NEWS

SIGNAL Graphics franchisees gathered for their annual conference in Chicago prior to the 2007 Graph Expo. Held at the Westin O'Hare, the event featured presentations from Signal Graphics CEO Steve Morris and president Tom Peck. That was followed by presentations by Larry Hunt of Larry Hunt Publications, Peter Muir of Bizlocate Inc., and QP executive editor Bob Hall. There was also a panel presentation featuring Hall and representatives from major industry vendors. The conference concluded with an awards banquet honoring the Franchisees of The Year Eddie and Debbie King of Charlotte, NC; Gold Sales Award winner Mark Gomez of Lakewood, CO; and Growth Leader Award winners Paul and Sharon Harris of Irving, TX. Steve Walker of Winter Park, FL; Tom and Kathy Jordan of Blue Ash, OH; and Kay and Riley Gunnels of Egg Harbor Township, NJ, received Outstanding Performance Awards and several other franchisees received Silver Sales Awards. Many of the conference attendees extended their time in Chicago to attend Graph Expo. Website: www.signalgraphics.com

ICED franchisees took advantage of the NAQP Owners Conference educational slate by co-locating their annual conference with the association's event. Franchisees from the various ICED print brands (Kwik Kopy Printing, Ink Well, Franklin's, and Kwik Kopy Business Centers) participated in the NAQP seminars, workshops, and keynote presentations while holding their own slate of social events, including an Awards Luncheon. Piers Mitchell of Kall Kwik in Middlesbrough, UK, was honored with the ICED Best in the World Award while Jerry Hays and David Vaughn of Kwik Kopy Business Centers were presented with the Quick Printing Magazine Business Excellence Award by QP executive editor Bob Hall. Many of the franchisees also extended their stay in order to spend a day or two at the 2007 Graph Expo show. The ICED conference coincided with the 40th anniversary celebration of its oldest print brand, Kwik Kopy. The franchise was started in 1967 by Bud Hadfield, who still presides over day-to-day corporate operations at the age of 84. ICED claims 750 worldwide locations, including those of master licensees in 10 countries. Website: www.iced.net

FEDEX is folding performance results for its FedEx Kinko's operation into a new segment called FedEx Services. The move means that now FedEx won't have to disclose details about Kinko's performance—either to the public or to UPS, which doesn't break out results from its UPS Stores. Website: www.fedexkinkos.com

ACCORDING to the 2007 Print Design Survey sponsored by MAN Roland, 92% of designers work in print and spend 70% of their time doing so. Some 89% specify paper and 88% buy printing. About 23% of survey respondents said they are buying more printing than in the recent past and 65% are buying the same. Interestingly, 37% say they have bought printing online from a national company and 19% are considering it. Price is still the number one consideration in selecting a printer, followed by quality and service. Trust and reputation rank fourth, and digital short-run capabilities come in fifth, followed by environmentally friendly practices. Also, 34% are buying more digital, short-run color printing. Website: www.gdusa.com

NAQP has mailed nearly 7,500 copies of its 2008-09 4C Practices and Pricing Survey. The survey explores current pricing trends and practices related to digital and color copying as well as 4C process printing. Deadline for returning the form is November 27. If you would like to participate, you can download a PDF of the form at www.naqp.com. All survey participants will receive a free copy of the study when it is published in January. Website: www.naqp.com

PIA/GATF says its 2007 Ratios Survey found that printing industry profits increased slightly over the past year, back to the rates of the mid to late 1990s. In 2007, materials accounted for the single largest cost at 35.4% of sales. Payroll accounted for 24.95% of sales. Sales per employee grew to $146,659 from $136,469 the previous year. Profit leaders saw SPE grow to $155,161 from $146,659. Website: www.piagatf.org

CHRIS Jacobson, who reincarnated the former Gutenberg Show in California under the name of PrintFest, is working with the Printing & Imaging Association of Georgia (PIAG) to start Synergy Southeast, a show that is scheduled to open in the spring of 2009 at a location yet to be determined. Website: www.piag.org

AN INDEPENDENT Quark users website has been launched. Said one Quark VP about the third-party site, www.PlanetQuark.com, "We think our customers will appreciate having an independent, third-party source for information." Website: www.planetquark.com