To become a Metropolitan Industry Shanghai Printing Industry has to break through the Frame of Conventional Printing

Printing industry to become a metropolitan industry is not a short transformatio n. It is a gradual evolution. We can'suddenly announce one day morning that our printing industry becomes metropolitan industry from today. We also can't say that our printing industry is not metropolitan industry at all. We have done a lot of work in accordance to metropolitan industry' requirements, but there are still much bigger work of transformation to be done.

Developing metropolitan industry is a plan of SMG mainly to coordinate with the 3-centre development plan and the important international position of Shanghai. So let us think what shall the printing industry in such an international metropolis be like? What difference with our present printing industry is there? Just to think and to compare. The task ahead of us will be clear.

Great changes emerged on the international printing market since 1990's. Big volume and concentrated orders changed to small volume and scattered ones. Personalized and variable data printing and on-demand printing meet the demand of modern metropolis much better. Easy communication and random access of data or informations greatly change the time and space concepts. Diversification and multimedia gradually divert the single paper media market, and in meantime, printing industry becomes more and more intermingled with information services. Under such backgrounds, printing is to be re-construed and re-defined. Digitization and netwise will be the hot theme and also the nucleus of printing technology of 21st century. All these correspond to the characteristics of modern international metropolitan requirements of quickness, diversification, personalization, internet, and totally new concept of time and space.

However, the present Shanghai printing industry as a whole is yet based on traditional technologies, and as a kind of media, paper still plays the main role. Despite in prepress, computer composing is popularized, electronic color imaging is applied to certain extent, yet digital proofing is still held in hesitation, not to say CTP. As to digital printing, although a few equipment were installed already, their actual operation rate are still low. The main offset printing presses are sheet-fed. By the end of 1998 there are 1914 sheet-fed offset machines. Among them, folio size presses: 4-color 241, 2-color 284, single color 1384, the most. Full size 4 color presses only 5. As to web-offset printing, apart from newspaper printing or a few for juvenile color text-books, commercial offset presses are just beginning to be installed. Such conditions of equipment are impossible to meet the market demand for limited quantity, varified kinds, and swift delivery, more impossible for on-demand printing.

The newest technical development abroad is computer intergrated prepress, press and post press work-flow (CIP3). It even starts from job order, quotation offer,processing, down to final cost checking, delivery and transportation service control. all by integrated computer systems. In latest years, CTP attracts more and more attentions from printers, not only by the advantages of CTP itself. What the printers really concern is the ultimate integration of computer controlled work-flow systems which upgrades the printing production and management to a completely new level. To us it is not imperative at present. but if we hesitate with digitalproofing for long, it is impossible to form a work flow even for prepress, with such a broken link in the midway there is no way to talk about further advancements.

No need to be afraid of differences or distance. It could be overcomed. The critical point is the gap in our mind and concepts. If we look at our present progress and objective demands, we may be not eager to take any great action. But if we think with the international metropolis developments。� requirements, persons who are always ready to be or try hard to be the leading, they should have some considerations and actions now.

Presently, the Shanghai printing industry's general production capabilities exceeds the demand, but jobs still flow occasionally to other cities. The ability to produce high quality prints is not sufficient and customers'satisfaction rate in this respect is not high. Delivery time not short enough. Medium length color prints in foreign countries usually are delivered within 48 hours after order. Multi-media and net work technologies are in use someway, but remain at an initial stage. All these conditions deserve our thinking and looking for solutions.

Price cutting competition in consequence of surplus production capability is what bothers the managers of printing factories these days. But foreign enterprisers (incl. printers) often say: there is no ready market. In most occasions, markets have to be explored and developed by manufacturers themselves. When new technology or new processing method emerge, prople doesn't understand, there won't be any demand of course. This will be the case with digital proofing, with digital printing, and with personalized on-demand printing as well.

Among the 4 thousand and more printers of Shanghai, typesetting and duplicating shops amounts over 1400. Their bosses all face a harder and harder business. If through re-organization and appropriate adjustments of location, meanwhile support them with certain technology and equipment renovation and adopt franchise or chain-shop systems, their service quality and efficiency will certainly be upgraded. Such quick print trade is what metropolitan industry should be like, and is a necessity of international metropolis. In America, quick printers were regenerated years ago. Chain-shops with annual turnover exceeding 100 million US dollars are common to see. This transformation would also be a very significant step on the chess plate of Shanghai printing industry to become a metropolitan industry, and to develop personalized and on-demand printing.

Besides, I wish to point out with emphasize, although the charm of computer designing and creation technology is gradually recognized; yet its actual application in packaging or publication printing is not of a high degree. Presently, Shanghai professional packaging design shops are around 10, with hundred designers. Free lancers ane about 3 to 4 hundred, mostly without good enough equipment or facilities. With a view of the important role that the package design plays in attracting business and promoting sales, we should enforce the cultivation of professional computer design specialists and establish some qualified computer design and creation centre, to raise the art and technic level of packages, and at the same time, to fill the metropolitan printing with vigor and glamour.

The globalization of international economy, joined with the digitization and net work of printing technology, breaks the printing market geographical limits and even the boundaries of nation. So, the sight of Shanghai printing professionists should be cast to the golden prospect of metropolitan Shanghai, and moreover, to the vast territory abroad as well. In order to satisfy the ever developing demands of the international metropolis of Shanghai, Shanghai printing industry has to break through the frame of conventional printing.

Therefore, in addition to continuation of adjustment, re-organization and reformation, Shanghai printing industry has to renovate in accordance to the 28 words technical advancement instructions, i.e. digitization and net-linked for prepress, multi-color and high efficiency for press, variety and automation for post-press, high quality and serialization for equipment and material. By the meantime, a plan for incorporating high and novel technologies with printing should be accomplished in following order.

1. Popularize digital proofing gradually, and then on this basis, plan for CTP. Target is a complete flow for digital and net-wise prepress processing;
2. Actively plan and promote the reorganization of quick printing enterprises, set some centres in propriate locations. Upgrade their technology and equipment. Develop on-demand and variable data printing.
3. Strengthen the cultivation of computer-design and creation specialists. Establish some computer creation and design centre to upgrade the package and book-case design art and technic level, to promote economic and social effects.
4. To increase the proportion of multi-color offset presses, enhance the degree of automation, improve quality and efficiencey, shorten delivery periods, to meetthe market requirement of more varities, small quantity, and quick delivery.
5. After advancements in above respects, then consider further renovation such as CIP3. That may be a matter of 5 years later, depending on the degree of application of digitalization and net-wise technologies.

To become a metropolitan industry is a kind of challenge as well as opportunity to Shanghai printing industry. There are advantageous conditions in Shanghai, also disadvantages. Anyhow, advantages exceed the disadvantages,and should be utilized to full extent.
The development and changes of the international printing technologies and markets are of close relation to Shanghai printing industry. On the path to become metropolitan industry, we shall stand on a realistic foundation, but in same time, we shall raise our sight to see the world. If we limit our sight and action only with conventional printing, may be we can feel content for the time-being, but we will be disappointed sooner or later. Why not look a little farther? Even to start in a small scale but with a higher standpoint of view, it will be far better than spreading wide, but remaining low ,without the vigorous support of high and novel technologies. This is my personal opinion which differs a little with others. This is also what I wish to emphasize in my presentation.