TORONTO—One of the benefits of joining the International Printers Network (IPN) is the sharing of knowledge, said the president of J.F. Moore Communications in Toronto.

Dean Baxendale said his company is now the only Canadian member of the 200-location worldwide network since joining recently. The IPN helps cut down on distribution costs for members; printers can send digital files to another printer across the globe for quick turnaround on printing and delivery.

But aside from job sharing, another benefit is knowledge sharing with industry members and manufacturers, he said.

"We meet two times a year throughout the year [including a meeting this weekend in Rochester, NY]," said Dean Baxendale. "What we gain is insights well ahead of implementation by manufacturers like Heidelberg, Xerox ... we get exposed to new technologies and advances they're trying to bring to the marketplace."