IndustryEye

PacBlue Digital Imaging, a Van-couver, British Columbia-based digital printing firm, drew more than 20,000 attendees to its recent Vancouver Sun EPIC Sustainable Living Expo. The three-day green exposition enabled consumers and merchants to come together in support of environmentally friendly products and companies.

The event touted the use of waterless printing and its benefits to the environment. The process involves using heat, rather than water, to transfer ink to the substrate. A conventional press the size of the waterless press used by PacBlue Digital uses as much as 12,000 liters of water per year. In contrast, PacBlue’s waterless press eliminates 98 percent of the water usage, using water only for cleanup. It also reduces volatile organic compound emissions by 75 percent.

Some other benefits of waterless printing include the elimination of toxic chemicals, such as fountain or dampening solutions; up to a 40 percent reduction in preparation time, saving hundreds of sheets of paper and the ink and energy wasted to bring the press up to color and registration; and much improved vibrancy, sharpness and richness of color due to eliminating ink/water balances.

Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor,
RE: The Editor’s Take “A Take on Acqui-sitions of All Kinds,” March 2008 issue (pg. 10). I disagree with your conclusion that B-to-B catalogers are following suit with consumer catalogs and becoming very reliant on membership co-op databases.
There are only two B-to-B membership co-ops, b2bBase, which is our partnership with Experian, and Abacus. Of our approximately 150 B-to-B catalog clients, I know of less than a handful for whom membership co-ops approach even half of their acquisition circulation. The average is 10 percent to 15 percent.
Our business grew over 20 percent in 2007 and the outlook is bright. Indeed, the “glory days” need not be bygone when you focus on your clients’ acquisition and retention needs with list selection objectivity, good analytics and passionate, value-added service.