Issue link: https://nbm.uberflip.com/i/1451373
9 4 G R A P H I C S P R O J U N E 2 0 2 2 G R A PH I C S - PR O.C O M likely to feel capable of starting and running a business. e problem with that theory is that it is being proven wrong. One study, conducted by researchers at three busi- ness schools in Europe, found that women needed to moderate their condence and assertiveness with traits like altruism and empathy which are considered more typi- cally feminine if they wanted to get along. Women must appear condent and modest in order to be acceptable. Women who ap- pear too condent and sure of their skills can experience the "backlash eect" being perceived as less likeable and less appeal- ing as a business associate. Because women know of this "backlash eect" they are, in general, less likely to promote themselves and their skills. In this case, it appears that the way to x this issue is not for women to nd more condence, but for workplaces and the business world to understand and accept women who promote themselves and their work, and to help women be con- dent that they won't experience backlash when they do. It's easy, when the picture is looked at supercially, to think women have made great strides as business owners, and to blame the fact that there aren't more women starting businesses on the women themselves. When you look a little deeper, however, you nd that things aren't as clear cut as it might seem. Women have made strides, but we still have a long way to go, and it will take eort from everyone, men and women, to achieve parity in years to come. GP KRISTINE SHREVE is the founder and CEO of Kristine Shreve Consulting, which offers writing, marketing, and business development services. The company can be found at www.kristineshreve.com. Kristine is also the creator and host of the Business + Women podcast and is also the Director of Marketing and Outreach for Ap- plique Getaway. Kristine was the Director of Marketing for Ensign Emblem and EnMart from 2006 to April 2020. continued from page 69 WOMEN IN BUSINESS Several specialty markets have emerged that deal with personalization and custom- ization. "We've had requests from companies interested in printing on plastic tubing, or on nished products like power strips and cameras, as well as from those who need to print on metal surfaces for aircraft, dishwashers, and even RV units," Roberts adds. "We've also had customers who use UV print to create interior decor, as well as those who print directly on toys or other wooden objects for sale at retail outlets." SUPPLY CHAIN Like many industries around the world, printing manufacturers have been hit hard by supply chain issues and chip shortages. "Every company in America that pro- duces atbed printers is going through a chip shortage, but there is more demand than supply at the moment," says Singh. e applications produced during the pandemic are now part of the norm. "e creativity people created during the pandemic has paid o and they are now starting to use it in production, which in- creases the need for atbed printers," Singh says. Some of StratoJet's customers have inu- enced how the company makes its atbed printers. One customer wanted to print on seat covers and on the plastic seats people bring to sports stadiums. "Now, because customers are asking these questions, we are designing units that can print six inches or seven inches," he says. As the market matures and pricing gets more aggressive, the industry will see at- bed printers covering a larger chunk of the rigid printing market. GP PAULA AVEN GLADYCH is a writer based in Denver, Colorado, who has been covering the graphics industry since 2014. She can be reached at pgladych@gmail.com. says. So rather than printing those types of signs on plastic materials, like Coroplast, they can now be printed on corrugated pa- per products and other plastic substitutes. Flatbed printers can also print on fabrics, not for apparel but for tablecloths, plastics, acrylics, and metals. Because of the style of ink used in these printers, maintenance is a lot lower than it would be with eco-solvent or other types of printers on the market. e only problem for UV inks is UV — exposure to light. If the ink stays in its container and doesn't get any UV exposure, it's ne. Sohil Singh, vice president of StratoJet USA, says that demand for atbed printers did not stop during the pandemic because there were a lot of requirements for ADA and medical signs, acrylic signage, and in- door signage. ADA signage is much easier and quicker to produce on a UV printer because the Braille beads are printed onto the signs in layers that will not scrape o. UV is perfect for adding textures to signs, like beauti- ful woodgrain, canvas, sand, rock, or faux brick, Contreras says. For signage, atbeds can add spot UV or a matte nish. "With clear varnish in all of our ma- chines, we can do spot gloss on a com- pany's logo to bring that out, make it stand out," Contreras says. "It adds a little some- thing to that logo. When combining all new substrates, hologram materials, put at and gloss together it creates something really cool." Demand for UV-printed projects is high, including in retail outlets and POP manu- facturers. "We're also seeing demand from light in- dustrial companies that want to customize manufactured items with a logo or other information. And, of course, there's strong demand for more traditional signage ap- plications such as directional signage, yard signs, and other types of indoor and out- door signs,' Roberts says. continued from page 51 FLATBED PRINTING