"Perception is reality, and the image of the printing industry hasn't been looking so good lately. What more can be said about the Quebecor World situation that hasn't been reported in the mainstream media? I have heard that suppliers to Quebecor World are keeping a close eye on those accounts. And from the customer side, Canadian Printer as a division of Rogers Publishing is a customer, and the message has been, "business as usual."

The real pity about this situation is the bad mark it's leaving on the printing industry. Most every newspaper report cites the ailing industry as the source of Quebecor's woes, pointing out declining demand for printed material, overcapacity and cut-throat pricing.

It's all true to one degree or another, but by oversimplifying the situation and painting the entire industry with this brush, it places other printers in a bad light.

If print buyers perceive desperation, perhaps they second guess their use of print, or even the price they're paying.

As a printer, big or small, you may think Quebecor World's problems are none of your own, but the huge swath they cut and exposure they generate does reflect on the entire industry.

Keep your customers close. Make sure they know that QW's troubles do not reflect the state of the industry in your neighbourhood. So long as you're adding value to your customers' work and making them look good, you're doing your part—keeping the perception of the entire industry strong.

Doug Picklyk
Editor, Canadian Printer