Throughout the year, BMI hosts a number of webinars on various topics that affect the book manufacturing industry. Webinars are open to all BMI members. 

Stay Tuned for Future Webinars

Previous Webinars

State of the Book Industry: Digging into the 2019 BMI State of the Industry Report

Featuring Dr. Ronnie Davis, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist at the Center for Print Economics and Management Printing Industries of America and David Wilaj, Economist at the Center for Print Economics and Management Printing Industries of America. 

Earlier this year, BMI launched its first-ever State of the Book Industry Report. This report was done in conjunction with PIA's Center for Print Economics. Our webinar will dig into the report and dissect some of the findings, statistics and findings including:

  • Overall economic trends and outlook
  • US manufacturing highlights
  • The print economy and book manufacturing --Key trends in book readership, consumption and demand --Book manufacturers' income and operating metrics --Key management issues for book manufacturers in 2019

Bios

Dr. Ronnie H. Davis is PIA's Senior Vice President and Chief Economist. His responsibilities include economic analysis and forecasting, industry research, international business issues and future studies. He is the 2005 recipient of the prestigious Neil Richards Visionary Leadership Award for applying innovative, futuristic thinking to industry and economic issues. Over the past 40 years he has spoken at conferences in 47 states, Japan, France, Canada, and Mexico, and authored numerous reports and articles on economic and business topics including his book, Competing for Print's Thriving Future. He has provided testimony and input on industry and economic issues to the International Trade Commission, the Federal Trade Commission and the US Department of Justice and served as a radio spokesperson on consumer economic issues for the University of Maryland. Dr. Davis holds a Ph.D. in economics with a specialization in industrial organization from the University of Pittsburgh and has served as a Professor of Management at the Graduate School of Management and Technology at the University of Maryland. He has also taught economics and business management at Georgetown University, Pennsylvania State University and other colleges.

David Wilaj, M.A., graduated Summa Cum Laude with an honors degree in Business Economics from Youngstown State University in 2017.  He then went on to receive his M.A. in Financial Economics from YSU in 2018, where he served as a graduate assistant and instructed several lab-based courses on business statistics.  Throughout his time at the university, he served as Vice President of the YSU chapter of the renowned business honor society, Beta Gamma Sigma, and was a member of the Williamson College of Business Administration’s Young Business Leaders.  Upon graduation, David began working under Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Dr. Ron Davis, as an economist at PIA’s Center for Print Economics and Management.  During his time there, he has assisted in the development of several projects, including the State of the Industry Report and the revitalization of the Ratios program, as well as others that are valuable to members and affiliates across the country.  

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Download Slides Here

Paper to Pixels: How to Differentiate Your Book Printing Business with Augmented Reality

The future of book printing is interactive. Forward-thinking publishers are already weaving digital media into their books, including immersive technologies like augmented reality.

What is augmented reality, and what do you as a book manufacturer need to know about it? Join Trekk’s Sarah Mannone and Emilee Christianson for a look at the current market for AR-enabled books, the AR opportunity that exists for printers, and the use cases for AR in book printing. See practical application examples from leading book publishers and manufacturers and, most importantly, learn how to talk to your customers about AR.

Agenda

  • Evolving customer expectations and the rise in interactive media
  • What is augmented reality?
  • Book manufacturing and the AR opportunity
    • The new storytelling: interactive narratives
    • The evergreen textbook: AR in education
    • The future of L&D: gamified learning in the workplace
    • Book-of-one and the truly personalized reading experience
  • How to talk to your customers about AR
  • Q&A

Presenter Bio

Emilee Christianson is Senior Account Manager at Trekk, a tech-driven creative services agency. She works closely with Trekk clients to develop and execute a wide range of marketing and technology projects. Managing programs from strategy through tactical implementation and optimization, she draws on her project management skills to keep projects on track and on budget. A skilled presenter, she uses her expertise to introduce clients to new ideas, technologies, and approaches. Emilee holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing/International Business from The University of Alabama.

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Hiring in the Digital Age - presented by Emilie Wren, PHR, SHRM-CP

Improve your hiring methods in the era of social media, applicant tracking systems, and talent pool shortages. Creative ways to attract talent to your team while remaining efficient and cost conscious.

Emilie Wren is a former manufacturing HR Manager turned recruiter and small business owner who wants to bridge the gap between hiring managers, recruitment firms, and candidates. In addition to helping companies find top talent, she trains internal HR teams to think and act like an external recruiter. 

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Slides - Hiring in the Digital Age

 

Inkjet: Re-engineering Book Production and Distribution

Sponsored by Canon Solutions America
[The Sponsor has paid for the privilege to be part of the webinar and the BMI, in no way, endorses any sponsor or presenter] 

Since drupa 2008, the industry has been buzzing about a paradigm shift in digital book manufacturing, spearheaded by e-books and publishers’ need to better manage inventories. The challenge was the development of digital printing technology that could achieve the quality, speed, and flexibility to displace offset printing. Today, many of the roadblocks to “offset substitution” have ceased to be an issue. As inkjet’s quality improves and substrate variability widens, more and more of the market is taking notice. Clearly, the growth of inkjet technology has resulted in an inkjet digital book revolution as equipment suppliers are now manufacturing highly efficient, quality-rich digital inkjet printing systems. Likewise, print finishing technologies are keeping pace as well, delivering solutions that can handle not only the current increases in speed and the wider widths, but also provide the scalability needed to meet the demands of future (and even faster) generations of digital print technology. In this webinar, you will hear how organizations are capitalizing on the opportunity to re-engineer book production and distribution by harnessing technology.  Key topics include:

  •      Critical trends in the book market
  •      Re-engineering book production for run lengths of one
  •      Blending print and digital editions
  •      The business model for success

Presenters:

  • Barbara A. Pellow, Pellow and Partners, LLC

    • A digital printing and publishing pioneer and marketing expert, Barbara Pellow helps companies develop multi-media strategies that ride the information wave whether it is developing a strategy to launch a new product, building a strategic marketing plan or educating your sales force on how to deliver an effective value proposition.  She brings the knowledge and skills to help companies expand and grow business opportunity.  She is currently the Manager of Pellow and Partners, LLC.

  • Jeremy Hess, Gasch Printing

    • Jeremy Hess is the Director of Sales and Marketing and has been with Gasch Printing  over 11 years.  During that time, Gasch Printing has experienced incredible growth, including being ranked among Americas fastest growing private companies several years.   As a family owned and operated business, Gasch Printing specializes in digital book printing where it works with publishing companies and associations of all sizes.  

  • David Gall, BR Printers

    • David Gall is the Chief Strategy Officer and Vice President for BR Printers. David is responsible for the Silicon Valley plant overseeing all commercial print, bindery, pre-press, and data services. David launched BR Printers large format and ecommerce solutions in 2018. As BR Printers continues to expand services, talent and national footprint including offices and plants in California, Kentucky and Colorado David is an integral part in the corporate explosive growth strategy.

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Inkjet Innovation in Books 

Sponsored by Canon Solutions America
[The Sponsor has paid for the privilege to be part of the webinar and the BMI, in no way, endorses any sponsor or presenter] 

The book publishing industry has found a new level of equilibrium.  Printed book sales have increased nominally for three consecutive years in the US. The business model for book printing continues to change: shorter-runs, higher job frequency, and days rather than weeks turnaround is the new norm. This has led to the creation of ultra-efficient, large-scale book manufacturing operations, and pushed offset book printers, even those with some digital print presence, to the brink.  But there is opportunity, opportunity enabled by innovation in the ability to print graphics, color rich books at throughput and economic levels previously unattainable.  Come learn about innovations in inkjet technology that are enabling the emergence of this new market.

Presenters:

  • Marco Boer, IT Strategies - Marco Boer is recognized as a trusted consultant to the digital printing industry.   He has a reputation for being able to put complex information and concepts into a context that is easily understood by his audience.  With 30 years of experience in advising digital printing equipment and supplies manufacturers on developing the next generation of digital printing technology, Mr. Boer has developed a deep understanding of digital printing technology and its applications.

  • Ken Fultz, Bookmasters - Ken Fultz has spent 40 years in the book manufacturing / book distribution industry.  For the last 4 years he’s been General Manager at Bookmasters, the publishing services arm of Baker & Taylor. Prior to Bookmasters Ken served as VP of Operations at Thomson-Shore.  For 33 years of his career Ken was with the Mazer Corporation. At Mazer, he held several management positions. Ken served as Vice President and General Manager of Mazer’s Printing Services Division from 2001 to 2008. 

  • Jim Clark, McNaughton & Gunn - For the past 32 years Jim has been a leader at McNaughton & Gunn, Inc., a book manufacturer, located in Saline, Michigan.  As one of the Leadership Team members, he holds the job of Director of Operations. As a senior leader he works with the management team to improve processes and throughput, through education and teamwork.  His areas of management responsibility include all Production Operations, Process Improvement, Training, Logistics, Scheduling and Quality Management.

 View the Webinar Here