Printing and Publishing Council of New England, Boston Litho/Craftsman’s Club host annual banquet
Pope receives Benjamin Franklin Award; print awards announced
Ralph Pope, the former owner of the Matheson Higgins/Congress Press in Woburn, Mass., and a long-time supporter of various volunteer groups and organizations within the region’s printing industry, was named the 2004 recipient of the Benjamin Franklin Award when it was presented last month by the Printing and Publishing Council of New England. (More)

Heidelberg installs equipment throughout region
Several sheetfed presses, two digital presses placed
Heidelberg has been busy placing equipment in numerous printing and graphic communications companies throughout New England and New York in recent months. (More)

Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003
Clock is ticking on tax incentives for small businesses
By Noelle M. Sanford, CPA
Many recent tax law changes made in the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 (JGTRRA) were designed to benefit small business owners. These changes include an increase in the amount of additional first-year depreciation. Additional first-year depreciation, also known as bonus depreciation, increased from 30 percent to 50 percent on qualifying assets. In addition, the Section 179 expense election increased from $25,000 to $100,000. Section 179 allows a taxpayer to immediately expense certain capital assets. (More)

Merger and acquisition activity should continue
By John Hyde
Merger and acquisition activity so far in 2004 has seen fewer distressed sellers entering the market due to a pick up in business activity that, in many cases, is simply postponing the day of reckoning for troubled printers. It’s fair to say that the pace and velocity of industry consolidation among small and mid-sized printers has declined after a frenzy in 2002 and 2003. (More)

Company Profile
The Print House:
A focus on clients and a nimble business strategy
helps fuel growth
By John Scibelli
Paul Doucette, Tom Cyr and their company, The Print House, are the living embodiment of the entrepreneurial American dream of owning and running one’s own business. Doucette and Cyr started in the industry as equipment sales representatives more than 20 years ago. They dutifully called on and serviced their clients, while deepening their understanding of the printing business. The partners didn’t have a grand plan to one day take that leap to business ownership. It just happened. (More)

Only in printed version

Yes, it’s really about the message
Using e-mail, a cell phone and voicemail
By John Graham
Modern technology has provided us with a variety of business tools. And they keep getting better, more efficient and easier to use. The problem isn’t the technology. It’s with us, the users. Great communications has not produced great communicators. Just the opposite is true. As communications technology improves, communications skills decline. This includes e-mail, cell phones and voice mail. These technologies tend to promote unacceptable business (and personal) behaviors.

MFSA Fulfillment Conference 2003.5
Service is changing but is still the secret to success
By C. Clint Bolte
The 13th annual fulfillment conference sponsored by the Mailing and Fulfillment Service Association this spring drew 108 attendees to Boston, including nearly 20 percent first timers. Tours and presentations highlighted how important customer service has been to every successful third party fulfillment (3PF) vendor down through the years. While technology tools and client expectations for quicker responses have and continue to change fulfillment operations, the leading vendors still attest to the importance and value of managing client relations.