In each 2013 issue of Graphic Arts Magazine, we will be interviewing an interesting member of the graphic communications industry and asking them for their opinions on a few important topics.
This month we had the opportunity to speak with Barb Spears, Executive Vice President of The Central Group, a packaging and Marketing-at-Retail company.
What is your stance on offset vs. digital?
Printing on corrugated is much more complicated than printing on solid board or paper. At this point, the quality of digital is still not at the same level of offset, although it is acceptable to use if the quantity dictates it. For POP (Point of Purchase) displays and other small quantity runs, digital is often the best solution for printed components, as it allows easy switching for multiple languages or multiple prints. The flexibility of digital is priceless as there are no plates to be purchased and this makes the economics of switching prints much more feasible. As the capabilities of the digital printing equipment improve, we see our company moving more in this direction long term. Offset quality will remain a requirement for high-end consumer products.
Where do you stand in the ‘(our world is going) paperless’ debate?
To be honest, I used paper to draft my notes for these questions and I always use paper for lists and to-do’s. I also still prefer to read a physical book with pages because it’s a lot easier on the eyes. Each of us is at a different stage of our paperless world. For the world at large, I believe that we will continue to move towards paperless, but it will be a slow process and it may never completely happen.
What’s one problem that the printing industry could have already solved but hasn’t?
For many years we have worked to have a strong understanding and capabilities when it comes to printing. This has allowed us to aid our customers in choosing the correct printing solution for their requirements. Even though we have this knowledge and are willing to share it, there is still a fear of moving away from the guaranteed quality of offset printing to flexographic printing. So I guess I’m saying that the real problem is the end user’s understanding of the improvements in printing capabilities over the years.
Only 8-10% of printers are profit leaders. What do you believe makes them different?
How you run a business is the key to profit. The business plan and strategy, along with the team that the supports the strategy is how profit is made. If a business does not constantly change with technological advances and if they are not a step ahead of their customers, they will not make profit.
What do you miss about the “good old days”?
It seemed easier in the “good old days”. Lead times were longer, margins were better and overall business was less competitive. The sales process was faster and less complicated. When we sold to a customer they were local and the person we spoke to was probably the only decision maker. Today we need to integrate ourselves into an entire company and win large RFPs (Request for Price).
What keeps you up at night?
Besides my dogs waking me up to chase a moth outside, it is the quest for the best idea. To keep ahead in our industry we are always looking for the newest, biggest and brightest ideas. We are constantly trying to revise how we do things, what we are selling and to whom we are selling it. Change is a major part of how business today is run and without the change we are not moving forward. Trying to decide which of the ideas is going to help us change in the right direction is the biggest challenge.
What makes you happy to come into work in the morning?
The team at The Central Group is made up of amazing people. All of us are striving towards the same end goal but we also live life to the fullest. The passion that is put towards most tasks makes it invigorating and energizing to be a part of the team. There is always something new going on and usually something to celebrate, whether it’s personal or business.
For the record – Barb Spears
