The past year included some signs of optimism for ink manufacturers. Business seemed to be picking up, and ink companies were generally able to raise their prices to help offset higher raw material, manufacturing and operational costs. The sheetfed ink segment is a key indicator of how the ink industry is faring, as it encompasses both the commercial side as well as packaging.     In my report on the sheetfed ink market beginning on page 23, large and small ink manufacturers generally noted that...