PRINTING United Alliance and Idealliance have officially merged. As the pre-eminent standards, training, and educational association in the printing industry, Idealliance will operate as a division of the PRINTING United Alliance, the most comprehensive member-based print and graphic arts association in the United States.
“Over the past few years, PRINTING United Alliance has focused on bringing those efforts and institutions that are having the greatest impact in print together under one roof,” said Ford Bowers, CEO, PRINTING United Alliance.
PRINTING United Alliance provides education, workshops, research, government representation, and guidance on safety and environmental sustainability issues. PRINTING United Alliance also owns NAPCO media and produces the PRINTING United Expo which features an expansive display of technology, supplies, and services to all market segments within the printing industry.
Idealliance serves the graphic communications industry by creating superior industry training and certification programs, developing professional stands and specifications, and redefining workflows for the entire print and packaging supply chain.
“Idealliance has developed the expertise to build and roll out its traditional color management programs as well as new standards in training and education,” Bowers of PRINTING United Alliance. “Melding our complementary portfolios will not only benefit each organization, but the industry as a whole, including brands, print buyers, print service providers, suppliers, and manufacturers. We continue to work with partners such as Idealliance who have a similar goal to invest in the future of the industry.”
Idealliance will continue to retain its own membership base as well as defined programs and training in areas such as G7 certification. G7 is an internationally recognized methodology for calibrating printing presses and proofing systems according to standards to ensure that colors will match throughout the entire design and production process.
Through the merger with PRINTING United Alliance, Idealliance will be able to bring its color and workflow standards, training and certification to a wider of printing professionals. For example, Idealliance can broad exposure through PRINTING United Alliance, NAPCO Media, and more than 30 PRINTING United Alliance events, including PRINTING United Expo, the largest printing-related even in the Americas.
“PRINTING United Alliance and Idealliance retain a synonymous mission to provide the printing industry with top-notch programming, services, and certifications,” said Jordan Gorski, Executive Director, Idealliance. He said that when Idealliance sought a partner that could help the association expand its offerings, “PRINTING United Alliance was a natural fit. We can collaborate to work even more closely with a community that has embraced convergence. This will allow Idealliance to continue to lead in standardization, training, and certification to create more targeted content by market segment. It will also allow up to create content for a variety of learning channels, including in-person, self-directed online, and hybrid offerings.”
PRINTING United Alliance will form an Idealliance Advisory Council comprised on the current Idealliance board officers and directors.
The completion of the merger was announced March 1, 2021