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Rising Paper Prices Factor Into Promo Companies’ Supply Chain Management

Paper prices have been trending upwards in recent months as various factors pressure this sector of manufacturing. Mill closures or shifting to production to packing material coupled with reduced production capacity, labor shortages and rising raw material and transportation costs have all contributed to a 10-11-percent increase in paper prices—across all grades—from the year-ago level. Typically, annual increases range from less than one percent to three percent. The impact of the situation has been felt across most paper-based promotional products, including calendars, notebooks and journals but companies in the promotional products industry are working to manage this challenge.

“Our paper prices are up across the board, with unfortunately no exceptions,” says Alexander Paschal, president of Warwick Publishing Company. “Depending on the paper, increases are anywhere between five and 16 percent, but the increases are happening more frequently than in previous years. Instead of seeing three or four price increases per year of two or three percent each time, we’re now seeing five or six price increases per year at rates well above five percent each time.”

As with numerous other sectors of the economy, the paper industry is dealing with its own supply chain woes. Last year, the paper market contracted by 20 percent and several paper mills that had been producing printing and writing paper grades converted to producing corrugate and brown paper, and as demand for fine grades started to pick up at the close of 2020, manufacturing backlogs grew. Fine paper mills reportedly have a backlog of orders into fourth quarter 2021.

“We are experiencing very tight paper supplies,” says David Bywater, president and general manager of Tru Art Advertising Calendars. “Fortunately, we work ahead and forecast our needs such that we are able to serve our loyal customers right now. We have inventory in most of the paper grades we use. Prices have gone up, but we are standing by our printed catalog. Custom quotes for new and existing projects will see an increase. And, like most other items in our industry, it is best to order earlier than usual. We may be able to order the paper, but we are seeing delays in getting it, which pushes production back.”

Tim O’Boyle, president of Journalbooks, says, “At Journalbooks, we use a wide variety of different types of paper for our U.S.-made journals, notebooks, calendars, and packaging and gift boxes. As with most raw materials, we have seen supply chain challenges as well as price increases. We work very closely with all of our paper vendors and mills to make sure we take advantage of ordering in bulk and leveraging all of our available options. As with most suppliers, we will implement some price increases, but our purchasing power has allowed us to hold many prices the past several years.”

Less imported paper is coming into the U.S. as well, as countries all over the globe manage their own supply chain challenges. The cost of shipping from overseas has also gone up—rising from an average of $1,700 per container of paper to more than $6,000.

“We use domestic paper for our product line,” says Bywater. “However, supplies of imported sheets are very low or non-existent. This is putting pressure on the domestic mills. They have lots of new customers who were formerly using imported sheets. Because we are a loyal purchaser of domestic sheets, we are still able to get most of the paper grades we use.”

Material costs are also rising. Lumber costs grew by 400 percent, driven by rising material costs, Canadian lumber tariffs, and a sizable uptick in home remodeling and building during the pandemic. A strong increase in online shopping and deliveries have driven corrugated and cardboard boxes up 22 percent. And a surging economy has Americans driving and flying again, pushing the price of a barrel of oil up 40 percent or more since the beginning of 2021.

Paschal says, “As far as handling this, it ultimately depends on the product. We are using a healthy mix of price increases and reduced margin to cover the increased material costs. Some products we have more room to give than others, so there isn’t a one-size-fits-all strategy that we’re applying.”

Paper prices are expected to continue to tick up into 2022, but at a slower, steadier rate. Forecasters anticipate supply to remain tight as well, with longer lead times.

Original Article Posted by a PPAI staff member and can be found here. All content open for use but credited to PPAI for its contribution. Our industry is experiencing shortages on more than just paper products. Items such as plastics, apparel, some metals, screen printing inks, and other raw materials are also in short supply. When seeking an estimate for pricing be sure to leave yourself extra lead time to complete orders.

For great product selection on printed items, merchandise, and promotional products and to check stock on items please visit us at Warp Speed Printing. For all your graphic, website, and design needs we're happy to help from here!

Blog / Marketing / Uncategorized - 09/10/2021
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Salesperson or "Commerce Experience?"

The word “sales” might bring up image of someone is taking advantage of you and trying to sell something to you that you don’t want. We often compare salespeople to used car salespeople and may dread going into certain situations where we know we must make purchases. We mentally prepare ourselves for that moment. We think up any number of possible outcomes before we go in. We don’t want to go in feeling like that salesperson won and we somehow lost. True sales are helping you get what you want with all the information you need to decide, no snake oil sales pitches, paying for it in a hassle-free transaction, and the salesperson getting what they want. That is an ethical sales scenario. We are all salespeople in people in life no matter what we do in life. It’s an invaluable skill to have whether we utilize it consciously or not. We are constantly selling ourselves to everyone we encounter by way of our personalities and interactions with each other.

Being in sales is a common career choice and field description for many people across the globe. Another common career we often hear in conversations is someone say they’re in purchasing. Both sides go hand in hand together when it comes to doing business. So, if being in sales is such a common job title why is it also looked at so negatively and how can we change that perspective?

The goal of someone working in purchasing is to obtain the best possible quality item at the lowest possible cost to themselves or their company. The goal of a salesperson is to sell those products at the highest cost they can to maximize profit for themselves or their company. It’s a creative dance that gets woven together behind the scenes of most people in other fields. The end user simply gets or purchases the product and goes on to use it without giving much thought as to how that product came together.

The idea often lost on the average American is that of negotiating. The concept of what it is and how to do it may be there but the execution on how is lost. We have become conditioned to pay full retail at big box stores, shop around for better prices, look for coupons, anything that can give us the perception of saving money and it’s all just a lot of sales theater. The conditioning we receive from our parents when it comes to negotiating goes back to that idea of buying a car. We’re often taught that the sticker price of every car on every car lot is negotiable so never pay full price. The used or new car salesperson has been taught how to combat this tactic by constantly appearing to his manager for better deals on your behalf. It has the appearance of them going to bat for you because you really want this car, they’re your friend, and they want you to have this car despite their evil boss. Saturn motor cars changed that perception while they were in business. They built a car and their whole marketing platform was no hassle car buying at sticker price which they assured you was the lowest price they could already give on their vehicles. Saturn salespeople wouldn’t negotiate. When you looked at the price of a Saturn model car compared to other cars you saw a good deal for most budgets. It was highly successful. Why?

Saturn nailed sales by changing the public perspective on car buying. It went from a hassle to an easy experience. So why not alter your client perception of what you do and instill that some confidence in buying at the price you’re asking? Explain to prospective clients who want to know why they should use your services that “I'm not a salesperson. I'm a "commerce experience." When you purchase from me you get the peace of mind that I've got your best interest in mind with my pricing, custom estimates, and that I stand behind what I do. I'm not located in India and I'm a small business. I make all my clients feel welcome and included.

Can we still negotiate? Absolutely! Don’t be afraid of a client who is asking you to negotiate and don’t be offended by it. If it’s a good client or a good order and the margin is there, maybe offer them a one-time incentive price. Set the boundary early on that while you may negotiate you aren’t going to make this an expectation or common practice. It’s client appreciation and retention and it’s up to you. Don’t let yourself get bullied by a client or perspective client either. If they’re unhappy with your pricing and attempt to argue you into changing it don’t be afraid to send them down the road to shop somewhere else. Even a good client can turn into a bad client and if they cross that line, they’re no longer to us a business. How so? They can’t accept our “no” for an answer and our pricing and are insistent we can change it. We have our own bottom lines to worry about as well. You might think to yourself “I can lose a few cents on this order to retain such a good client” but at the end of the day what you’ve really done is let a bad client take control of your company and set a bad precedent that they can win over you in future interactions.

We can be excellent salespeople if we change that perspective in a positive commerce experience. Stick to your pricing and policies. We don’t tell our clients how to operate their business anymore than they should ours. We’re here to help each other in a no hassle process that involves trust on both sides and the confidence we have in each other that we’re the best person for them. In being that positive commerce experience for someone we also must realize where our own boundaries and limits are in pleasing those prospective or existing clients.

Blog / Marketing - 08/16/2021
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NFT What?! (Non-fungible tokens)

What is an NFT or Non-fungible token?

You may have heard a lot of talk about the acronym NFT in the past year and had no idea what it was or how it mattered. NFT stands for non-fungible token. Still confused? So was I when I first started hearing about this. Let’s break down just what exactly an NFT is and then we’ll get into how these matter to graphic designers and promotional products distributors.

NFT EXPLAINED:

An NFT is generally built by using the same kind of programming as cryptocurrency. This would be a currency like Bitcoin, Dogecoin, or Ethereum, but that's where the similarity to all of that ends. Cryptocurrencies are considered “fungible,” meaning that they can be traded or exchanged for one another or used as actual money. Still confused? I don’t blame you. After hours of literally reading all I could on this subject, I was still very much in the same boat and needed half a bottle of aspirin to choke back the headache and tears. So why is this all so very important to our industry?

Think of an NFT like you would the Mona Lisa. The Mona Lisa is a one-of-a-kind painting that is priceless and has been replicated many times over but never quite as good as the original. NFTs themselves are basically a digital version of a one-of-a-kind Mona Lisa and can really be anything digital. Examples are such items as drawings, music, and sometimes animations. A lot of the current excitement and buzz is around using the technology to sell digital art.

Other cryptocurrency platforms are expanding their tech codes to be able to handle the extra data required to code in an NFT token to the art piece to “stamp” it as the original source. You can currently use Ethereum to purchase these tokens for anywhere between $30 to $100 depending on the type of NFT and date coding.

SO WHY DOES THIS MATTER TO GRAPHIC DESIGNERS AND PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS DISTRIBUTORS?

In consideration of your client, when they ask for your services as a graphic designer to custom design artwork for them, they want to know their artwork is original and one of a kind. The ask can be anything from an illustration to a logo or more. That client is purchasing your skills as an artist to develop a unique piece for their usage.

So graphic designers have been basically creating a version of the NFT this whole time. The key difference is the lack of the NFT token, but designers do their best to ensure that the client’s design is protected and unique before turning over the work. Even though the designer is the original artist, they don’t own the work because they were paid as a professional to complete an assignment and turn the rights to that asset over to the entity that hired them. An ethical graphic designer should never hold a client’s artwork or files hostage for any reason other than the work has not been paid for. Until payment is received, the ownership of the works stays with the designer.

Given that this new trend towards paying prices for NFT works that rival classical paintings are not going away it stands to reason as graphic designers and promotional products distributors that we’re going to be facing these requests soon. I hope at this point you’ve followed along about the digital artwork and at least understand how that works as far as an NFT goes. The simple version is artwork gets created, stamped digitally via a specialized token, and then can become highly valuable as original digital artwork. But what about any of this applies to promotional products? Those are physical items we sell to clients and not digital. I think you’ve probably lost your mind.

Let’s not dispute my lack of sanity but instead, let’s discuss this from a promotional product's point of view. A company we’ll call MoneyBags LLC calls your business and some frightened employee who has been yelled at like things were needed yesterday is on the phone telling you he needs some sort of unique, never been done before, award or thank you gift for a bigwig at his company and need it yesterday.

That employee is scared because in the past nothing has been unique enough or really satisfied his bossed but has just been deemed as passable. You ask your questions about the item needed and the person it is being given too.

You learn this bigwig is a 20something who is big into technology, online videos, and is never without their face buried in some technological device. So what can you propose to this employee that his younger generation bigwig will like? I see you’ve followed me now! You suggest that they get the bigwig an NFT as a personalized award/thank you!

Why? Because you have access to a great graphic designer, you have no physical overhead for a product, your cost is in the designer alone, and the profit margin can be very high for such a unique NFT. Remember that an NFT is a verified original digital artwork certified as such by a cryptocurrency platform-based token. This bigwig will literally have a one-of-a-kind item no one else in the world will have. More to the actual point, you will have created a totally customized promotional product out of the digital realm with no touch on a physical profit. This ends worrying about supply chains being late or an order being messed up.

The future of promotional items is here, and it may be found in the form of the NFT. So, the next time your client says they are looking for that unique item no one else has, be a hero and suggest an NFT. Be the further hero by being able to explain to them in simpler terms what an NFT is and how it will save their day. Welcome to your new potential revenue stream. It’s more useful than trying to find that ever-elusive “ANY KEY” that has haunted us for years.

Blog / Marketing - 05/01/2021
Digital Piracy

Digital Piracy and How to Slow the Storm

Piracy and copycats have always been a problem since the dawn of inventions and commerce. It seems like pirates always find a way. The digital age of the internet and publishing images have made this an at-home reality for quite a few artists. You run a Kickstarter and later find your work being sold on Amazon or from an overseas supplier. It’s frustrating but what can you do to protect yourself?

The short answer is nothing. The longer version of that answer is you can make it extremely tough on the pirates to clone your work and thereby deter them into finding an easier target. So how do you begin to protect yourself? There is always filing a DMCA notice and that could work for you. But let us stack those odds in your favor better.
Steps to Protect Your Artwork:

Know your manufacturer:
Finding a vetted and trusted manufacturer overseas may require the use of a middleman or broker and paying a bit more for the item. But a vetted supply chain can stop an unscrupulous manufacturer from stealing your work.

Protect your artwork:
Before sending off your artwork to someone or publishing it online, there are a few very simple steps you can take to protect your property. If you’re uploading to an e-commerce page such as Etsy, Amazon, or eBay use low-resolution images. They may not look the best, but they won’t look good to a thief either. Use watermarks on your image files. Place a watermark with your website, social media info, or contact info directly over the image before you finalize the file. Incorporate it into the final layer so anyone trying to remove that layer will end up with a noticeably altered image. By placing your mark over an image, if the file is stolen you will easily be able to identify your work. This will make it easier to report copyright or DMCA violations to get that person shut down.

Sharing your artwork files:
If you’re sending an artwork you did for someone and have yet to be paid for it, put it on a proof sheet that has all your contact info on it, use a low-resolution image, and watermark the image. Only send them ready-to-use files with a watermark removed once you’ve been paid in full. If they use your watermarked image or attempt to make others print it they will quickly have pointed out to them they don’t own the works.

Funding platforms:
If you’re using Kickstarter you can always put the Kickstarter link as your watermark across the image. The same goes for Etsy, Amazon, or any other online commerce profile. Much of the artwork that gets stolen for use by pirates comes from these sources. They look for easy targets. Don’t be an easy target.

Know your recourse actions:
Know the piracy policies in the terms of service for every platform you’re using your work on. It’s a good idea to print a copy and highlight the parts that apply to you for quick reference later. Keep your uploads within their policies and guidelines and any reports you file to those platforms should be easier on them to decide in your favor.

Your rights:
Depending on where you live you should look up the laws that protect your works in that area. Research the DMCA and see where it applies to you. Find other case law in your place of residence that can back you up should you need to send legal notices out to the pirates. Track all the websites you find your work on. Often times even if they appear to be different pirates, they are all controlled by one.

These steps are just some simple suggestions and overall good business practices. There are many other steps you can take to protect yourself but those will require time and research on your part. As a creator of works you should not only invest in your product, but also in the knowledge of how things work around the business you’re in and what protections you have. The time investment on your part to keep learning and adapting is worth far more than the projects you’re doing right now and will help to ensure that all future projects stay under your control.

Blog - 04/13/2021
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1994 Big Brothers Big Sisters | PSA Commercial

The first ever Big Brothers Big Sisters PSA commercial to Air on television. Filmed in 1994 at WPTD Dayton.

In late 1993, "Little" Mike Cohen (0:19 mark on the left) and his "Big" Harry Schrager began to talk about the need for a televised commercial for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Dayton. Harry was at the time working for WHIO- TV as an engineer and had plenty of acting experience. As a young teen, Mike had just started tackling radio and some copy writing and story-boarding.

By 1994, Harry and Mike had come up with the script and Mike had drawn out the story-boards. The commercial was pitched to the local BBBS board an instantly approved. It was filed on a budget of $200 that was used to rent the cameras and studio for several hours.

Mike was never intended to appear in the commercial. At the last minute, Tim's daughter got camera shy and Mike stepped in. At 16 years old he was the oldest Little in the commercial. The commercial was done with current adults and children in the program at the time. Mike's actual little brother (by birth) appears at the 0:21 mark on the right. At the time he was currently unmatched as his last Big had just moved away for a job.

In August 2017, Mike's former Big, Harry Schrager, passed away suddenly fromt a heart attack at age 74. After more than 32 years of friendship and helping BBBS Mike decided to revive this commercial to showcase on the web. It was recorded via an HD camera from the only surviving VHS studio copy of the tape.

To learn more about this organization find them online at the following: http://www.bbbsgmv.org

Please donate to help with your local chapter. The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Dayton has since been renamed to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Miami Valley. You can see highlights from their last fundraiser here Over the Edge

Blog / Community Event / Huber Heights Chamber of Commerce / In the Community / Marketing / Northmont Area Chamber of Commerce - 10/21/2017
Big Brothers Big Sisters Over The Edge 2017

Over the Edge | Big Brothers Big Sisters

Party Time: 

Over the Edge is a large event thrown by Big Brothers Big Sister of the Greater Miami Valley in downtown Dayton, Ohio. The event focuses on raising money, through donations. As a result, those who raise the goal get the privilege of repelling off the Key Bank high-rise. Dozens of brave donation recruiters spend the day repelling down the side of the building amidst onlookers, music, and food trucks. Dozens of businesses sponsor this Big Brothers Big Sisters event.

The Organization: 

Big Brothers Big Sisters provide mentoring opportunities to youths unlike any other programs available. The one on one interactions of the Bigs and the support of the staff really work in changing the lives of youths for the better. As a result of this program, Michael grew up to work in law enforcement for nearly two decades. Consequently he retired honorably and decorated for his service in Houston, TX as a police officer. None of this would have been possible without the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and the introduction to Harry.

Big meets Little:

Harry spent close to 20 years with Big Brothers Big Sisters and Mike was not his first match but he was his last. He loved being apart of his community and took on the role of volunteer at Dayton Children's Hospital. Harry delighted and helped raise the spirits of sick children that were patients of the hospital. In addition, Harry had spent over 50 years in the entertainment business and had previously retired from COX Media. Therefor he was the perfect person to bring smiles to young faces. Harry was well loved by his coworkers and friends and was an advocate for animals. He was an avid dog lover.

Big Brothers Big Sisters has always been an integral part of our owner Michael's life. He was matched as a Little Brother at age seven to a Big that remained his friend for thirty-two years. His Big, Harry Schrager, sadly passed away suddenly in August 2017. Michael has decided that the legacy Harry left behind must include the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization. Additionally, the benefits he shared as a result of that matched friendship should continue to be available within the local community.

How You Can Make a Difference: 

Harry's personal story has come to a close but it lives on through Michael. Most of all it can continue to live on through the help and support of the community. Big Brothers Big Sisters needs adult volunteers to become mentors to youths on waiting lists, for volunteers at events, and for donations. Your donations of time are priceless. Most of all your monetary donations go towards background checks for potential Bigs so that a child can have a lifelong mentor.

Donate today. Text "BIG" to 243725 or call Big Brothers Big Sisters at 937-220-6855 and find out how you can become apart of this community.

Blog / Community Event / In the Community - 10/13/2017
Brickworld Michigan

Brickworld - Novi, MI - 2017

Brickword Expos are always filled with excitement and wonder. Brickworld Novi was no exception. Novi is the newest installment in the Lego expo's regularly scheduled yearly tour.  The expo makes a trip to four cities, Indianapolis, Chicago, Novi, and Fort Wayne.

Our office always enjoys to frequent these expos because they are a great source for inspiration and an opportunity to connect with artists and vendors from across the country. So many wonderful designs and displays are carefully crafted and showcased for all to see. Visit Brickworld online to learn more about the expo and if they are coming to a city near you.

Blog / In the Community - 10/10/2017
Kettering Hospital

Kettering Hospital Groundbreaking - Troy, OH 2017

A lot of what we do at Emunah Graphics involves going into the community and supporting those in it. Kettering Health Network held their groundbreaking ceremony on July 6, 2017 in Troy, OH and we were on-hand to witness it. The city of Troy has a diverse population of over 25,770 individuals. Many of these individuals will hopefully become the new staff of the Kettering Hospital being built there. With the creation of the new hospital comes the creation of more jobs for the local area economy and not just within the hospital itself. New businesses will open to take on the needs of patients and their families in the form of lodging, recreation, and food.

 

Kettering Health Network was founded on faith based ideals and in those ideals seeks the healing of the community around it. This means both spiritually based and physical based healing. Kettering Health Network takes a progressive look forward at the needs of future patients and adapts itself to those needs. Kettering Health Network has invested more than $60 million into the city of Troy with their idea of a new state of the art facility.

About Kettering Health Network (from the KHN website):

"Kettering Health Network is a not-for-profit network of eight hospitals, Kettering College, and over 120 outpatient facilities serving southwest Ohio. Patients have access to high quality maternity care, state-of-the-art cancer fighting technology, Ohio’s leading heart hospital, as well as revolutionary brain and spine surgery. With nearly 12,000 employees and 2,100 physicians, Kettering Health Network is committed to transforming the healthcare experience with world class health services for every stage of life.

Kettering Health Network recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of Kettering Medical Center.

As a faith-based organization we are dedicated to treating all patients with love and respect regardless of religious preference. Multi-denominational Spiritual Services are offered at the network every day."

Blog / Community Event / In the Community / Marketing - 07/23/2017

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