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CHARTINGOur Course

A Skills and Technology Roadmap for theCanadian Printing and Graphic Communications Industry


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People in print

Charting Our Course The Skills and Technology Roadmap for the Printing and

Graphic Communications Industry

Copyright 2008 Canadian Printing Industries Sector CouncilAll rights reserved. The use of all or any part of this documentwithout the prior written permission of the Canadian PrintingIndustries Sector Council is an infringement of copyright and isprohibited by law.

The Canadian Printing Industries Sector Council1110-151 Slater Street

Ottawa, ON K1P 5H3 Toll-free: 1-888-688-0293Email: [email protected]

Funded by the Government of Canadas Sector Council Program

ISBN 978-0-9810618-4-9


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Charting Our Course is a vital planning tool prepared by theCanadian Printing Industries Sector Council (CPISC).Founded in April 2006, CPISC is a national forum that bringstogether printing and graphic communications industryemployers and employees, educators and representativesof unions and governments to create and implementinnovative approaches to skills development for currentand future industry workers. In doing so, CPISC enablesall players in the printing and graphic communicationsindustry to work together in partnership to improve thequality of the industrys labour force.

CHARTING OUR COURSE

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The Canadian Printing Industr ies Sector Council(CPISC) obtained funding from Human Resourcesand Social Development Canada and IndustryCanada to spearhead development of a skills andtechnology roadmap for the printing and graphiccommunications industry. Unlike conventionaltechnology roadmaps, which help industrystakeholders identify, understand and leveragethe technologies that will drive the industry

in the next 10 years, this skills and technologyroadmap also explores the impact that adoptingnew technologies will have on human resources

issues such as skills development and training. Indoing so, it provides industry players with a way toidentify the skills-development requirements of theindustry and contribute to developing strategiesand methods that enable the industry to meet theworkforce training needs associated with advancesin technology.

To acc omp lish i ts objec tive s, the skills and

technology roadmap addresses three fundamentalquestions: Where is our industry today? Where isour industry going? How do we get there?

Where is our industry today?describes the current condition of the printing and graphic communications industry and highlights sixfactors that are exerting a profound inuence on industry development.

Where is our industry going? identies signicant technological changes in the industry, and links technological changes in the industryto skills development by identifying the training challenges associated with these changes.

How do we get there? provides seven recommendations to help industry players develop and implement human resourcesstrategies and tactics that will enable current and new industry workers to gain the skills they require tothrive and the industry to prosper.

Where is our industry today?Although relatively stable and prosperous, the printing and graphic communications industry is notunchanging. Business practices are evolving. Competition is intensifying and becoming more global.And productivity is increasing and becoming evermore vital to the overall health of the industry and thecompanies that make it up.

To gain even greater insight into how the industry is changing, this roadmap carefully examines six factorsthat are driving change:

1. Burgeoning use of the Internet 2. Expanding markets 3. Shifting customer base

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


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4. Progressively more specialized products and services

5. Advancing technology 6. Increasing need to ensure workers are equipped with new skills

The adoption of new technologies in particular is radically changing the industrys workforce. To be more precise, skills shortages are evident in two major areas: operating complex newprint machinery, and understanding and leveraging the benefits spurred by the use ofinformation technologies. A 2007 report prepared by the Canadian Printing Industries SectorCouncil highlighted some of the printing and graphic communications industrys mostglaring challenges related to training:

But for these issues to be addressed, the industry must first define a set of national skillstandards that reects the impact of technology on skills development and the way in whichthe industry is now organized. To address this need, the Canadian Printing Industries SectorCouncil is pursuing two goals: first, developing basic, core and operational skill standards

and occupational proles for all three printing process areas (pre-press, press and nishing/bindery); and second, CPISC is adapting and updating skill standards to meet the needs ofchanging technologies.

Where is our industry going? The skills and technology roadmap also pinpoints seven specic trends in technology thatwill have the greatest impact on the industry over the next ten years:

1. Enhanced systems integration 2. Greater demand for database management services 3. Widespread use of customer interface software 4. Signicant developments in press technologies

5. Increased automation and integration of post-press tasks 6. Radical new advances in science and technology 7. Ever-increasing environmental awareness

In doing so, the roadmap identies some of the training and skills-development challengesassociated with the advanced technologies that will become increasingly apparentthroughout the industry. For instance, printers will need to focus sharply on improvingcustomer relations as web-to-print becomes entrenched in the printing and graphiccommunications industry. With web-to-print, printers will begin to interact with their clientsin entirely new ways and will have greater opportunities to develop even stronger businessrelationships with customers. For printers to prosper, they will have to embrace this reality

Although some 41 percent of new employees have no formal training, mostcompanies nd it difficult to release employees for training.

Although industry suppliers o er a considerable amount of training, little of

it is distance learning or technology-assisted learning. Training programs meet the needs of only one element of the printing process:pre-press. Little or no attention is given to the press and nishing/bindery aspectsof the industry, which leads many businesspeople to think that program graduatesare not prepared for jobs in the industry.

Many educational institutions discontinued programs or parts of programs due tolack of interest, and few institutions o er part-time or continuing education programs.

More than 90 percent of in-house training is employee-to-employee training.

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and appreciate that their businesses are now more service providers than manufacturers.According to one prominent industry observer, however, this new truth is still a barelydawning realization for many industry vendors.

How do we get there? The skills and technology roadmap gives industry players a series of sensible, straightforwardrecommendations to address these technological and related skills-developmentchallenges. To be more precise, seven strategic and tactical moves have been developedand validated through several intensive meetings at which a wide cross-section of industryplayers modified draft recommendations and suggested new ones. Together, these sevenrecommendations will help industry players ensure current and new industry workers gainthe skills they require to thrive and the industry to prosper.

1. Explore development of national training programs anddelivery models based on industry-developed skills standards

2. Develop management and process training tools 3. Create an industry-awareness program 4. Improve systems integration capability 5. Develop a database management research program 6. Enhance industry access to support for training and technology 7. Support greater environmental awareness

Some companies, however, have embraced the challenges highlighted in this skills andtechnology roadmap, and used them as a springboard to achieve even greater performanceand profitability. Known as 10 percenters, these businesses do not just eke out a meagreone-percent prot after expenses. They achieve prot margins of at least ten percent.

What makes these enterprises di erent from other businesses inthe industry?

Three attributes of 10 percenters can be identied:

They focus on improving internal processes and reducing costs. They focus on their people. They focus on strategically building their markets.

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III. Where is our industry going? 17

Seven technology trends shaping the industrys future1. Enhanced systems integration2. Greater demand for database management services3. Widespread use of customer interface software4. Signicant developments in press technologies5. Increased automation and integration of post-press tasks6. Radical new advances in science and technology7. Ever-increasing environmental awareness

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IV. How do we get there? 24

Seven vital recommendations 1. Explore development of national training programs and delivery models based on industry-developed skills standards2. Develop management and process training tools3. Create an industry-awareness program4. Improve systems integration capability5. Develop a database management research program6. Enhance industry access to support for training and technology7. Support greater environmental awareness

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I. WHAT IS A SKILLS AND TECHNOLOGY ROADMA AND WHY DOES OUR INDUSTRY NEED ONE?

Continual change is an inescapable feature of moderneconomic life. Trade barriers are coming down. Newmarkets are opening up. Competition among firmsis becoming increasingly fierce. Demand for expertlytrained young workers is escalating everyday. And ever-more advanced methods of communication are sendinginformation to all parts of the globe with progressivelygreater speed and ease.

Canadas printing and graphic communications industryhas not been immune from this ever-acceleratingonslaught of change. Rapid advances in technologyhave had a particularly sharp influence on the industry.Indeed, emerging technologies have quickly becomestandard components throughout the design, productionand transmission processes of industry companies,causing these businesses to virtually reinvent the waythey generate print products, service clients and attractnew customers. What is more, technological advanceswill likely have an even greater impact on the industryas printing processes and functions become increasinglyinter-related.

To keep pace with the rapid rate of technological change,some business owners and operators in the industry haverestructured their operations, invested in new equipment,trained and retrained workers, downsized and/or replacedworkers with new ones with different skill sets. Indeed,advances in technology have not only intensied the needfor a highly skilled, adaptable workforce, but have alsoradically transformed the skills-development requirementsof the industry.

Understanding how adopting new technologiesa ects skills development To help business owners and operators in the printingand graphic communications industry gain a greaterunderstanding of the impact of technology and how the

adoption of technological advances will affect decisionsrelated to skills development and training, the CanadianPrinting Industries Sector Council (CPISC) obtained

funding from Human Resources and Social DevelopmentCanada and Industry Canada to spearhead developmentof a skills and technology roadmap for the industry.

What is a skills and technology roadmap? A skills andtechnology roadmap is a slightly modified version ofa conventional technology roadmap. Traditionally,technology roadmaps are planning tools designed to:

Led by a Project Steering Committee made up of keyindustry leaders, CPISC broadened the scope of theconventional technology roadmap model beyond helpingindustry stakeholders identify, understand and leveragethe technologies that will drive the industry in the next10 years. The roadmap of the printing and graphiccommunications industry also explores the impact thatadopting new technologies will have on human resourcesissues such as skills development and training. In doingso, it provides industry players with a way to identify theskills-development requirements of the industry andcontribute to developing strategies and methods thatenable the industry to meet the workforce training needsassociated with advances in technology.

Producing the roadmap This ski lls and technology roadmap was completed inthree distinct phases. In the first phase, the roadmapproject team established the scope of the roadmap by

determining that it should address three fundamentalquestions:

Where is our industry today? Where is our industry going? How do we get there?

To answer the rst of the three questions, the project teamconducted a comprehensive state-of-the-field review togain an accurate understanding of the current conditionof the industry.

predict the technologies that will impact future markets, chart a path for commercializing the right technologies, guide decisions related to the research and development

of technologies, build research and development-based partnerships and

collaborations, help businesses seize new market opportunities, and provide policymakers with vital input on which to base

decisions.

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In the second phase, the project team set aboutresponding to the second and third questions. To do so,the project steering committee identied key technologyareas that are expected to dominate skills development inthe industry over the coming decade.

Four working group meetings made up of key industryplayers were then held to delve deeply into howeach key technology area would impact the printingindustry during the coming decade. In the final workinggroup session, participants identified how industryresources could be used to take advantage of signicanttechnological changes, and generated recommendations

that the industry could follow to address the impactsposed by advances in technology.

In the third and nal phase, more than 50 industry playersgathered at three regional meetings to validate thecontent and direction of the roadmap, and develop animplementation plan to ensure the industry can transformroadmap recommendations into results. In particular, theimplementation plan is designed to leverage existingprograms and establish new ones to ensure the printingindustry maximizes its potential in an environment ofrapid technological change.

A vital element of the implementation plan is measuringthe results of these current and new programs. Using theseresults, adjustments will be made to the roadmap overtime to ensure that itas well as the recommendationsand action items that ow from the roadmapaccuratelyreect the evolving condition of the industry.

What lies aheadStructurally, the skills and technology roadmap adheres tothe scope identied by project representatives in the rstphase of project development, and in doing so, addressesthe three fundamental questions established by projectrepresentatives: Where is our industry today? Where is ourindustry going? How do we get there?

Accordingly, the next section of the roadmapWhereis our industry today?describes the current conditionof the printing and graphic communications industry

and highlights six factors that are exerting a profoundinuence on industry development.

The th ird se cti onWhe re is ou r in dust ry go in g?identies signicant technological changes in the industry,and links technological changes in the industry to skillsdevelopment by identifying the training challengesassociated with these changes.

The fourth and final sectionHow do we get there?provides seven recommendations to help industry playersdevelop human resources strategies that will enablecurrent and new industry workers to gain the skills they

require to thrive and the industry to prosper.

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II. WHERE IS OUR INDUSTRY TODAY?

The printing and graphics communications industry is thelongest-established and most geographically widespreadinformation-based manufacturing industry in Canada.Contributing some $5 billion to Canadas gross domesticproduct in 2006, the industry is also the fourth-largestmanufacturing employer in the country, with more than9 0 , 0 0 0 p e o p le w o rk in g in 8 , 3 4 5 e n t e rp r i s e s f ro mSt. Johns to Victoria . And l ike al l mature industr iesin this country, sales are concentrated in the large andmedium-sized companies that make up the industry.

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environment . To put it bluntly, printing in Canada hasdecreased because of globalization.

Th is tr en d ca n be me as ur ed in bo ttom-l ine te rm s.According to a study done by the Canadian PrintingIndustries Sector Council, the trade surplus of Canadasprinting industry decreased from $552 million in 2003 to$40 million in 2007. Put another way, from 2003 to 2007,Canadian printing industry exports dropped from $1.79billion to $1.43 billion. During the same period, importsof foreign printing services increased from $1.24 billion to$1.39 billion.

The reason behind this trend is straightforward. Accordingto a prominent industry publication:

When a product is manufactured overseas, thefolded carton that holds the product, the manualthat describes how the product works, the warrantycard and the corrugated box in which it is shippedare all printed in that same country. Any promotionalliterature is also printed in that country too.

The way out of this dilemma is equally clear. Accordingto a recent report by The Conference Board of Canada,to remain productive and competitive in this new inter-

national business environment, companies in Canadasmanufacturing sector must continue to:

invest in new technologies, equipment andmachinery,develop new and improved processes andproducts, andinvest in the skills and knowledge of its currentand future workforce.

Accordingly, companies in the printing and graphiccommunications industry must increase investment inadvanced machinery and equipment. They must also

become increasingly involved in providing services thatare part of the production process or that accompanyfinished products. As a result, industry workers mustacquire increasingly more sophisticated skills. At the sametime, industry players must recognize that the industrywill be in increasing competition with employers in othermanufacturing sectors for skilled workers.

3. Shifting Customer Base

During the past 25 years, sales to organizations in service

industries represent the greatest increase in commercialprint sales. This trendwhich is no surprise given thedramatic shift in advanced economies from manufacturingindustries to service industriesis one of the key driversreshaping the printing and graphic communicationsindustry. As the industrys customers are based moreand more in the service sector, the products and servicesprovided by the industry will change as well.

For instance, four segments of the service industryconstitute the overwhelming majority of customers forcompanies in the printing and graphic communicationsindustry:

technical and professional business support andrelated administrative services,

wholesale and retail trade, civic, business and professional associations, and publishing.

In fact, 25 percent of the overall growth in commercialprint sales during the past 25 years came from the firstof these groups, while overall revenue from customers inthese four segments increased by more than 400 percentbetween 1972 and 1982 and by 150 percent between1982 and 1997.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, three industrygroups drastically reduced their use of commercialprinting services that their 1997 purchases were less thanthe amount purchased in 1972. These groups are:

paper, plastic and metal packaging, processed foods and related products, and nance, insurance and real estate .

The dramati c drop in revenues from these custome rgroups reflects the emergence and rapid growth ofsecondary print producers, or industries that perform

their own printing. Although not classified as belongingto the printing industry, industries that perform their ownprinting were estimated in 1997 to be generating only8.3 percent less print material than the actual printingindustry.

4. Progressively More Specialized ProductsAnd Services

While the printing and graphic communications industryis traditionally characterized as a manufacturing industry,

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businesses in the industry are wrapping products withrelated services. According to a study done by the PrintIndustries Market Information and Research Organization,non-print services generated some eight percent ofindustry revenues in 2005, with 13 percent forecast for2010. A National Association of Printing Leadership surveyindicated that the industry had already surpassed thisforecast level, by reaching 14.5 percent in 2007.

While th is development presents exci t ing newopportunities for small businesses, challenges alsoemerge. For instance, the new services-dominatedeconomy moves faster and is more demanding than the

traditional manufacturing-based economy. And customersnow expect much more from printing companies thanthey can get through desktop publishing on their ownpersonal computers.

As print evolves in the face of technological change,however, industry players are finding new ways to addvalue to their products and services:

5. Advancing Technology

In mature industries such as the printing and graphic

Speed: Today, 10 percent of all print is producedwithin a day. In 20 years, almost one-third of allprint could be produced within a day.Flexibility: The trend for digital print run lengthscontinues downward and now averages in the2,000-copy range.Web-to-print: Not just a way for customers toengage with printers, it is a whole new way ofdoing business.Specialized printing: Thirty-two percent of all jobs are more complex than at sheets. Customersalso want specialized coatings and imprinting.Full colour: An option that is growing from 48percent of all pages today to 75 percent by 2020.Variable data printing: Personalized direct mailand other customized products are now within thereach of all graphic arts rms.Distributed production: To deal with postalissues, print production occurs closer to the pointof distribution.eCommerce: Almost half of all printing ispurchased by large companies, who willincreasingly want to automate the print-buyingprocess.

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the distinction between businesses that manufacturegoods and those that provide services is becomingincreasingly blurred. Most manufacturers today alsoprovide services. Indeed, manufactures are progressivelyrelying on service delivery to retain existing customersand attract new ones.

The printing and graphic communications industry isno different. Services are becoming more and moreimportant sources of revenue for printing companies.What is more, industry consolidation has separated rmsinto two main groups: large multinational companiesthat dominate the commodity portion of the market, canfollow their customer and can win any price war withsmaller competitors; and smaller firms that embrace acombination of new technology and business processesto o er goods and services that large corporations cannot.According to industry analysts, this trend is a normaldevelopment in mature industries such as the printingand graphic communications industry.

As a result of this evolution, small businesses withinthe industry must offer new value-added services tocustomersnot just to thrive, but simply to survive. Assuch, while some customers now undertake prepress tasks,many small businesses in the industry now specialize inproviding new services, or in o ering traditional servicesin ways that large multinational companies cannot. Theseservices cover a range of printing-related areas, including:

art, design and creative,

CD/DVD production, client training and consulting, database and asset management and archiving, digital studio photography, facilities management, Internet and Web, kit ful lment, logistics management, and mailing management.

To be ev en mo re pr ec is e, smal l an d me di um-s ized


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But growth through technology means far more thanpurchasing the latest piece of equipment. It involvesenhancing the overall process by which companiesadd value to the products and services they providecustomers.

At the same time, the adoption of new technologiesis radically changing the industrys workforce. Theblunt truth is that fewer workers are needed becausemany printing processes can now be handled via newtechnologies.

But while fewer workers may be required, these workers

must be highly skilled and possess broad knowledge ofprinting processes and specific skills in particular areas. These new workers must also have access to the trainingneeded to manage new products and services, and dealwith the implementation of new systems and processesbrought about by advances in technology. In effect, theability to attract skilled new workers, train existing workersto manage new technologies, and perform that training ina cost-e ective manner has become a major challenge.

This dilemma is not unique to the printing and graphiccommunications industry. According to a recent reportfrom The Conference Board of Canada, skills shortages

appear to be closely linked to the use of technologyregardless of the industry. At the same time, as value-added and labour-intensive production migrates tocountries with lower labour costs and manufacturingin Canada increasingly focuses on manufacturing-related services, the occupational mix of workers in themanufacturing sector will undergo considerable change.

For instance, the demand for general labourers andmachine operators is expected to decline while demandfor technicians is expected to grow. Technologicalchanges will also alter the core skills requirements of themanufacturing sector. As such, employees will be requiredto have high-level basic skillssuch as literacy, numericalproficiency, problem solving and working in teamstowork in increasingly technology-rich environments.

Skills shortages in two major areasWithin the printing and graphic communications industry,skills shortages are evident in two major areas: operatingcomplex new print machinery, and understanding andleveraging the benets spurred by the use of informationtechnologies. A 2007 report prepared by the Canadian

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communications industry, improvements in coretechnologies such as presses and inks occur incrementally.Statistics Canada data would suggest that this seeminglyslow growth in the technological sophistication of theprinting and graphic communications industry is dueto a lack of genuine research and development on thepart of the industry. To be more precise, the industryaccounted for only $7 million of the $6.6 billion thatCanadas manufacturing sectors spent on research anddevelopment in 2000.

This figure, however, is misleading. Industry playe rsmaintain that small companies solve many practical

problems for which Scientic Research and ExperimentalDevelopment (SR&ED) program credits are not claimed.At the same time, equipment suppliers to the printingindustry, which are classified in economic accountsas a separate industry, devote a considerable amountof resources toward research and development. Thisexpenditure by suppliers, which are mainly locatedoutside Canada, is reflected in the $343 million that wasspent by printers to purchase equipment in 2000.

For the printing and graphic communications industry,this outsourcing of innovation to equipment suppliers isindicative of its status as a mature industry. As opposed to

younger industries that develop their own technologies,the printing and graphic communications industry spursinnovation by working closely with its traditional partnerssuch as press manufacturers, and with new partners suchas Web services providers.

As a result of close collaboration with partners in thehigh-technology sector, advances in high technology arehaving a tremendous impact throughout the printingand graphic communications industry. Adoption of newtechnologies is enabling smaller companies to focus onspecialty products and services. For larger companies,new technologies are helping them achieve continuouscycles of productivity improvement and cost reduction. Technologi cal advances are eve n enabling som ecustomersof large and small printing companiestofull their own printing needs.

6. Increasing Need To Ensure Workers AreEquipped With New Skills

Given the rapid pace of change within the industry, it isclear that companies have embraced new technologies.


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Printing Industries Sector Council highlighted some ofthe printing and graphic communications industrys mostglaring challenges related to training:

But for these issues to be addressed, the industry mustrst dene a set of national skill standards that reects theimpact of technology on skills development and the wayin which the industry is now organized. To address thisneed, the Canadian Printing Industries Sector Council isdeveloping basic, core and functional skill standards andoccupational profiles for all three printing process areas:pre-press, press and nishing/bindery.

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Although some 41 percent of new employeeshave no formal training, most companies find itdifficult to release employees for training.Although industry suppliers offer a considerableamount of training, little of it is distance learningor technology-assisted learning.A wide and persistent gap exists between theskills learned by workers at training institutionsand the actual skills required to meet industryneeds. For instance, educational programmingmeets the needs of only one element of theprinting process: pre-press. Little or no attentionis given to the press and nishing/bindery aspectsof the industry, which leads many businesspeopleto think that program graduates are not preparedfor jobs in the industry.Many educational institutions discontinuedprograms or parts of programs due to lack ofinterest, and few institutions offer part-time orcontinuing education programs.More than 90 percent of in-house training isemployee-to-employee training.


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IIII. WHERE IS OUR INDUSTRY GOING?

Seven Technology Trends Shaping The IndustrysFuture

So what are the trends in technology that will have thegreatest impact on the development of the printing andgraphic communications industry and the professionalskills associated with the industry? There are seven:

1. Enhanced systems integration2. Greater demand for database management

services3. Widespread use of customer interface software4. Signicant developments in press technologies5. Increased automation and integration of postpress tasks6. Radical new advances in science and technology7. Ever-increasing environmental awareness

1. Enhanced Systems Integration

In the printing and graphic communications industry,

advances in technology are having their greatest impactin the area of process. While some innovations applydirectly to printing equipment such as presses, the realvalue of sophisticated new technologies lies in theirability to tie together, or integrate, various components orsystemsgiving printers much greater insight into whatis happening throughout the printing process. Indeed,systems integration enables industry businesses to makeincredible advances in the way they manage print-relatedprocesses, in the information these systems generate, andin the actions these systems foster.

Two main types of integrationSystems integration can be divided into two majortypes: technical in tegra t ion and business- levelintegration. Technical integration enables one machineto communicate with other machines, and is largelythe purview of equipment manufacturers. Meanwhile,business-level integration involves taking several systemcomponentsfrom prepress all the way through toclient billingand linking them together to create larger

systems.

Thro ugh in tegrated sy stems, su ch as ma na ge me ntinformation systems, printers can generate operationalefficienciesbetter resource management, more accuratecosting and improved administrationwhich can enablethese businesses to increase their productivity. Integratedsystems can also provide businesses with the informationthey need to develop and o er new products and services.

For instance, companies can use new technologies toseize new possibilities related to variable data printingby marrying direct mail with database management. Butprinters beware: providers of new technologies couldalso easily integrate printing into their own value chainsto offer one-stop shopping to customersmuch likemany packaging companies have done with the printcomponent of their businesses.

Eliminating islands of automationSystems integration also poses other challenges forprinters. For example, manufacturers focus on developingindividual pieces of equipment, which creates islands

Although Charting Our Course is a valuable guide for all players in the printing and graphic communications industry,this section of the skills and technology roadmap is perhaps the most consequential. In it, the roadmap moves awayfrom the current state of the industry and examines the specic trends in technology that will have the greatest impacton the industry over the next ten years. The section also links these technology trends to skills development, andin doing so, identifies some of the training challenges associated with the advanced technologies that will becomeincreasingly apparent throughout the industry.

But before these technological trends are identified, two qualifications must first be raised: while core printingtechnologies continue to evolve, the impact of new technologies on industry businesses can vary from business tobusiness due to the differences involved in implementing these new technologies. At the same time, technologiestraditionally thought of as non-printing, such as the Internet, are clearly evident throughout the industry today, and are

having a profound inuence on industry businesses regardless their size or regional location in the country.

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automation that need to be connected throughspecialized software. No central hub exists that is capableof correctly interpreting, storing and reporting on thevarious states and stages of a printing product as itevolves through the process.

Integration of various components also remains ahighly customized process. And although Job DefinitionFormat is a key platform for systems integration, a formalorganization of industry users is needed to ensure thatthis new type of information carrier evolves in a way thattransforms into plug and play.

These challenges are compounded by the fact that theunderlying technologies of many systems are proprietaryand cannot be altered to suit specific industry needs.For instance, many tools have billing capabilities, butthese tools cannot interface with generic managementinformation software. This kind of problem extends tocustomer relationship management software as well. To overcome this hurdle, manufacturers must open uptheir software to facilitate interoperability with existingclient systems and with systems produced by rivalmanufacturers.

Advances driving greater integration Three advances in software, however, are helping drivegreater systems integration in the printing and graphiccommunications industry:

Service-oriented architecture enables printers toavoid having to build new systems from scratchby integrating stand-alone operations into largersystems.Open source is a particularly powerful toolthat industry players can use to solve softwarechallenges commonly found in the industry.Software-as-a-service is a marketing anddistribution model through which a softwarevendor develops and then hosts and operates anapplication via the Internet. Customers then pay foruse of the software but do not own it.

But opportunities such as these can also bring threats.New software is playing a powerful role in reshapingtraditional print value chains. In particular, software willenable printing to be combined with other services overthe web. Known as a mash-up, this process enables savvyusers to create composite applications that will make itpossible for virtually anyone to combine software services

over the web. A simple example of this new printingphenomenon is Public Domain Reprints, a non-profitservice that enables anyone with access to the Internetto take public domain books from sites such as GoogleBooks and print them through services such as Lulu.com.

2. Greater Demand For Database ManagementServices

In the years to come, traditional customers of printingand graphic communications companies will want toincrease their use of direct mail to include mailings notonly targeted by name but also by income and other

variables. Driven by advances in data mining, many otherkinds of print products will also be customized accordingto the particular characteristics of target audiences.

Creating these types of products requires a combinationof skilful graphic arts capabilities and expert knowledgeof database management software. Indeed, expertdatabase management lies at the heart of variable dataprinting. But while database management providesprinters with a way to produce value-added servicesand strengthen relationships with customers, mostcompanies are reluctant to seize this opportunity.

Th ei r hes ita ti on st em s fr om pro bl ems re la te d todata integrity. To properly complete jobs based onvariable data printing, printers are required to vet andmanipulate data. But solutions to ensure data qualityare largely manual, making the process cumbersome,labour intensive and expensive. Some printers also lacka working knowledge of Canada Post regulations andmailing methods, which makes it difficult for them toprice jobs accurately.

3. Widespread Use Of Customer InterfaceSoftware

One trend in technology that has profoundly changedoperations in the printing and graphic communicationsindustry is electronic le delivery. Using software such asAdobe Acrobat, organizations have for years been ableto send their printing jobs to any printing company or anin-house printing service with the click of a button.

In fact, once the content of a printing job is in digitalform, it can be transferred quickly and seamlessly from

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4. Signicant Developments In Press Technologies

More than 70 percent of the companies in the Canadianprinting and graphic communications industry are smallbusinesses. As such, these companies may not be ableto spend significant amounts of money on printingequipment in the next ten years. They are more likely totry to extend the lives of existing equipment througha ordable add-ons. In many cases, these add-ons will takethe form of software that companies can use to integratevarious items of existing equipment, add overall processcontrol and communicate more efficiently with customers.

Despite this trend, press technologies lie at the heartof the printing industry, and as such, they are alwaysadvancing. The most noteworthy developments in presstechnologies are being made in the following areas:

More effective colour workflows: On-screen colourmanagement, also known as soft proofing, is on thehorizon, and will provide printers with more effectivecolour workows with which to compete with electronicmedia.

Easier digital printing: Digital printing is a plate-lessprocess through which an image is created directly froma computer file without any intermediary steps. Becauseevery impression is taken from a freshly created image,digital printing is the process of choice for variable dataprinting and short runs for small or highly segmentedmarkets. Digital also requires no make-ready and enablesprinters to perform virtually instantaneous productionchangeovers.

Despite these advantages, the industry penetration ofdigital printing is only five percent. Cost is one reason.Another is speed. Although digital printing speeds have

increased dramatically, offset speeds are still faster thanthe best inkjet digital printer.

Faster digital printers: One notable advance uses a printhead that spans the width of the paper it prints on,increasing printing speed by eliminating the time it takesfor the print head to shuffle across the paper.

Improved workow: From digital les to nished products,

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the production process will become increasinglyintegrated as non-proprietary software such as JobDenition Format seamlessly route both printing contentand instructions through the production process.

Greater technology integration: Although establishedprinting processes include highly refined technologiesthat have evolved continually over time, hybrid printingwill grow to capture the best qualities of differentcombinations, such as offset and inkjet, flexographyand gravure, offset and toner, flexography and toner,and flexography and inkjet. What is more, hybrid presstechnology will grow and the use of digital technologies

will expand quickly over the next three to five years.Offset printers will acquire new systems that includethe capabilities found in digital printers. And existingtechnologies will become more widespread as theystandardize and become more integrated within theoverall printing infrastructure.

Inexpensive three-dimensional printers: Although largecorporations pay $100,000 for these rapid prototypingmachines, desktop versions are now available for $5,000.

Increasing demand for large-format printing: Printing ofdocuments the size of posters and even larger will become

more common.

Signicant advances are also being made in inks, papersand coatings:

Nano-particle inks produces images as good asthose from the best rotary gravure presses used toprint co ee table books.Water-based inks reduce emissions from volatileorganic compounds.With no solvent to evaporate, ultra violet-curableinks cure rapidly, permitting high-speed printingof multiple colours.Security applications are taking advantage ofspecialty papers and thermal technology.Inkjet and laser papers are being developed tofulfil special requirements, while paper is beingspecifically designed for digital presses, andprinters are increasingly calling for papers that canbe used by digital and o set printers. Talc , wh os e co mb ina ti on of pro per ti es an dchemical inertness make it unique among all


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minerals, is being used to improve profitabilityin several niche coating applications such asrotogravure, matte offset, barrier coatings andlabels.Nanotechnology produces ultra-thin surfacecoatings and barriers for specialty papers.

5. Increased Automation And Integration OfPost-Press Tasks

Innovations in post-press equipment promise to automatemany labour-intensive tasks and, as a consequence, boostoverall productivity for printing companies. Advances

in robotics and information technology should have themost impact on post-press.

Th rough robo ti cs , pr in ti ng comp an ie s wi ll be ab leto automate many of the tasks now performed byworkers. Meanwhile, information technology such asJob Description Format will link the work being done byrobotic devices into larger processes and functions. Forinstance, linking the operation of cutters and other toolsinto the overall printing process will enable companies toimprove scheduling and resource management.

In the areas of distribution and fulfilment, these twotechnologies will also play greater roles. Robotics will

enable printers to automate the largely manual tasksassociated with handling and shipping materials, whileinformation technology will make it possible for printersto integrate handling and shipping into the overallprinting processagain, improving scheduling andresource management. As a matter of fact, advances ininformation technology promise to present a number ofnew opportunities in fullment, as there are many servicesthat can be added to basic print offerings to developcomplete offerings that address the needs of specificvertical markets.

Despite this promise, industry players are reluctant to

embrace Job Definition Format for post-press tasksbecause of the added cost of purchasing new capitalequipment. Post-press equipment with the needed data-link capability exists, but printers most likely will keepcurrent systems in place to amortize costs over the typicalten-year lifespan of the equipment.

6. Radical New Advances In Science And Technology

Five radical new advances in science and technologyshould present opportunities for the printing and graphiccommunications industry:

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What's next? Th es e seve n tr en ds in te chn ol og y ar e fo re ca st tohave the greatest impact on the development of theprinting and graphic communications industry and, byextension, on the professional skills associated with theindustry. Indeed, as pointed out earlier in this skills andtechnology roadmap, the adoption of new technologiesis radically changing the industrys workforce. And whilethe technologically advanced industry of the future mayrequire fewer workers, these workers must be highlyskilled, with broad knowledge of printing processes andspecic skills in particular areas.

Workers must also have access to the training needed tomanage new products and services, and deal with theimplementation of new systems and processes broughtabout by advances in technology. In effect, the abilityto attract skilled new workers, train existing workers tomanage new technologies, and perform that trainingin a cost-effective manner has quickly become a majorchallenge for the printing and graphic communicationsindustry.

Accordingly, the next section of Charting Our Courseprovides vital recommendations to ensure the printingand graphic communications industry can address andovercome this fundamental challenge to growth andsuccess.

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In surveying Canadas printing and graphic communi-cations industry, it is all too easy to become overwhelmedby the pace of technological change and the skillsdevelopment and training challenges that this trans-formation presents. This section of the skills andtechnology roadmap, however, gives industry players aseries of sensible, straightforward recommendations to

address these challenges.

The following strategic and tac tical moves have beenvalidated through several intensive meetings at whicha wide cross-section of industry players modified draftrecommendations and suggested new ones. Together,these seven recommendations will help industry playersensure current and new industry workers gain the skillsthey require to thrive and the industry to prosper.

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IV. HOW DO WE GET THERE?


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players should focus on improving systems integrationas opposed to solely focusing on automating specificoperations.

And while systems integration standards are now beingaddressed by an industry working group (CIP4), morework needs to be donenot just now, but on an ongoingbasis. For instance, although appropriate standards maybe in place within five years, many printing companieswill continue to use old equipment and, therefore, asubstantial portion of integration will be customized fromcompany to company. As a result, industry workers willneed to continually develop specialized skills and tools

to perform successful systems integrationwhatever theindustry standards end up being.

5. Develop a database management research program

Printers must acquire the skills and resources to takeadvantage of opportunities brought about by advances intechnologyopportunities such as variable data printing.As such, the industry should develop a comprehensiveprogramin conjunction with research institutionsthatwould generate tools to automate database verication.

6. Enhance industry access to support for training and

technology

Printing companies largely acquire new technologiesvia purchases of capital equipment and the associatedtraining that workers take to leverage the features of thisequipment. As such, the industry should continue itslobbying efforts to enable printing businesses to obtainfavourable tax treatment for the purchase of capitalequipment and the provision of in-house training. Theindustry should also assist small and medium-sizedenterprises to access scientic research and experimentaldevelopment tax benefits, which would help theseenterprises acquire vital technology know-how.

7. Support greater environmental awareness

As consumers become more environmentally aware, theindustry must help printers become better educatedon the economic benefits of in-house sustainabilityinitiatives. At the same time, the industry must work withgovernments to shape a green measure that appliesto the printing value chain and provides printers with abroad perspective on environmental practice that theycan call their own.

On a nal noteAs this skills and technology roadmap makes clear, rapidadvances in technology have had a particularly sharpinfluence on the industry and are radically transformingthe skills-development requirements of current andemerging industry workers. But industry players neednot shrink from the challenges brought about bytechnological advance. Companies not only can survive inthe industrys changing marketplace, but also prosper.

Some companies, however, have embraced the challengeshighlighted in this skills and technology roadmap, andused them as a springboard to achieve even greater

performance and profitability. Known as 10 percenters,these businesses do not just eke out a meagre one-percent prot after expenses. They achieve prots marginsof at least ten percent.

What makes these enterprises different from otherbusinesses in the industry? Three attributes of 10percenters can be identied:

They focus on improving internal processesand reducing costs . Ten percenters address theirsystems integration challenges and implement toolsand processes that help them maximize efficiency

and minimize costs. They can tell you exactly whateach job will cost them, and they priceor rejectwork accordingly.They focus on their people . Ten percenters attractand train employees by adapting their humanresources practices to make their companiesattractive to young workers.They focus on strategically building their markets . Ten percenters maximize the use of existingequipment or use their business strategies to targetand rationalize the purchase of new equipment.

These companies have demonstrated how to thr ive inan era of continual and transformational change. Theyhave charted a course to success and have reached theirdestination. This skills and technology roadmap presents aclear and proven path for other companies in the printingand graphic communications industry to follow.

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Acknowledgements

The Canadian Printing Industries Sector Council wishes to acknowledge the contribution ofthe Steering Committee, whose members provided valuable direction to the project. As well,CPISC wishes to acknowledge the contribution of focus group and working group participantswho validated our work and provided invaluable feedback. The Steering Committee memberslisted here are industry leaders and key stakeholders who represent large and medium-sized

printing establishments, suppliers and targeted organizations within the printing and graphiccommunications sector.

Steering Committee Members

Armstrong, Richard; Heidelberg Canada

Bohan, Mark; Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/GATF)Boissinot, Tim; Quebecor World Inc., CanadaBrown, Duncan; Communications and Energy Paperworkers Union of Canada

Cambray, Evan; Printing Equipment and Supply Dealers' Association (PESDA), SpicersDenault, Jean; Transcontinental Inc.

Dion, Andr; Institut des Communications Graphiques du QubecEkstein, Je ; Willow Printing Group Ltd.

Galasso, Antonio; Quebecor World Inc., CanadaGriffiths, Gord; Grakom Inc.

Lang, Colin; Communications and Energy Paperworkers Union of CanadaMurray, Sean; Advocate Printing and Publishing Co. Ltd.

Tasker, Paul; Spicers

Skills and Technology Roadmap (STRM)

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Canadian Printing Industries Sector Council

151 Slater Street, Suite 1110Ottawa, ON K1P 5H3

Toll-free number: 1-888-688-0293Web site: www.cpisc-csic.ca

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