PrintingNews.com

The RIT report details similarities among German and U.S. printers by comparing how large and small printers in both countries approach the issue of environmental responsibility in their operations. Mross and Rothenberg show that in both Germany and the United States, printers deal with environmental issues primarily based upon the attitudes and policies of their owners and customers.

But for all their similarities, German and U.S. printers have their differences. German printing industry labor is much more organized (German printing industry unions are often cited as a prime example of how a broadly organized trade union can influence an entire industry), and as a result German printers occasionally feel pressures at the industry level.

So what does the future hold for German printers? While the crystal ball is never perfectly clear, it seems reasonable to expect that the German printing future—at least from a technological standpoint—will be much like that in the United States. The advent of digital technology can be expected to bring pressure on both. But signs exist that the German focus on quality may lead them to move only reluctantly to digital presses. Another factor potentially driving U.S. printers to embrace digital presses more quickly may be the American penchant for taking business risk—often characterized by Germans as the "cowboy" mentality.

Some clouds are forming on the German printing horizon, however. As globalization affects printers everywhere, German printers must deal with an extremely strong Euro, making exports ever more expensive. Germany remains one of the most robust economies in the world. German society is open and market-driven by a public accustomed to consumption. These are the basic elements which inevitably make for a strong printing industry.

Dennis Mason is the president of Mason Consulting Inc., a firm specializing in marketing and technology issues in the graphic arts and electronic industries. He may be reached via his Web site, www.masonconsulting.com.