Our first installment of the year, What’s Happening March 2022 covers a trio of admirable accolades. They are praise for Ritz.Pix.com; kudos for Shutterfly; and German Brand of the Century honors for the venerable papermaker Hahnemühle.
We also look at a new Epson AiO photo printer. Additionally, we report on what Mimaki is doing to stay connected to its wide-format printer/cutter customers.
What’s Happening March 2022
MailPix Portfolio Site Named 100% Reliable Photo Printing Site
MailPix announced that one of its portfolio sites, RitzPix.com, was selected as the 100% Reliable Online Photo Printing Website. The honor was based on user reviews and internal statistics by Sur.ly. Moreover, RitzPix.com was endorsed for the following qualities: it’s free of malware; safe for business; and is family friendly.
“MailPix is commemorating 10 years in business in 2022,” said Fred H. Lerner, founder and CEO. “During that time, MailPix, RitzPix, 1 Hour Photo as well as our other brands have built solid reputations for delivering quality products and affordable prices; whether it’s ship-to-home or pickup at 18,000 partner locations.” 
Furthermore, MailPix acquired the RitzPix brand in 2018. It brought the venerable name to back the company’s management team, which had decades of experience with the Ritz brand.
MailPix.com is a photo-printing, canvas and gifting site. It also enables printing photos instantly at thousands of retailers from a phone app or PC. In addition, it offers mail-to-home services.
The company preserves photo memories as photo books, canvas, prints, cards, enlargements and other photo gift products. The service is seamlessly integrated to print photos from any phone, device or computer.
Lerner previously founded Ritz Interactive, which included RitzCamera.com, WolfCamera.com and others. In addition, he founded two imaging companies that were acquired by Kodak. Subsequently, he became the CEO of Kodak Processing Labs.
MailPix’s cofounder and COO is Peter Tahmin. He was the former vice president of Ritz Camera & Image and also cofounder, senior vice president and COO of the Ritz Interactive e-commerce network.
Epson Expression Photo XP-8700 Wireless All-in-One Printer
To answer the increased demand for reliable home office and crafting tools, Epson America released the Expression Photo XP-8700 wireless all-in-one (AiO) printer. The photo printer provides an easy solution for photo enthusiasts, parents, kids, as well as crafters. Epson says it “delivers professional-quality photos and graphics all from the convenience and comfort of the home.”
The AiO printer also has a built-in, high-resolution scanner and copier for accurate scans and copies.
The Expression Photo XP-8700 is compatible with the Epson Smart Panel app, which transforms mobile devices into photo command centers. Further, employing six-color Claria Photo HD inks paired with Epson’s MicroPiezo technology, the XP-8700 delivers borderless prints up to 8.5×11 inches at a max resolution of 5,760×1,440 dpi.
For easy operation, it incorporates a 4.3-inch color touchscreen and intuitive navigation controls. It also supports a range of printing media; e.g., it has separate trays for plain paper and photo paper as well as a rear feed for specialty paper.
The AiO printer also features red-eye removal and photo adjustment tools. Plus, consumers can print creative projects and everyday documents from virtually anywhere in the home with hands-free, voice-activated printing. With Wi-Fi Direct router-free printing, they can perform wireless printing from a laptop, desktop, smartphone or tablet.
The Expression Photo XP-8700 is also compatible with the Epson Creative Print Mobile App. That app enables users to design and print stationery, cards and CD photo albums. $249.99.
Mimaki Global Innovation Days Virtual Event
The Mimaki Global Innovation Days event was held March 2-4, 2022, by the manufacturer of wide-format inkjet printers and cutters. For the print industry, the second-annual event took place virtually from the company’s regional offices worldwide.
Moreover, Mimaki hosted a series of online events focused on evaluating the needs of print providers in their local markets. In addition, the sessions addressed various solutions to overcome today’s challenges across sectors, as well as drive success within the industry. 
Event attendees could join live demonstrations featuring the company’s newest products. Furthermore, they gained access to special promotions; attended webinars; engaged with industry experts; and drew inspiration from roundtable discussions.
Founded in 1975 in Nagano, Japan, the company’s portfolio includes more than 50 products. In addition, it provides products, service and support in 150 countries worldwide. From the first inkjet printer using pigment ink to the first 64-inch UV-LED integrated printer/cutter, Mimaki delivers print solutions built upon proprietary technologies.
Mimaki opened its U.S. headquarters in Suwanee, Georgia in 1999. Today, it operates seven regional offices and technology centers across the U.S. and Canada.
Forbes Names Shutterfly One of America’s Best Large Employers
Forbes magazine named Shutterfly One of America’s Best Large Employers of 2022. Shutterfly is a leading e-commerce brand and manufacturing platform for personalized photo products and custom designs.
“It is a tremendous honor to be named a top employer in America by Forbes,” said Sharon Segev, chief people and legal officer for Shutterfly. “What makes this achievement so meaningful is that the ranking is based largely on whether our employees would recommend Shutterfly to friends and family. 
“It’s a recognition that reflects the collective efforts of each and every one of our team members to create a collaborative, diverse, inclusive and values-driven culture. Against the backdrop of a tumultuous and difficult 2021, knowing that our employees are proud to be part of the Shutterfly family of brands is deeply gratifying. I’m looking forward to seeing what we accomplish together next.”
The recognition reflects Shutterfly’s commitment to diversity and inclusion through its expansion of employee resource groups, named ShuttERGroups; industry-leading female representation in managerial positions, at 40-45% across its brands; and a deliberate focus on team leadership and career mobility.
Forbes and market research firm Statista selected America’s Best Employers 2022 through an independent survey. It was applied to a sample of approximately 60,000 Americans working for companies with more than 1,000 employees in America. The evaluation was based on direct and indirect recommendations from employees asked to rate their willingness to recommend their own employers to friends and family.
Hahnemühle Garners German Brand of the Century Honors
Hahnemühle was named German Brand of the Century for the third time in a row. Subsequently, the paper manufactory and its worldwide distributed products will carry the associated brand logo for another three years.
“We are proud to be recognized as an icon of the German economy once again. Especially during the time of the Corona crisis, we proved why we live up to the title ‘Brand of the Century’; we were and are always approachable for our customers in more than 130 countries around the world and have our products available. We have developed new products together with partners and done a lot in terms of sustainability,” said Jan Wölfle, CEO of Hahnemühle Group.
Hahnemühle FineArt has produced paper since 1584. Today’s portfolio comprises traditional and digital FineArt papers for printing and painting as well as FineNotes Stationery products.
The company produces the paper grades according to ancient recipes from high-quality cotton fibers, pulp or fast-growing plant fibers and pure spring water. The company continuously refines its genuine artists’ papers for photo prints, digital art and art reproductions. All papers feature excellent ageing resistance.
In addition, via its Green Rooster initiative, Hahnemühle supports regional and international environmental protection projects. They include reforestation, animal welfare and environmental education programs. It also produces papers in a protected natural reserve under strict environmental regulations.
