Clancy . . . overflow . . . the best bits . . . funnies
Clancy wasn’t actually there to hear him, but many, too many, members of the audience repeated the message that in the future we would be printing body parts. It gave rise to much ribald comment, as you would imagine.
But in what we laughingly call the ‘real world,’ there’s a printable electronics conference on in Las Vegas in November www.imiconf.com . According to conference organisers, printing inks with a variety of electrical properties in both static and variable patterns on a wide variety of substrates are required for low cost - high volume production of numerous products in the electronics and displays industries.
It’s a turn on.
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And just to prove the point that print is an ever changing landscape of opportunity Avery Dennison is forming a new business unit dedicated to the manufacture and marketing of low-cost radio frequency identification (RFID) inlays and tags. According to Philip Neal chairman and chief executive officer of Avery Dennison, the company sees the emerging RFID business as its largest long-term growth opportunity. It plans to more than double its spending on RFID research and development activities this year and start making money from the technology in 2005. Pressure-sensitive labels are considered ideal vehicles for carrying an RFID chip and antenna.
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There is just as much opportunity out there without going to print. TrendWatch Graphic Arts’ recent report, CrossMedia: The Birth and Death of a Buzzword says that cross-media use is up across all segments of the graphic arts industry, led by corporate design departments which indicated that 73% are actively involved in cross-media campaigns. Cross-media campaigns that involve print advertising were a top sales opportunity for 36% of publishers (up from 31% in the prior survey) and the #1 sales opportunity for publishers is "improving our web site" cited by 70% of respondents (up from 43% last year). As for print providers, 14% of print and prepress firms cited ‘providing new e-services to our customers’ as a sales opportunity.
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And speaking of new ways of doing business, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California and Terminator extraordinaire, drove a moving truck up to a screen-printing company in Las Vegas and announced he was moving the business and its jobs back to California. The muscle-bound governor didn’t have to do much hard yakka, but as he stacked a few suspiciously light boxes from the truck he made clear his role is about salesmanship, not manual labour. Last month, Schwarzenegger boasted that if a company was willing to relocate to California, he would get a truck and move them.
Now let’s see Bob Carr or Peter Beatty, or any state premier top that.
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Sometimes doing good business depends on the help you are able to access. The Graphic Arts Services Association of Australia (GASAA) is extending its online and moderated technical forum to individual subscribers. The forum currently has over 500 participants. Experienced moderators approve all questions and answers for technical suitability.
To give you some idea if it’s for you some of the questions that have been running around the forum include:
For more info contact Garry Knespal on (02) 9386 1595 or
go to www.gasaa.asn.au
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And finally . . . to illustrate the many different ways of approaching business, Astrid S spins us this cautionary tale of labour relationships.
A dedicated union worker was attending a convention in Melbourne and decided to check out the local brothels. When he got to the first one, he asked the
Madam, "Is this a union house?"
"No," she replied, "I'm sorry it isn't."
"Well, if I pay you $100, what cut do the girls get?"
The house gets $80 and the girls get $20," she answered.
Mightily offended at such unfair dealings, the union man stomped off down the street in search of a more equitable, hopefully unionized shop. His search continued until finally he reached a brothel where the Madam responded, "Why yes sir, this is a union house. We observe all union rules."
The man asked, "And if I pay you $100, what cut do the girls get?" The girls
get $80 and the house gets $20."
"That's more like it!" the union man said. He handed the Madam $100, looked around the room and pointed to a stunningly attractive blonde. "I'd like her," he said.
I'm sure you would, sir," said the Madam. Then she gestured to a 92-year old woman in the corner, "but Ethel here has 67 years seniority and she's next."