- The NAPL Business Review made its debut in May 2006 following a long tradition of magazine publishing. Members automatically receive the bi-monthly magazine as part of their membership benefits.
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- In May 1973, the original logo (fashioned around a camera lens) was retired and replaced with just the initials NAPL. When NAPL started, photo-lithography was considered the upstart process, but by 1973 the previously innovative process was being challenged by more modern sheetfed and web processes.
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- It was 1937 when NAPL began its tradition of providing key management learning resources, publishing the ground-breaking 340-page Photo-Lithographer's Manual. Today, NAPL continues to be the source of management tools for printing executives, which can be found in the NAPL store.
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- In the interest of members' time and resources, NAPL and PIA consolidated exhibit shows into one large annual show in 1974 -- GraphExpo. In 1982, the associations formalized a partnership with NPES and formed the Graphic Arts Show Company to run the annual exhibit.
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- 1953 was the first edition of NAPL's Blue Book Budgeted Hourly Cost Studies. The Blue Book series continues to be a hallmark of NAPL's management tools and is also available as software for your computer. The latest Bindery cost study was released in April 2008. Click to order the software or the book.
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- By the 1950s, NAPL was well established as the industry's educational publisher, a role it still plays today with now more than 150 separate titles published by NAPL specifically for the industry. Click here to go to the NAPL store.
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- On March 30, 1970, the industry suffered an irreplaceable loss with the passing of NAPL founder and chief advocate Walter Soderstrom. Soderstrom was 75.
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- In the early 1980s, NAPL's economic efforts were consolidated into the Printing Economic Research Center. Today PERC is known for the annual State of Industry Reports and valuable Performance Indicator measurement tools for determining long-term success. More information on PERC.
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- In 1985, NAPL made history on the PRINT '85 trade show floor printing its publications and services catalog live on the show floor courtesy of Heidelberg. For a listing of the current catalog offerings, go to: The NAPL Store
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- The first Top Management Conference was held in 1975 at Hilton Head on Easter. It became the start of what has become a better scheduled annual retreat for printing innovators and trend leaders to meet and recharge batteries with the latest management concepts.
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- Although long known as an educational resource, NAPL did not run conferences or seminars until the early 1970s. Today, NAPL programs and conferences have become an industry staple for forward thinking leaders. Conferences have evolved from just on-site to meetings to Webinars that bring NAPL meetings right to corporate desktops.
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- In Feb. 2006, NAPL acquired EKG Research Associates and its popular Competitiveness eKG customer perception survey. This insightful tool helps printers strengthen their customer relationships, enhance customer loyalty and improve competitive positioning.
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- February 17, 1934, President Roosevelt signs the NRA Code establishing trade associations as the overseers of the New Deal. The fledgling NAPL is appointed the industry's official body in the national recovery effort.
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- On February 12, 1984, NAPL announced its first Executive Certification Program. ECP paired key printing executives with business academic and consulting experts in a unique program to help printing entrepreneurs achieve the highest caliber of management excellence. By 2000, the program -- renamed Management Institute -- had advanced the leadership skills of more than 800 printing executives. Today, the program is held annually in Washington, DC.
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- A look back at 75 years of service.
On February 2, 1961 Walter Soderstrom officially stepped down as the head of NAPL after starting and leading the organization for 28 years. His tremendous influence on the industry is honored annually when an exceptional printing executive is singled out to receive the Soderstrom Award at GraphExpo. In 1961, the award went to Jack Kronenberg.
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- NAPL's Management Plus program got its start in 1979 as the Best Managed Company Awards Program. The program continues today as a diagnostic and continuous improvement tool as well as an esteemed awards program for companies seeking to improve their management processes.
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- On January 20, 1934 Walter Soderstrom, who initially
served as NAPL's secretary (staff administrator), announced the first trade practices and minimum cost schedules. This provided the basis for costing halftones, 2-sided printing and rush service.
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- In January 2001, a delegation from the Research & Engineering Council met with NAPL to explore strategic alliances between the two organizations. Before the end of the year, the two groups created a formal relationship with all R&E members enrolled in NAPL and the two groups co-sponsoring key initiatives.
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- NAPL's first publication was The Photo-Lithographer magazine written by Walter Soderstrom in 1934. The magazine was later sold to an outside publisher and survived into the 1970's under the title Modern Lithographer. Later in the century, NAPL again entered magazine publishing with Printing Manager, which today has evolved into the bi-monthly NAPL Business Review.
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