Press Releases & Announcements
Launch of 'The Print Industry Fights Back'
22 April 2009
- Case study highlights role of partnership-based innovation in leading economic recovery
- Other sectors encouraged to follow Print Forum’s lead
- Launch of new ‘Print Irish’ brand identity
Wednesday, 22nd April 2009 -- The Director of the National Centre for Partnership & Performance (NCPP) has called on recession-hit Irish businesses to look to the example of the print and packaging sector for innovative ways of tackling the current economic crisis.
Lucy Fallon-Byrne was speaking at the launch of ‘The Print Industry Fights Back’, a new NCPP case study of the Irish Print & Packaging Forum, at the National Print Museum in Dublin last night (Tuesday, 21st April). The Forum is believed to represent the first-ever example of a sector-wide partnership initiative in the private sector in Ireland, and Ms. Fallon-Byrne encouraged other industries to follow its lead.
She said:
“It is frequently said that innovation increases in a time of crisis, and the work of the Print & Packaging Forum stands testament to this observation. In these exceptionally difficult times, I would urge other sectors now facing similar challenges to draw on the Forum's example and experiences to develop innovative and creative responses to the downturn in a collaborative and participative manner.”
‘The Print Industry Fights Back’ was launched jointly by Turlough O’Sullivan, Director General of the Irish Business & Employers Confederation (IBEC), and Des Geraghty, former President of SIPTU and outgoing chairman of the Forum.
[To download the Report, please see below.]
The Forum was established in 2004 by a group of print employers and employee representatives who feared that the industry would go the same way as other vulnerable economic sectors if a radical new approach to tackling its serious competitive challenges was not developed.
The brainchild of Gerry Andrews, a former president of the Irish Printing Federation (IPF), the Forum was established against a backdrop of severe industrial relations divisions within the industry, with little unity of purpose, co-ordination of activities or strategic direction. Furthermore, the number of apprentices entering the printing trades at that time stood at an all-time low.
By embracing a sector-wide partnership approach by all stakeholders to addressing issues such as deficiencies in managerial and technical skills, limitations of a traditional ‘command-and-control’ management culture, highly adversarial industrial relations, excess capacity and over-reliance on domestic markets, the Forum has been able to harness the creative and innovative talents of employers, employees, State agencies and educational institutions to give the Irish print and packaging sector a fighting chance in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
(L-R) Gerry Andrews, Lucy Fallon-Byrne and Des Geraghty at the launch of 'The Print Industry Fights Back' (21/04/2009)
The Forum has recorded some notable mutual-gains achievements in recent years, not least in the area of apprenticeships, education and training. For example, under the Forum’s direction, four previously separate printing-related apprenticeships have been consolidated since 2006 into one, clearly identifiable apprenticeship course called the ‘Print Media Technician’ programme. Proof of its success can be gauged by the fact that Dublin Institute of Technology’s print apprenticeship class of 2009 accounts for the greatest intake of participants into a single DIT course in more than 10 years.
In addition to the broader economic challenges currently facing all Irish businesses, the Forum and its members must deal with a number of significant issues in the years ahead, notably in relation to ongoing education and training, public procurement, marketing, working collaboratively to boost competitiveness in the industry, and bringing along the so-called ‘traditionalists’ in both management and union camps.
In spite of such a formidable agenda, however, the Forum’s members remain confident that this ‘trust-building partnership’ is well placed to tackle these issues, not just for the benefit of its principal stakeholders, but for the future of the Irish print and packaging industry as a whole.
A new brand identity for the sector, which has been designed by the Forum to build industry awareness and unite Irish printing under a common flag, was also unveiled at the Print Museum. The Forum will be encouraging all Irish printing firms to use the new ‘Print Irish’ logo as a means of demonstrating the quality and capabilities of our indigenous Irish printing industry.
ENDS
DOWNLOADS:
To view/download a copy of the full Report, please click on the PDF icon below:
'THE PRINT INDUSTRY FIGHTS BACK'
NOTE TO EDITORS:
National Centre for Partnership & Performance (NCPP)
The NCPP was established by Government in 2001 to promote and facilitate change and innovation in Ireland’s workplaces. In 2007, the Centre was placed on a statutory footing as part of the National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO). Through a combination of research, advocacy and communications activities, the NCPP plays a unique role in helping Irish companies and public bodies to improve their productivity and performance through increased levels of employee involvement and engagement. The NCPP’s 2009 work programme is focused on positioning workplace innovation as a key component of our National System of Innovation, and as a critical element of the State’s response to the current economic downturn. For more, please see www.ncpp.ie
Print & Packaging Forum
Established in 2004, the Forum comprises senior representatives of the Irish Printing Federation, Regional Newspapers Association of Ireland, Irish Print Group, Amicus-Unite, DIT, CIT, DCU, Repak, FAS and Enterprise Ireland. Its director is Gerry Andrews and its new chairman, replacing Des Geraghty, is Dr. David Jacobson, Professor of Economics at DCU. For more, please see www.printpackforum.com
The Irish printing industry in figures:
- Employs more than 17,000 people in approximately 750 (predominantly small) firms throughout the State
- Numbers employed have declined by more than 25% in the sector since 2000
- Total industry turnover of €2.6 billion (2005)
- Annual exports worth €333 million (2005)
FURTHER INFORMATION:
For further information, please contact:
Conor Leeson
Head of Communications
NCPP
Tel: 01-814 6398
Mob: 086-211 9511
Email: conor@ncpp.ie
Gerry Andrews
Director
Print & Packaging Forum
Mob: 087-257 5015
Email: gerry@printpackforum.com
