Smyth Unveils New Book Sewing Machine

The Smyth Sewn Handfed Book Sewing Machine from Smyth® Machinery USA, Summerville, SC, is flexible, easy to use and well suited for short-run book production and books on demand. The Smyth F1088 offers fast changeovers on signature sizes ranging from 3.14x5.31" to 20.07x21.65". It also has four hidden wheels to make it portable within the production environment. For more information, email sales@smythusa.com or visit www.smythusa.com 

PIA, NAPL Cease Unification Talks

The join Unification Task Force, formed in February to study blending the Printing Industries of America and the National Association of Printing Leadership, have stopped unification talks. The two groups have decided to remain independent, but will actively collaborate on key programs and ongoing partnerships in the Graphic Arts Show Company, GAERF and conferences such as the Vision 3 Summit. The task force was comprised of representatives from both boards and was expanded over the past six months to include a broader range of managers, vendors and printer members. Key issues were studied, including legal, financial, governance, membership structure and programs. Ultimately, the task force concluded it was not possible to formulate a combined entity that accommodated the diverse needs of both a direct and locally delivered structure. For more information, visit www.printing.org  

Report: Printing Industry Profits Increasing

The printing industry continues to emerge from the sluggish economic conditions of the last few years, according to the 2012-2013 Printing Industries of America Ratios Survey. The industry reported profits of 1.8 percent in 2011, up from 1.4 percent in 2010. The recession and slowing print markets pulled down printers' profitability in 2009. Improving economic conditions helped the print industry reverse those trends the last two years, but profitability is still below the the 3.0- to 3.4-percent range experienced from 1995 to 2001. The industry earned approximately $1.5 billion in total profits in 2011, which is above the $1.2 billion profit from the prior year. Printers in the top 25 percent of profitability saw profits increase slightly to 9.6 percent as compared to 9.5 percent in the prior year. This increase brings profit leaders to almost pre-recession profit levels, which were in the 10.1- to 9.7-percent range. For all printers, the average profit of 1.8 percent is slightly more than the rate earned in 2003. To order a copy of the Ratios Volume, call 866.855.4283 or visit www.printing.org/store/38807.