Semper International

GENERAL COMMERCIAL printing is a $60 billion industry, employing about 300,000 workers. Due to normal attrition, and a fair amount of people (mostly baby boomers) retiring from the industry each year, there are 30,000 to 40,000 openings in the general commercial market at any given time. Yet, there are only about 1,000 college students graduating with printing degrees annually. Industrywide, including all graphic arts companies, there are about one million people employed, with an additional 60,000 job openings. That eye-opening information, provided by Ted Ringman, vice president of development for the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation (PGSF), provides an alarming visual of the quandary

LAST MONTH, I suggested taking a look at 3D to see what it could add to your business and the quality of your customer experience. Since then, I had the opportunity to speak with Brian Regan, president of staffing firm Semper International LLC, who added a new dimension to the 3D discussion for me. . .Virtual Worlds. I admit it. I had no idea what he was talking about when we started the discussion. But, by the time we were through, I was beginning to see a vision of a future that could be extremely important to our industry. First, what are Virtual Worlds? You may

CPS Corp., a sister company of INX International, has been recognized for its environmental record and has been accepted into the National Environmental Performance Program, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Muller Martini has launched a new digital on-demand finishing division. Andrew J. Fetherman was named manager of the new division. Fetherman was formerly product manager for Muller Martini's press division. That post is now held by Donald Geiger. Kim Graven-Nielsen has been named president and CEO of newly formed Esko-Graphics. The company was created after the merger of Purup-Eskofot and Barco Graphics. Presstek Inc. announced the qualification of its Anthem thermal CTP