamlines printer management but also plays n Read more
Mar 25, 2021
9:55 AM
Colortrac Introduces New Value-priced Scanners, Software
Colortrac introduces new large format scanners, the SmartLF SGi and SmartLF SCi, along with new scanning software, SmartWorks Imaging, to support them. The new scanners are available immediately through Colortrac distributors worldwide. Read more
Mar 18, 2021
12:56 PM
Scan Dimension Introduces Hobbyist 3D Scanner
Scan Dimension®, developer of 3D scanners, imaging, and realization technology, today launches SOL, an easy-to-use 3D scanner for the everyday maker, technology enthusiast, and hobbyist. Immediately available, SOL is an accurate, portable, and afford Read more
Mar 17, 2021
6:00 PM
Agfa introduces fastest Jeti Tauro inkjet printer to date
The Jeti Tauro H3300 UHS LED is Agfa’s new flagship, targeted to the high end of the sign & display market. This UV LED inkjet engine prints media up to 3.3 m wide in four or six colors at a speed up to 600 m²/h. Like its siblings, it combines indust Read more
Mar 4, 2021
8:18 PM
Video of Contex/Quattro X Webinar Posted
The recording of the Feb. 24 webinar in which Contex and National / AZON premiered the Zero Turn Productivity Center with the Contex IQ Quattro X large format scanner has been posted. Designed by National / AZON exclusively for Contex scanners, Zero Read more
Mar 4, 2021
11:54 AM
Zoom Trade Show Videos Posted
The recordings of the two-day 2021 APDSP Zoom Trade Show have been posted. The event featured presentations by five APDSP Vendor Members: Image Access, ReproConnect, FotoZoomer, Es-Te and Synnex. Read more
Feb 25, 2021
9:46 AM
Stratasys Introduces Carbon Fiber Material for F123 Series 3D Printers
Stratasys Ltd. has introduced a new ABS-based carbon fiber material for its award-winning line of F123 Series™ 3D printers, the first composite material for the platform. Carbon fiber materials have proven extremely popular on Stratasys’ industrial-s Read more
Feb 18, 2021
6:13 PM
Webinar on Zero Turn Productivity Center with IQ Quattro X
Contex and National / AZON will premiere the Zero Turn Productivity Center with the Contex IQ Quattro X large format scanner in an upcoming webinar to be held February 24th at 11 AM Eastern. Designed by National / AZON exclusively for Contex scanners Read more
Feb 18, 2021
6:07 PM
Looking for a Better Color Printer? Vortex 4200-42 May Be the Answer
Are you looking for a new, better, large-format color printer? APDSP Vendor Member The Drafting Clinic has an offer you should check out: The Vortex 4200-42 single-pass printer at a special price! Read more
Feb 18, 2021
11:48 AM
EFI Introduces VUTEk Q3r and Q5r
Electronics For Imaging, Inc. is setting new levels of production and efficiency for customers at the higher-volume end of the superwide-format signage and display graphics market. The new EFI™ VUTEk® Q series product line delivers superior quality a Read more
Feb 4, 2021
11:24 AM
Bookeye Scanners Deployed to Ottoman Archives
The Ottoman Archives in Istanbul are a collection of historical sources related to the Ottoman Empire and among the largest archives in the world. A major installation of Image Access Bookeye Scanners is being used to digitize this vast collection. Read more
Jan 20, 2021
9:37 AM
EFI Upgrades PrintSmith Vision MIS Software
The new, version 5 release of EFI™ PrintSmith™ Vision MIS software – part of the EFI Quick Print Suite of business and production management tools – delivers optimized performance and enhanced flexibility for small commercial and quick print business Read more
Dec 17, 2020
3:12 PM
New WideTEK® CCD Scanner Generation Chassis D is Launched
A complete redesign of the electronics and improved hardware adds new functionality and enhances the already acclaimed camera technology. Shipping now at the same low prices. Read more
Dec 2, 2020
9:27 AM
Azon Matrix MONSTERJET Prints Directly to Large Objects
The new Matrix Monsterjet from Azonprinter handles direct-to-shape product printing and interior decoration on objects up to 92 cm tall. It prints directly on fridge, oven, trash cans, flower vases, and onto a wide variety of highly demanding indust Read more
Nov 19, 2020
2:01 PM
Easy Cut Studio 5 Expands List of Cutters Supported
EasyCut Studio has announced its updated version of Easy Cut Studio. The newly released version 5.007 extends the capabilities of Easy Cut Studio by offering the support for KASA, UKCutter SMURF, VEVOR, Marsh Stencil Express, SSK Designtech 60, Helo Read more
Nov 12, 2020
9:49 AM
Features
Blue Boy Imaging Services: COVID Provides Opportunity for Reinvention
COVID was devastating to countless businesses around the world, and Blue Boy Document Imaging in Washington DC was no exception. But for this APDSP member, the pandemic also has presented an opportunity: They hired some staff with new skills and hav Read more
May 11, 2021
11:45 AM
Don't Overlook These COVID Financial Benefits
It might seem that the financial panic created by COVID is easing, but don't forget that there are still some important financial benefits available to small businesses affected by the pandemic. Here are three: Read more
Apr 15, 2021
12:34 PM
Elnur Amikishiyev
A Winner Never Quits, A Quitter Never Wins
I grew up in a competitive culture. I have two brothers, and we were all athletic. We didn’t have toys, we had sporting goods — balls, bats, gloves, racquets and clubs. We competed against each other in sports, board games and even classroom success. Read more
Apr 14, 2021
5:41 PM
You Can Call Her on Sunday Afternoon: New APDSP Member Thrives by Being Accessible
Successful reprographics shops often stand out by providing better service than their competitors. Megan Ryan, owner of new APDSP member firm Best Blue Print in Houston, takes that idea to the max: She gives customers her cell number and tells them t Read more
Mar 25, 2021
12:44 PM
The Scanning Market: Heating Up in the COVID Era
When APDSP started a google ad campaign to drive traffic to the online Member Directory about a month ago, a set of key search terms was selected. When someone in the AEC industry searches using these terms, an ad for the APDSP directory shows up. Wh Read more
Mar 17, 2021
5:55 PM
Reciprocity: Are You Scratching My Back?
Reciprocity is one of the guiding principles of commerce. As the old saying goes: “You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours!” So the question is, have you been asking the people you do business with to reciprocate and do business with you? Read more
Mar 4, 2021
7:48 PM
Meet APDSP’s Newest Member: Fresno Reprographics
COVID has presented challenges for every reprographics firm over the past year, and California’s Fresno Reprographics – which joined APDSP in February -- is no exception. But that company’s owner, Don McDonald, is not a stranger to challenges – he la Read more
Mar 4, 2021
7:38 PM
Meet the New Owner of New England Reprographics
Neal Larsson, the new owner of New England Reprographics, lacks something most repro firm owners have: experience in reprographics. But he brings something equally important: experience in sales and marketing. Read more
Feb 3, 2021
6:17 PM
Scott Shuppert: 40 Years in the Biz, and Now He Has a Deal for You
Nearly four decades ago, Scott Shuppert, fresh out of college, got a job selling Autocad systems for a reseller in Springfield, Missouri. That eventually led to him opening his own business, which led to countless interesting CAD-related projects in Read more
Feb 3, 2021
2:38 PM
Pitching vs Storytelling
I think it’s fair to say that most salespeople use a presentation style as opposed to a consultative style. What’s the difference? In a presentation style, the seller tells the buyer all about products or services or capabilities. In a consultative s Read more
Jan 21, 2021
12:52 PM
Meet New APDSP Board Member Joseph Szobody: Optimistic About Repro
In the early 2000s, Joseph Szobody was a student at Wheaton College in suburban Chicago when he started a business out of his dorm room creating custom websites for small businesses. Read more
Jan 21, 2021
12:41 PM
How Has Repro Coped with COVID? Services for Home Workers, Staff Cuts
COVID’s not over of course, and the disease’s long tail will almost certainly affect all of 2021. But it’s not too early to look at how the reprographics industry has dealt with COVID. Read more
Jan 7, 2021
6:21 PM
Jakub Jirsak
Brutal 2020 is History…But What Does 2021 Hold?
Gary Hoskings, owner of Rapid Reproductions in Terre Haute, Indiana, reports that the fourth quarter of 2020 was very strong, which was a relief after seeing business drop about 15 percent overall for the year. But does that mean 2021 is going to sta Read more
Jan 7, 2021
6:34 PM
Franz Reprographics: Growing Through Acquisition the Right Way
When Bruce Franz gives tours of Franz Reprographics’ main location in Minneapolis, he tells guests that he and his wife, Patty Franz, bought the business in 1999. Then he tells them that there is exactly one piece of equipment from that time still in Read more
Dec 17, 2020
9:44 AM
Photographer: Andrey Popov
What Has Changed. What Hasn’t.
The Covid-19 crisis has affected everyone. Business and personal. I think we all know that things are going to be different moving forward. But let’s consider exactly how things will be different. What has changed and what hasn’t? Read more
Dec 2, 2020
4:46 PM
Alvin & Co. Back in Business
Alvin & Co., the 70-year-old drafting equipment company that closed in September, will soon be back in business. The name and intellectual property of the company were purchased at auction in October by Ascendent, a company that specializes in acquir Read more
Dec 1, 2020
3:28 PM
Memphis Repro Project Eases Online Access to Plans
Chris McNally, owner of Memphis Reprographics, says his firm has accessed countless online planroom systems on behalf of clients, including popular systems such as ProCore, BidClerk, Smart Bid and Egnyte. He says they seem to have one common characte Read more
Nov 18, 2020
4:27 PM
New Fellman Book Covers The Rules Of Engagement
What does “engagement” mean to you? Obviously, the word has different meanings in different applications. For example, you can engage a clutch, engage in horseplay, or be engaged to be married. In your business, though, “engagement” is an important c Read more
Nov 5, 2020
11:30 AM
Cyber Copy: Jump in LA Rents Requires Creative Solution
Eleven years ago Paul Fridrich opened a new location for his reprographics company, CyberCopy, in Culver City, California, which abuts Los Angeles. It was an ideal location for a repro firm – near the Santa Monica Freeway, downtown Los Angeles, and t Read more
Oct 22, 2020
7:48 PM
Can You Guess The Year These Ads Appeared?
Can you guess the year these ads appeared in the International Blue Printer, IRgA's old magazine? The first three respondents with the correct year will get $25 off their 2021 membership renewal fee! Email your guess to ed.avis@apdsp.org. Read more
Oct 8, 2020
7:09 PM
Repro Back-End Software: More Satisfied Users Than Before
Reprographics companies have specific needs in their back-end software. Some use a variety of software packages to keep things running, while others use one or two packages that do everything. Regardless of the set-up, most shop owners are reasonably Read more
Oct 8, 2020
4:26 PM
Artur Szczybylo
A New Acronym For Sales Success
I was reminded the other day about an article I wrote nearly 20 years ago. It was titled “IQDD—An Acronymic Approach to Printing Sales.” That column introduced an acronym that stands for Identification, Qualification, Discussion & Decision. Read more
Sep 24, 2020
11:00 AM
On the Digital Edge: Meet New APDSP Board Member John Lipari
In 2001, a handful of John Lipari’s college buddies decided they didn’t like the cold weather of the Northeast and moved south to cities like Charlotte and Orlando. Lipari, who was already working for his father’s reprographics firm, Plan & Print Sy Read more
Sep 9, 2020
3:55 PM
Archives - Enjoy These Past Articles!
Enjoy these past articles about reprographics and the IRgA! Read more
Jul 29, 2013
1:33 PM
Industry News
APDSP Teams with Graphic Arts Advisors on Operating Ratios Study
APDSP has signed a letter of agreement with Graphic Arts Advisors to launch an program to establish standardized operating ratios and other metrics for the reprographics industry. This effort began in 2020 when APDSP surveyed members about what metri Read more
Repro Back-End Software Report Available
Are you wondering if the software you use to run your shop is the best? Now you can compare to other programs. The APDSP Repro Back-End Software Report is now available in the APDSP Member Center. This report compares the top four software systems: M Read more
APDSP Webinar: Digital Services and the Public Sector
What would it take to create a new 5- or 6-figure annual revenue stream just from digital services? Sound crazy? That's exactly what reprographers across the country are doing specifically with public sector clients. Read more
Next Virtual Roundtable Focuses on Salespeople Only
The next APDSP Virtual Roundtable will be open only to salespeople. The roundtable will allow salespeople from non-competing geographies share strategies. Read more
APDSP Starts Google Ads to Drive Directory Traffic
APDSP has begun running a series of google ads to drive traffic to the APDSP online Member Directory. This effort is targeted at construction industry professionals who are searching on google for reprographics-related products. Among the search term Read more
Obituary: Bob Knappage
It was with deep sadness that we learned that Bob Knappage passed away on February 4 at age 75. Knappage was a great friend of reprographics and the IRgA (APDSP's predecessor), and a devoted executive of Thomas Printworks. Here is his official biogr Read more
Next Week: APDSP Zoom Trade Show
In-person trade shows are non-existent at the moment, but you can get a good view of the 2021 product offerings of five important vendors during the 2021 APDSP Zoom Trade Show next week! Here are details: Read more
