Star Blog

Our friends at Label and Narrow Web magazine Have some interesting industry news in this month's edition. LOUPE Americas is shaping up to be a great event! Greg Hrinya writes: "An exciting feature of LOUPE Americas 2026 is the Label Trail, where Avery Dennison, CarbonQuota, Cerm, Esko, Grafisk Maskinfabrik (GM), Kurz, Scribos and Flint Group Digital Xeikon will join forces to showcase a cutting-edge label workflow." LOUPE Americas 2026 (formerly Labelexpo Americas) …

Our friends at InkWorld Magazine have published a great article on the latest news in ink manufacturing.  As reported in "Nazdar Acquires Screen & Flexographic Analog Ink from FUJIFILM North America" by Ink World Magazine, Nazdar has picked up Fujifilm's screen and flexographic analog ink business across the U.S., Canada, and Latin America through a sale and licensing arrangement. Transition activities began June 24. The whole handoff wraps July 13, which puts the two companies on one o …

Offset Printing Industry Trends 2026: What the Latest Data Actually Shows The conversation around offset printing has been shifting for years. You will hear everything from “it is declining” to “it is evolving,” often in the same discussion. The reality sits somewhere in the middle, and the data tells a much clearer story than opinions ever will. If you step back and look at the numbers, offset printing is not disappearing. It is changing shape, adapting to new demand, a …

Well, we not only predicted this but have also seen it with prices from the manufacturers going up 10% to 30% recently. Costs for raw materials and finished goods are directly impacted by the Middle East conflict, and its consequences on the rising price of oil (used in a lot of printing products) and global trade in general. Tough going for our entire industry in 2026! Can small printers survive? When will it end and will we all go back to "normal"? Only The Shadow knows! Read more here: Artien …

The latest issue of Printing Magazine has a great article on How Women Leaders Are Building a Sustainable Future for Print.  Give it a read! Women leaders are transforming the print industry by focusing on four key areas of sustainability. First, they champion environmental goals by switching to eco-friendly plant-based inks and recycled materials to protect nature. Second, these leaders focus on education by teaching their workers new, "green" skills for the future. Third, they help the ec …

Offset Blankets for Printing Presses The offset blanket is one of the most critical components in offset lithographic printing, serving as the intermediate transfer medium between the printing plate and the paper substrate. This rubber-covered cylinder transfers the inked image from the plate to the paper, and its quality, condition, and proper selection directly impact print quality, productivity, and press performance. Unlike other printing methods where ink transfers directly from the image c …

A great article in InkWorld Magazine online about the rising cost of ink due to the Iran war. All printing supplies and materials saw a huge increase in costs due to tariffs; now it's the war that is pushing them even higher. We absorb price fluctuations, but when they are up over 50% and growing... everybody loses. Who caused this to happen? What can be done to address this in our industry? How does any of this help small businesses like us? https://www.inkworldmagazine.com/exclusives/ink-price …

Industry News from Inkworld Magazine about our key manufacturer of pressroom chemicals, Flint! In a significant move reflecting the company's strategic evolution, Flint Group has officially rebranded as Flint Group Packaging Solutions, signaling a sharpened focus on the diverse and rapidly growing packaging sector. This transformation, which includes a modernized visual identity and logo, highlights the company's shift toward becoming a "platform supplier" that offers integrated solutions— …

The Commercial Printer’s Guide to High-Reactivity LED-UV Inks for Heidelberg and Ryobi RMGT Presses In the modern commercial pressroom, the investment in LED-UV technology, specifically in flagship machines like the Heidelberg Speedmaster XL Series or the Ryobi RMGT 9 Series, is a commitment to high-speed efficiency. These presses are engineered to eliminate the "dry time bottleneck," moving jobs from the delivery directly to the bindery. However, many shop owners find that the ROI on thes …

From our friends at Printing Impressions - Download thier Free report! A Comprehensive Profile of Today’s Print Professional The 2025 Printing Industry Census offers a detailed, human-centered look into the people who fuel print.  This in-depth report provides insights into: Workforce Demographics Roles & Business Realities Experiences & Sentiment Technology & AI Lifestyle & Identity Industry Pride & Motivation …