Paper Clips

Insights that drive Packaging, Paper and Performance

March 2026

Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia was proof that leadership might not always be something you choose

Even if you don’t sign up for the position, you still might have to take the leadership seat. The recent passing of Bob Weir, The Grateful Dead’s longtime rhythm guitarist and songwriter, sparked a conversation on leadership in a recent gathering. Although Weir held the band together for decades, his death inevitably turned the discussion to the shadow he often stood in—that of the band’s creative center, Jerry Garcia.  Garcia was the band’s natural leader. However, he never wanted or took that seat. (A move I certainly can relate to, but that’s another column for another day.) A strong distaste for authority and decision-making meant leadership in a vacuum. That meant organizational dysfunction, financial chaos, a lack of direction, and other fundamental issues. This was all despite making music that has endured for decades and inspired future generations.  Garcia’s problems aren’t unlike the problems many leaders today face. Leadership may be something you didn’t ask for. But sometimes, you have to face the music.
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Direct Mail Elevation and the Art of Interruption

Have you ever had a piece of direct mail in your hands, maybe for a campaign that you did for a customer, or simply received at home, that really stopped you in your tracks? Maybe it made you notice it for some physical quality. Or a blazing headline across the front. Or even a clever use of marketing technology. That’s the power of interruption, that voice in your head that says, “Hold up, I’ll get my kid from soccer practice in a second. Let’s see what’s in this envelope.” Our routines and conversations, whether we have them with others or ourselves, can be interrupted by anything. A barking dog, a crying baby, a smoke alarm — or a well-crafted direct mail piece. The challenge is how to interrupt. Even in a less-crowded mailbox, it’s not enough to simply show up and hope to be noticed.
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Sheridan Launches Digital Select™ — The Next Era of Flexible Short-Run Printing

Sheridan, a leading provider of print and publishing solutions, announced the launch of Digital Select™, its proprietary next-generation print-on-demand (POD) solution designed to give publishers greater flexibility in short-run and ultra-short-run production. Powered by Sheridan Select™, Sheridan’s proprietary automated central print management system, Digital Select™ enables publishers to print from 1 to 2,500 copies with expedited turnaround times, professional-grade quality, and dedicated service support. As publishers continue shifting toward zero-inventory and digital-first strategies, the need for flexible, reliable short-run production has grown. Digital Select addresses that need by allowing publishers to print exactly what they need, when they need it — reducing warehousing costs, minimizing forecasting risk, and keeping titles continuously available.
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3D printing investment enhances Amcor’s global design capabilities

Amcor, a global leader in developing and producing responsible packaging solutions, has installed a state-of-the-art additive manufacturing system, also known as 3D printing, at its Innovation Center in Barcelona, Spain. Part of Amcor’s Rigid Packaging Division, the center will leverage this advanced technology to accelerate design and development. This latest investment means that all five of Amcor’s centers for rigid packaging solutions – which in addition to Barcelona are located in Muttenz, Switzerland, Evansville and Manchester in the USA, and Shanghai, China – now have 3D printing facilities. This will enable the centers to cooperate globally in the design and delivery of consumer- and patient-centric rigid packaging across a wide range of markets, including health, beauty and wellness, nutrition and food & drink. 3D printing allows creative concepts and subsequent CAD drawings to be quickly turned into physical models and prototypes from which important assessments can be made in areas such as aesthetics, functionality and ease of manufacture. Sample packs can also be produced for initial consumer research and feedback. This can greatly speed up the development process, enabling packs to be brought to market quickly and cost-effectively.
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QUAD Postal, Paper & Logistics update: February 2026

In brief: Losses deepened at the U.S. Postal Service in the first quarter of FY 2026. Severe winter storms have tightened freight capacity across multiple U.S. states, and a threat to delay the opening of an important new bridge connecting Detroit with Windsor, Ontario, is injecting additional uncertainty into the logistics industry. Paper companies continue to raise prices amid production declines, while paper availability is also being affected by winter storms. Tariffs under the Trump administration continue to evolve following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision invalidating the administration’s emergency tariffs.
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