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DMIA's Award-Winning Weekly E-Mail Newsletter for Members Only
October 31, 2003 Happy Halloween!
PRINT SOLUTIONS CONFERENCE & EXPO COVERAGE
New Leadership, Deserved Recognition
Phil Schmidt,
president of Advanced Systems & Forms Inc., Livonia, Mich., spoke as DMIA's
next president during the Awards Breakfast. He'll officially take the helm Nov.
1, replacing Gail O'Roke, CDC, CEO of Independent Business Group, Hayward,
Calif. For a list of DMIA's 2003-04 Board of Directors, <http://www.dmia.org/about/board.html>
click here. Also during the breakfast, Ross E. Barker received DMIA's 2003
President's Award. Barker, who served as DMIA's 1989-1990 president, is
president of distributor operations software supplier <http://www.e-quantum.com> Forms
Management Data Systems Inc. and president of distributorship Barker Business
Systems, both located in Reno, Nev. Employees of New York distributorship
Vanguard Direct received DMIA's Member of the Year Award as a group. Previously
located in Lower Manhattan, the company was recognized for its resiliency in the
aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack.
Show Floor Filled with New Ideas
DMIA's Print Solutions
2003 Conference & Expo drew approximately 1,500 attendees and nearly 400
booths showcasing the latest solutions in commercial printing, promotional
products, labels, e-commerce, plastic products, packaging and more. First-time
exhibitors totaled 58. Dozens of firms showcased new capabilities and
technologies. Hartland, Wis.-based <http://www.cdmfg.com> Spectrum Digital
Services showcased its CD/DVD screenprinting, CD/DVD duplication, blank media
and packaging capabilities. Greenville, N.C-based <http://www.acculink.com> AccuLink
(formerly AccuCopy/QuickTabs) touted its online business card and stationery
ordering system. Elk Grove Village, Ill.-based <http://www.plastag.com> Plastag Corporation
explained the benefits of a registered holograph on foil beneath a protective
overlay. For links to all conference exhibitors, <http://www.dmia.org/em/i2003/exhibitors/exhib.html>
click here.
Consultant: Lead Your Organization by Establishing
Standards
Dirk Beveridge, president of The Beveridge Consulting
Group, Barrington, Ill., said all businesses must address a fundamental
question. "What standards do we have in place to not only enable business as
usual, but to promote business that's exceptional?" he said. Beveridge, who has
been ranked one of the top 20 speakers in the country, challenged attendees to
recognize the strengths and weaknesses of their management styles in the session
entitled, "BOSS-The Mandatory Business Operating System Standards." He gave
examples of four management styles: non-manager, policeman, Clark Kent and
coach. He explained why each conference attendee should aim to fit the coach
profile. Quoting former Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry, he said, "Make people
do what they don't want to do so they can be what they always wanted to be."
Direct Mail is Back!
Approximately 40 people attended the
Direct Mail Special Interest Group meeting on Oct. 21. Speaker George T. Hurst,
USPS executive manager of product management, said direct mail presents a huge
opportunity for the industry. Although the 9/11 attacks and the anthrax scare
had hit hard, "direct mail is coming back with a vengeance," Hurst said. Direct
marketing generated $2 trillion in sales, up 9 percent over 2001. The Direct
Mail Association projects 7 percent annual growth through 2006 for direct mail,
he said.
Kudos
In an email to DMIA, Mike Fisher, CDC, president of
Allentown, Pa.-based distributorship PrintConcepts, and a new member of the DMIA
Board of Directors, wrote "hats off to you for a wonderful show in Las Vegas.
All your hard work, dedication and planning is certainly noticed, and truly
appreciated by everyone at PrintConcepts." Another Board member, George W.
Smith, CDC, vice president of sales/partner, at Tully-Wihr Company, a
distributorship based in Colfax, Calif., said, "'Thank You' doesn't express the
appreciation you all deserve. So a great big 'THANK YOU' from everyone on the
Tully-Wihr staff for making our organization No.1 in the industry! Kudos are
deserved by all, keep up the good work." Kevin Welch of American Eagle Graphics,
Portland, Ore., said, "Once again, wow! Thanks to you and and your staff for a
great conference in Vegas. I'm reminded that there is always something to
learn."
Leverage The Internet
At a well-attended session on
"Streamlining Your Online Product Offerings," George Hutchison and Charlie
Hickey of Xetex Business Systems Inc., West Lawn, Penn., said companies should
use the internet to support existing clients and not just to attract new
customers. Firms can use the internet to make it easier for customers to
reorder; get order status and proof online. "Your internet presence should be
directed by your business plan and the relationships you have with your
customers," Hutchison said.
Best Booths At Print Solutions Expo
Nearly
400 companies, including 58 first-time exhibitors, showcased their
products and offerings at the Print Solutions Expo in Las
Vegas last week. The following companies won awards in these
categories:
Best Booth Overall--Crabar/GBF, Dayton, Ohio
Best Booth
Design--MAR Graphics, Valmeyer, Ill.
Best Use of Technology---Ennis
Business Forms Inc., DeSoto, Texas
Most Helpful Staff--- Highland
Computer Forms, Hillsboro, Ohio
Most Creative Booth---Envelope Mart
Inc., Toledo, Ohio
Best Implementation of Show Theme (News and
Entertainment)--Ward/Kraft Inc., Fort Scott, Kan.
18 Complete In-Residence Program
Eighteen
participants successfully completed DMIA's 3-day Business Printing
Curriculum program in Las Vegas. The in-residence program was held in
conjunction with DMIA's Print Solutions Expo and Conference. The program
consists of online and onsite training, including conference sessions and
the full experience of the Expo.
<http://www.dmia.org/em/schoolpic.html>
Click here for a photo.
It's not too early to sign up now to be a part of next year's training
adventure in Chicago. The online training is available anytime at your
convenience. You can also sign up for individual modules. Call Harriet
Carter, CDC, at (800) 336-4641. Visit <http://www.printuniversity.org>
www.printuniversity.org.
Next Year...
Next year, the Print Solutions 2004 Conference &
Expo will be held Oct. 5-7 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in
Rosemont, Ill. (Chicago). To sign up as an exhibitor at the conference,
call DMIA's Meetings department at (800) 336-4641.
NEWS
<http://www.mail-well.com>
Mail-Well Reorganizes
Mail-Well Inc., Englewood, Colo., announced a
company-wide reorganization into two business segments: commercial (serving the
needs of direct customers) and resale (serving wholesalers and value-added
resellers). Manufacturer PrintXcel and its brands Discount Labels, Lancer Label,
DealerLabel, VersaSeal® and Wisco Envelope are part of the resale segment. The
brands will be marketed separately. <http://www.dmia.org/sol_center/enewsletter/enews_articles/mailwell103103.html>
Click here for more.
<http://www.roitechnologies.com>
ROI Technologies Buys American Label Company
Baltimore-based label
converter ROI Technologies Inc. acquired selected assets of American Label
Company, East Hanover, N.J. The acquisition adds UV flexo and UV screen
technology to ROI's capabilities in unsupported films, pressure sensitive labels
and direct mail printing. The company's production will be centralized in ROI's
Baltimore facility. Joseph Ramsey, former president of American Label Company,
joined ROI Technologies and opened a sales office in New Jersey to serve
accounts in the New York City area.
<http://www.internationalpaper.com/>
International Paper Profits Drop 16%
International Paper Co.,
Stamford, Conn., reported a 16 percent drop in third-quarter earnings, blaming
weak demand and high energy and wood costs. The company reported net income of
$122 million, or 25 cents per share, for the July-September period. That
compared with earnings of $145 million, or 30 cents per share, for the same
period last year.
<http://www.ikon.com>
Ikon Profit Falls As Margins Narrow
Ikon Office Solutions Inc.,
Valley Forge, Pa., which sells and leases copiers and office equipment, said its
fiscal fourth-quarter profit fell on declining profit margins on its copiers and
printers. The company also said it expects a decline in profit on flat revenue
for the current quarter. Its net income was $32.4 million, or 21 cents a share
in the fourth quarter, compared with $39.3 million, or 25 cents per share.
Excluding a $7 million gain from early debt repayment, the company posted a
profit of 18 cents a share.
<http://www.weyerhaeuser.com>
Weyerhaeuser Earnings Up On Housing Market
Timber company
Weyerhaeuser Co. said its third-quarter net income rose six-fold as growth in
housing construction caused lumber and wood panel prices to surge.
Weyerhaeuser's robust quarterly results echo those of rivals Boise Cascade Corp.
and Louisiana-Pacific Corp., which each reported a sharp rise in quarterly
earnings--a stark contrast to the lackluster earnings reports seen throughout
the more than 2-year U.S. economic downturn. But the turnaround in the building
products market has yet to extend to Weyerhaeuser's paper and packaging
businesses, which continue to struggle with weak industrial demand.
SOLUTION OF THE WEEK
Direct Mail Business Flourishes
Distributors who sell
direct mail know the market is centered on results and return rates. Therefore,
customers constantly test new versions of direct mail packages--even if they
have successful mail pieces.
One of Print Technologies & Services Inc.'s customers mails glitzy
lottery solicitation packages. While the client relies on a tried-and-true
control package, it also mails four or five new test packages each month. The
packages strive to attract recipients with color and action devices such as
scratch-off panels. "There's always a new test package in the works," says Len
Mauceli, CEO of the Carol Stream, Ill.-based distributorship. "If we aren't
testing continuously, we aren't doing our job for customers." <http://www.dmia.org/sol_center/enewsletter/enews_articles/sow103103.html>
Click here for the full story.
TOP TEN
Here are the top unusual source requests received by
DMIA:
1. Java Jackets/Coffee Cup Sleeves; imprinted; Qty=5M-10M
2. Blueprint Spines; prints 1 color on 100# cover; flood coat/bleeds;
reverse type; 3 scores; 3" x 18"; 3" x 24"; 3" x 30" and 3" x 36"; Qty=1M of
each size
3. Vinyl outdoor labels/Fleet Marking Decals; size = 1" x 3" to 9" x
8"; prints 2 colors; consecutive numbering 1 1/2" - 2"; Qty=250-1.4M
4. Double sided tape with an aggressive adhesive; one side will be
placed on glass; the other will have a pewter name plate applied by the end
user; various sizes; Qty=5M-10M
5. Cut sheet 1 part form; FDA Approved; 5 x 8; prints 4cp/2-3pms;
Qty=3MM-5MM Will be placed into a box of candy.
6. Envelope with a pistol grip window; size 9 1/2" X 4 3/8"; commercial
flap and standard inside tint. Qty=25M & 50M
7. TV Remote Sleeve; 8 5/8" x 2 3/8" x 1 3/8"; prints 4 color process
on heavy card stock; scored; glued; Qty=2.5M-5M-10M
8. Wall Mounted Thermometers; Qty=100-1M
9. Cloth drawstring bags, 4" x 3", Qty=100
10. DLT 20 Tape Turtle Storage Cases; Qty=3
If you have a source request--for anything--call the Hotline at (800)
333-2828 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time, or use the <http://64.115.51.134/index.htm>
Source Hotline Database online. For two new sales ideas every day, try our
<http://www.dmia.org/sol_center/am.html>
HOT product idea and our <http://www.dmia.org/sol_center/pm.html>
COOL product idea. Manufacturers, if you produce any of these items and would
like to check your listing with the Source Hotline, please email <mailto:crush@dmia.org> Cheryl Rush.
SALES AND MARKETING TIP
Email Newsletter Succeeds
Whether you have been in business for years or are just starting out,
marketing your business is always critical to your success. An email
newsletter is a top marketing tools. All it costs you is your time, but the
benefits can be huge. You will be perceived as an expert, and you may get direct
business or referrals from people who see your name. You can send your
newsletter once a week, twice a month or once a month. Source: <http://www.workz.com> www.workz.com
E-COMMERCE SPOTLIGHT
Hooked! How Scammers Almost Got a Phish on the Line
Don't be fooled by a false sense of security--small e-commerce entrepreneurs
are just as vulnerable to online scams as individuals. After all, business
accounts and credit card information are just as valuable to criminals as
personal data. <http://ecommerce.internet.com/news/insights/trends/article/0,,10417_3097901,00.html>
Click here for more.
PRODUCT OF THE WEEK
Formtrac 2003
A supplement to Formtrac 2002, this report
provides a general outlook of the forms industry through 2007. It includes
extensive reporting on the independent and direct-selling segments of the
industry. General trends and sales by product lines are identified. Product
Code: ID03. $49. Formtrac 2002/2003 Update Set Product Code: ID02SET. $149. To
order Formtrac 2003, <https://www.printsolutionsmag.com/dmia/Formtrac03.html>
click here or contact <mailto:tbrown@dmia.org> Tina Davis.
HOT SITES
<http://wwww.sjsu.edu/depts/english/2003.htm>
Wonderfully Bad Writing
The Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest honors the most hilarious, bad writing.
Since 1982, the English Department at San Jose State University has sponsored
this whimsical literary competition that challenges entrants to compose the
opening sentence to the worst of all possible novels. The contest was the
brainchild of Professor Scott Rice, whose graduate school excavations unearthed
the source of the line "It was a dark and stormy night": the novel Paul Clifford
written by minor Victorian novelist Edward George Bulwer-Lytton. For 2003
contest results, <http://wwww.sjsu.edu/depts/english/2003.htm>
click here.
<http://graphics.stanford.edu/projects/mich/>
The Digital Michelangelo Project
This site is an effort to create and archive three dimensional computer
representations of some of history's most important cultural artifacts. The
project mainly focuses on Michelangelo's sculptures, including the famous David
statue. Visitors can download ScanView software, which lets users virtually fly
around the models of the statues. <http://graphics.stanford.edu/projects/mich/>
Click here for more.
To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your email
address,
<http://www.dmia.org/sol_center/enewssubs.html>
click here. © Copyright 2003 <http://www.dmia.org> Document Management
Industries Association
433 E. Monroe Ave., Alexandria, VA 22301 (800)
336-4641, (703) 836-6232
Visit Print Solutions Magazine at <http://www.printsolutionsmag.com>
www.printsolutionsmag.com
Contact
us at <mailto:eweekly@printsolutionsmag.com>
eweekly@printsolutionsmag.com.
To advertise, <mailto:cpennington@dmia.org?subject=Interested_in_E-Weekly_Advertising&cc=bholt@dmia.org>
click here.
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