Printing and politics dominate in another good news/bad news month

I attended a wonderful open house at Spicers in Vaughan, Ontario last month. About 50 exhibitors participated and the event attracted over 200 professionals from several industry sectors. Congratulations to Andre-Levin Marcon, Paul Tasker, and their hard working staff for putting on such a well-received event. Further congratulations go out to 2018 Gutenberg Gala president Yvon Sauvageau and his staff for organizing another exceptional event that celebrates the best of print in Quebec each year. Quebec printers also made big news recently. Family-owned Imprimerie FL Web and its president François Chicoine have acquired a Goss Sunday 3000 Rotary Press, making the family-owned company one of the most advanced offset printers in Canada. The total investment will reach $11 million. Quebec’s Marquis Book Printing, led by its president Serge Loubier, will install three new digital inkjet presses, two assembly lines, two perfect-binder lines and invest in new workflow technology at its Montmagny plant. This first phase, which requires a $9 million investment, will allow it to produce an additional 3 billion pages on-site. See our news pages for more.
Well, we have a new Premier in Ontario: PC leader (and label printer) Doug Ford. The head of Deco Labels & Tags swept away the Liberals and the NDP to win a majority. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that he’ll be both business-friendly and budget-conscious, while improving infrastructure and looking after our social safety net. It’s a tricky balancing act, but let’s see what he can do. Speaking of politics, it’s really sad to see US president Trump befriending cold-blooded killers like Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un, while giving the cold shoulder to Canada, the European Union, NATO and other allies who’ve managed to keep the peace since WW2. I understand that he wants to engage them in dialogue as opposed to starting a war, but why is he insulting his long-time friends – Canada and Europe?
Finally, if you’re interested in advertising in our first-ever 2018 Wide-Format Inkjet Guide this September, please call me at 1-877-513-3999. With summer finally here, I hope that you’ll get some well-deserved R&R with your family and loved ones.
As always, stay positive and stay focused.