The Association for PRINT Technologies formally announced today that it will be growing its membership to include print service providers effective immediately. Following an extensive strategic review and renaming to Association for PRINT Technologies (APTech) this past winter and becoming the sole owner and producer of the PRINT® event, the Association continues its transformation journey with this new membership offering.
The Association for PRINT Technologies formally announced today that it will be growing its membership to include print service providers effective immediately. Following an extensive strategic review and renaming to Association for PRINT Technologies (APTech) this past winter and becoming the sole owner and producer of the PRINT® event, the Association continues its transformation journey with this new membership offering.
“Our overarching goal is to align with the printing industry value chain,” said Thayer Long, President of APTech. “This includes manufacturers of hardware and software, print service providers, and buyers of print such as brands, designers and agencies. We believe the industry should be as frictionless as possible, and, for it to continue to be profitable and thrive, we need to bring these communities together as equals.”
In July 2018 the APTech Board of Directors voted unanimously to create a print service provider membership category that allows them to officially engage with the organization. In addition, the Board amended the bylaws to allow for print service providers to serve in leadership positions, including Board participation, even potentially chairperson.
The cost to join APTech as a print service provider is $49 per year. As a special promotion during PRINT 18 print service providers can get the first year of membership free by visiting booth #1442 and ‘opting in’. Those in attendance at the show who do not have a chance to meet with APTech staff onsite can contact Sondra Fry Benoudiz, Membership and Business Development, 703.264.7200, after the show.
“We are already working to bring print service provider members onto our board, making APTech an organization that is serving both manufacturers and print service providers. We already have a large community of print service providers that attend our annual event, and by putting this new membership offering in place, we can strengthen those relationships and deliver year-round value to the entire printing value chain,” said Long.
“We are putting in place programs that are specific to print service providers to deliver them with thought leadership that will help them shape and hone their business practices in a disruptive economy,” said Long.
APTech also announced today the launch of LeadingPRINT, a fresh, new printcentric magazine featuring first-hand accounts from print service providers who have successfully transformed their businesses by employing innovative thinking and radical innovation providing other forward-thinking companies a model to follow.
APTech also announced a number of improvements to its portfolio of member benefits including the following:
• A New Executive Development five-month long graduate level certificate course on Business Transformation in conjunction with George Mason University’s Graduate School of Business. This program will focus on the “why” and “how” for success. The intent is to look beyond the print industry and examine other industries that have experienced radical changes and created new best practices.
• An expanded range of PRIMIR Research studies, which will include a new “Business Intelligence Series” with concise, timely and topical content enabling members to better monitor the constantly changing business landscape.
• The Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation (GAERF) will sharpen its exclusive focus on working to address the print industry’s acute workforce challenges.
• Expansion of APTech’s Global Programs with a focus on “International Business Exchanges” (formerly trade missions), the Global Concierge service and international conference participation and sponsorship. APTech currently has active representation in China, India, Brazil and Indonesia.
• APTech will continue to focus on Standards, which have been part of the value proposition for close to four decades, noting that APTech members derive competitive advantages from insider knowledge and first-hand access to information. APTech is the only organization accredited by ANSI to develop safety and technical standards for the printing industry.
• Advocacy on Capitol Hill has also expanded this year with collaborative events hosted by several industry organizations.