TAPPI Introduction to Printing Course

TAPPI is offering this introductory printing course that delivers an exceptional overview of traditional offset and emerging digital technologies, equipment review, color perspective, troubleshooting and more.

Optional Print Center Tour
This two-day training event also offers an optional tour of the Heidelberg Print Media Center Atlanta where you'll be able to reinforce the learning concepts delivered.

You will Learn:

• Commercial printing and equipment
• Emerging digital technologies
• Traditional offset
• Paper grades, methods
• Print and press troubleshooting
• Predicting and testing print quality
• Color perception and color gamut

Why You Should Attend:

• The Course Schedule is taught by the experts from TAPPI’s Coating and Graphic Arts Division.
• New and emerging digital technologies in UV and LED printing are featured.
• Training on this topic is scarce and may be the only opportunity you get to receive it.  The last time this course was offered was 2017.

Earn 1.3 CEUs when you complete this curriculum.

Jim Niemiec, Jim Niemiec Consulting, LLC
Consultant, Paper and Graphic Arts Industries

Jim is a recognized industry leader in paper product and business development with technical expertise and global experience in digital and conventional printing, coated paper, printing inks, technical marketing and intellectual property.

Over the last 20 years Jim was product development lead for digital printing papers at Consolidated Papers, Stora Enso North America, NewPage and most recently Verso Corporation, based at the R&D and Technical Center in Wisconsin Rapids. He was involved in development of several coated paper grade lines for dry and liquid toner electrophotographic printing, as well as coated inkjet paper product lines – one of which received a Printing Industries of America InterTech Award in 2011 for its contribution to the advancement of the printing industry.

Earlier accomplishments which round out his 44 years of experience include development and improvement of coated and uncoated offset and rotogravure papers for publication, commercial, packaging and specialty papers as well as formulation of rotogravure printing inks.

Jim was TAPPI PaperCon 2016 Steering Committee Chair and past Chair of the Coating and Graphic Arts Division, Technical Program, and Printing and Converting Committees. At TAPPI conferences, he has organized numerous technical panels and short courses on laser and inkjet printing, conventional printing technologies and the future of print technology. He is currently a member of the Editorial Board of the TAPPI Journal as well as the Coating and Graphic Arts Technical Program Committee, Printing and Converting Committee, Coating Fundamentals Committee and Division Awards Committee. He is also a regular presenter at NAPIM’s annual Summer Printing Ink Course and frequently presents at Cal Poly’s International Graphic Communication Week and other various conferences, training courses and events related to print and paper technology.

After graduating from RIT with a BS in Printing Technology, Jim’s career began as a printing ink chemist at Inmont Corporation and continued in the paper industry serving in R&D, product and business development roles at Abitibi-Price, Fraser Papers, Consolidated Papers, Stora Enso, NewPage and Verso Corporation. Jim also earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from York University and an MBA from Lakeland College and holds several patents involving printing technology including inkjet papers.

In 2012, Jim was elected to the Gravure Association of the Americas’ Gravure Cylinder Society which “recognizes individuals who have rendered outstanding or extraordinary contributions to the gravure industry” and the association. Jim also received the TAPPI Coating and Graphic Arts Division’s Leadership and Service Award and the DuPont Soy Polymers Prize in 2015.In 2017 he was elected TAPPI Fellow “in recognition of meritorious service to the Association and the industry."

Nancy Plowman Sandreuter
President, Nancy Plowman Associates, Inc.

Nancy is recognized expert in the printing/paper field, speaking at many events for clubs and organizations such as TAPPI, NAPIM, RIT, GATF, RPTA and the R&E Research Council.

She is a graduate of the University of Maine with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics, and a minor in Chemistry. She worked with the S. D. Warren Paper Company, a Printing Paper Subsidiary of Scott Paper Company for 17 years.  About half that time was spent in coating research, and the latter part of that time in the Graphic Arts testing group.  After resigning from Warren, she joined Acme Printing Company, a commercial web and sheet fed offset printer.

Nancy Plowman Associates (NPA) was incorporated in 1986. It is a graphic arts testing and consulting service specializing in handling print production related problem, including analysis of all components of the offset printing process.  Examples of these include inks, papers, aqueous and UV coatings, adhesives, fountain solutions, blankets and chemical additives to the printing system. 

NPA has developed own line of print testing equipment and has worked with and assisted major paper companies in setting up new in-house testing facilities and procedures to test ink and paper in a production environment.

Nancy has authored nearly a hundred articles in trade magazines, as well as numerous published papers for TAPPI. She is a contributing editor for Converting Magazine and Graphic Arts Monthly.   She organized the first TAPPI Print Quality Symposium in 2004, which was repeated and co-chairs the TAPPI Advanced Printing Courses.  She is a longtime member of the Technical Program Committee for the Annual TAPPI PaperCon Coating Conferences and was honored in 2018 as a TAPPI Fellow.

Victor J. Lewis, National Technical Manager
PRISCO, Printers' Service Company 

A graduate of Drexel University with a BS in Organic Chemistry, Mr. Lewis began his business career in 1969 with what was then the DuPont Company.

Over the next sixteen years he held a variety of technical service and production positions for companies producing colored organic and inorganic, black and white pigments.

He then spent seven years in the printing ink industry, holding laboratory, research and production management positions for firms making news, heatset publication, sheetfed and fluid packaging inks.

Since 1993 he has been National Technical Service Manager for Printers’ Service, a major supplier of pressroom consumables to the offset printing industry. Duties include supervising a force of 13 technical representatives as well as extensive national and international travel, public speaking and customer contact.

2020 Course Schedule for Introduction to Printing

You will receive a 10 percent discount off your PaperCon conference registration if you register for both PaperCon and this Printing Course at the same time!

Registration Rates for the Printing Course + PaperCon 2020
To see the full range of pricing options, visit this registration site at PaperCon 2020.  Your discount will be reflected at check out.

Registration Rates for Course and Tour Only
The pricing below reflects rates for course attendance, which includes a site tour of Heidelberg USA.

Payment Policy
TAPPI requires that all registration fees are paid in full prior to the start of the course. Attendees paying by check will be registered for the course only after the payment has been received.

Cancellation Policy
If you find that you have to cancel, your full registration fee will be refunded if TAPPI's Registration Department receives written notification (fax acceptable at +1-770-209-7206) by March 27, 2020.

Please note: A 50 percent refund will be issued for all written cancellations made after March 27, 2020, but no later than five (5) business days prior to the start of the course, April 20, 2020. Understandably, after April 20, 2020, no refunds can be issued. Substitutions, however, will be accepted any time without a penalty.

Refund Policy
100% - Cancellation received by March 27, 2020.
50% - Cancellations received after March 27, 2020, and no later than April 20, 2020. 
NO REFUND - Cancellations received after April 20, 2020.

More Ways to Save

• Be the early-bird. Discounts are available for those who register before March 27, 2020.
• Join TAPPI.  TAPPI members enjoy discounted rates for this course.  If you're not already a member, Join Us!
• Bring the team.  Group rates are offered for three or more people from the same location.

Introduction to Printing Course Dates
April 25-26, 2020

Training Venue - PaperCon Conference

Cobb Galleria Centre
2 Galleria Pkwy SE  •  Atlanta, GA 30339
Renaissance Waverly – Ansley Room

Important Hotel Notice

Please note that the discounted room rate deadline is Friday, April 3, 2020.

Go to this page to see hotel options near PaperCon 2020.

These special publications from TAPPI are available to the attendees of the 2020 Introduction to Printing Course, most at a "course-only" discount. 

Purchase any of the publications below with your registration and pick them up onsite at the course to save on shipping.

Handbook for Pulp and Paper Technologists, Fourth Edition
0202SMOOK4
Special course price: $95
A savings of $28 off the list price.

Handbook of Pulp and Paper Terminology
0202TERM
Special course price: $50
A savings of $29 off the list price.

Printing Fundamentals
0102B045
Special course price: $56
A savings of $29 off the list price.

The Coating Processes
0102B057
Special course price: $50
A savings of $105 off the list price.

Pulp & Paper Advanced Workforce Training: Vol. 2: Paper Manufacturing
0101R320
Special course price: $50
A savings of $10 off the list price.

Starch and Starch Products in Surface Sizing and Paper Coatings
0101R336
Special course price: $129
A savings of $70 off the list price.

Advanced Coating Fundamentals Proceedings Flash Drive
ADCTGFD-16
Special course price: $69
A savings of $60 off the list price.

Pigments for Paper
0102B062
Special course price: $95
A savings of $60 off the list price.

The Sizing of Paper
0101R311
Special course price: $50
A savings of $53 off the list price.

Troubleshooting the Papermaking Process
0101R298
Special course price: $95
A savings of $42 off the list price.

Size Press and Coating Operation CD
MPP-14
Special course price: $70
A savings of $41 off the list price.