Letters, feedback, get it off your chest: 14 April 2010

One reader reckons it’s time to fight back against print brokers, while James Cryer earns some praise for his column.

Re: Letters, feedback, get it off your chest: 7 April 2010
Re: the comment “Very Sad for Pettaras Press” by name and address withheld. My comment is:

This letter has hit the nail right dead centre on the head! I totally agree, although it would be a nightmare trying to sort out benchmark pricing and margins. It would be good if it could work, but I can’t see the industry co-operating like that ever?

The best we could hope for is to band together and nobody, but nobody, do a job for a broker for at least three months or possibly forever. This would be my preference; we don’t do work for the brokers big or small. We are even wary of graphic designers and ad agencies, they often pull the same tricks as the brokers. Not only do they rip the margins out of pricing, they have been known to shoot through and send printers to the wall, starting up in another small rented office with a PC the following day. It is beyond me why any printer would stoop to do their work – you are on borrowed time.

Come on all printers we can do it; it’s time to fight for what is right. The suits in the top end (public companies and smaller ones) of town have been screwing us for too long now. They get a spec, load it up on a website, mark it up by 20 to 100 per cent and go to lunch. They are also only too happy to knock the job back if it is marked as you were trying to turn it around in the 24-hour turnaround time. In the early days I found the job would sit with them for days and this is where the urgency comes from.

What has the industry done about it? Just rolled over! Say ‘No to Print Brokers!’

(I’ll do the first run of bumper stickers if you like?)
Name withheld

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Re: If only paper didn’t grow on trees – James Cryer’s commentary

I thought James Cryer’s commentary was excellent.  All communication will have some form of environmental footprint but it seems that competitors to print want to focus largely on where paper comes and present a negative image, whilst not being prepared to acknowledge their own footprint. 

Part of the problem is that they are allowed to make false representations without any fear of reprisal.  Take for example, Peter Blasina otherwise known as the Gadget Guy.  He has been doing the rounds pedalling out the virtues of the electronic book and really there is nothing wrong with that. But he does so by making statements such as, we need to stop cutting down our old growth forests to make books.  Statements such as this appear to go unanswered by the industry. No one ever asks Peter about the carbon footprint of his e-book or how long it will last and can it be recycled.

When was the last time a printer wrote to his customer complimenting them on their decision to buy print because it was a good environmental choice in addition to all the other benefits? And when did we last see anyone on the TV promoting the sustainability of the pulp and paper industry?

Paul Nieuwhof
General Manager
Printing Industries Western Australia

James is right on the money here with his assertion that if this is a hearts and minds campaign the target needs to be school age. Being the parent of three and having served for six years as president of my local primary school P & C  I see the push against paper everyday within the school system as children draw and write on pre used and therefore “recycled” paper. However, there is a big but here (and it is not mine) and that is to wonder if this is a philosophical support for recycling or merely a justification of a lack of funds in our schools. I tend to think the reality is the latter – principal in staff meeting – we have no money for paper for the kids, let’s re-use the paper from the office and tell them we are recycling that sounds good.
 
Contrary to what seems to be the popular line of some shock jocks, our government education system is not full of greenies and communists polluting the minds of our next generation but full of caring and concerned professionals doing there level best with continually dwindling resources. They often do whatever it takes to provide a simple sheet of white paper for a 5 or 6 year old to draw on. 110gsm drawing cartridge, which was commonly used a generation ago is now a dream. They bring in the used office paper from friends and partners places of business, some even tripping off to office works to pick up a pack of A4 so little Janey can have something to write on.
 
So maybe we need to look at supporting our local school. If each printer and merchant just donated some of their unsellable unprintable paper to the local primary school then imagine how our industry would be perceived. And yes, I say our industry – I am not a secret zealot from the education union but I am entering my seventeenth year as a proud employee of a paper merchant who is also a very proud and involved dad.
 
Chris Churchward


Your readers may also like to look at www.partoflife.co.nz

This is the NZ campaign to shift perceptions of print … and paper. Your readers may also like to sign up as “Print Champions”.

Joan Grace

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Re:  Wodonga workers rely on kindness of printers

As one of the staff stood down I would sincerly like to thank the above companies for their support. Having worked at the company for over 38 years, my fellow workmates and I that have been stood down appreciate the ongoing support.
 
Pamela Gordes