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DMIA's Award-Winning E-Mail Newsletter for Members Only Open this issue in your browser: http://www.dmia.org/sol_center/enewsletter/05apr22.html *********************************************************************** NEWS Full of Life in the Desert DMIA's Spring Management Conference (SMC), held April 13-16 at JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa in the mountains just west of Tucson, attracted 191 attendees, the second-highest attendance for the event. (Bermuda in 2000 attracted 250.) Englewood, Colo.-based manufacturer <http://www.qualitypark.com> Quality Park sponsored this year's conference. Joe Webb, vice president of sales and marketing at Formsystems Inc., Pensacola, Fla., and his wife Karen, the distributorship's president, attended SMC for the first time. "We came away with many new ideas on ways to improve our business, some of which will be introduced at our next company meeting," he said. "We're also very grateful to all who shared stories with us on how they have survived and succeeded in areas we still find challenging." Joe Webb served as chairman of the Publications Committee, moderating a discussion about how the association can improve <http://www.printsolutionsmag.com> Print Solutions magazine and DMIA's electronic publications. Distributors, manufacturers and suppliers shared insight about their business challenges and opportunities during Peer-to-Peer sessions on trade-show marketing mistakes, successful e-commerce models, hiring top salespeople, the RFID market and supply-chain management. Popular Learning Forums included "Electronic Customer Service," "Preparing Your Company for New Ownership," "The Marketing Puzzle: Putting it All Together" and "Selling Skills for Tomorrow's Generation." Meetings for DMIA's seven <http://www.dmia.org/sigs/welcome.html> Special Interest Groups (SIGs)—Promotional Products, Direct Mail, Labels, Customer Service, Health Care, Fulfillment and Commercial Printing—allowed attendees to discuss market trends in those segments. "Aside from some valuable sessions, the time spent at the receptions created an atmosphere to have some great exchanges about ideas from many of the most committed professionals in our industry," said Marvin A. Makofsky, president of <http://www.conformerproducts.com> Conformer Expansion Products Inc., a manufacturer in Great Neck, N.Y. "This is an event that we should all include in our busy schedules." Tom Gurd did, even though his company, distributorship <http://www.ftprint.co.uk> FT Print, is located in Hertford, U.K. "As a first-time visitor to the Spring Management Conference, so many chords were struck, I could have been at a rock concert," said Gurd, FT Print's managing director. "It was an excellent introduction—and in such a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere—to what is happening in the American market. There is clearly great commonality between our markets, and therefore there must be synergy to exploit. That's the lesson I've taken away. FT Print will certainly be back." Jeff Long, marketing director of Atlanta-based manufacturer Graphic Dimensions Inc., and DMIA's president, said his observation about the SMC was how many younger members attended this year, and how much energy was in the air. "Everyone was looking for new solutions to selling, and conversations were more open, friendly and leaned toward trusting one another, which is the first building block needed in creating partnering avenues," he said. Here were some SMC highlights: * Each speech by the three award winners was preceded by a photo presentation and reflections from peers, co-workers and/or family. Ross E. Barker, president of Reno, Nev.-based <http://www.e-quantum.com> Forms Management Data Systems, and DMIA's 1989-1990 president, scored laughs as a roaster, poking fun at O'Hara's Irish heritage and penchant for wearing "loud" attire. He switched into two different suits as he spoke, then donned an all-green outfit and an Irish-themed baseball cap. * The session "E-Commerce, the Revenue Stream!" was "unbelievable," said Bob Lowy, CDC, from <http://www.proforma.com/psg> Proforma Spectrum Graphics, a distributorship in Baltimore. During the session, attendees listened to three printing pros describe what makes their companies' e-commerce business models work-Joel M. Chyke, CFO and owner of Nashville, Tenn., distributorship <http://www.myfsi.net> FSi, and a DMIA Board member; Gail O'Roke, CDC, CEO of Hayward, Calif.-based distributorship <http://www.theibg.com> Independent Business Group, and DMIA's 2002-03 president; and Trumper. "Their level of sharing with the other members in attendance was wonderful. It didn't get any better than that," Lowy said. * Popular speaker Dirk Beveridge, principal of <http://www.beveridgeinc.com/> The Beveridge Consulting Group, Barrington, Ill., led a session called "'Driving Sales Beyond' Sales Training." He outlined a 4-step sequence to improving skills as a salesperson or sales manager that was well-received by attendees. * SMC included "Lunch with the DMIA Board," at which attendees suggested ideas to current Board members about possible new programs and strategies for improving the association and the printing industry in general. * Optional events included an 18-hole shotgun golf tournament at Arnold Palmer-designed Starr Pass Golf Club, a desert Jeep adventure and dinner at Anthony's In the Catalinas restaurant.
"All employees were just asked to leave at 1 p.m. [April 18]," said an angry employee who wished to remain anonymous and was answering phones at the Baltimore plant. They packed their belongings and left, and pending jobs with the manufacturer aren't being processed, she said, adding that none of the workers were expecting the plants to close. The plants employed approximately 200 people; none was given a severance package, the employee said, adding she didn't know the reason behind the move. Metko couldn't be reached for comment, but speaking on behalf of the company, Greg Bustin of Dallas-based consulting firm <http://www.bustin.com> Bustin & Co., said the plants were closed primarily because they were in the forms business "which has been off in the first quarter." The company considered several options before deciding to close them. A press release issued April 21 from MLC Holding Corporation—which includes Vallis, Metro Label and other printing-related subsidiaries, said, "that it is discontinuing all operations related to the Vallis Company, effective immediately. This decision does not affect the other subsidiaries, which will continue to provide services to existing and new customers...MLC Holding Corporation will continue its plans to expand into growth markets and focus its economic resources on developing new opportunities within the printing industry." <http://www.metrolabel.com> Metro Label will continue to operate. Last year, The Vallis Companies, which was founded in 1961, announced that it was broadening its services to attract and develop new relationships with distributors. It ranked No. 10 on <http://www.printsolutionsmag.com/issues/april04/cover1.html> Print Solutions Top 100 manufacturers 2004 list. Distributors, too, were caught off guard and heard about the developments through each other. "I did not expect this," said Stephen Thorner, president of Mount Airy, Md.-based distributorship <http://www.inabind.com> In-A-Bind. The company worked with Vallis for 15 years and "never had any problems," said Thorner, who visited the Baltimore plant April 20, and saw "people showing up in trucks." The distributorship has 30 jobs pending with the plant and a million printed pieces in inventory. A Vallis employee informed Thorner that the manufacturer will ship all completed jobs, but not process pending ones, and distributors could collect their inventories, he said. Several manufacturers have called Thorner and offered to take on the pending projects, he said. Paul Bailey, marketing and communications manager at <http://www.webbmason.com> Webb/Mason, a distributorship based in Hunt Valley, Md., said Vallis was one of the distributorship's main manufacturers. Webb/Mason employees were on site at Vallis' Baltimore plant April 20 and its Cherryvale plant April 21, trying to learn the status of Webb/Mason's jobs in production. "It's too early to determine our level of success in that regard, but fortunately we have most if not all important files on our own servers," Bailey said. Webb/Mason already has transferred the jobs to other manufacturers, and its customers won't be affected by the plant closings, he said.
Additionally, the company announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire U.K.-based The Astron Group that offers integrated, end-to-end document business process outsourcing solutions, in an all-cash deal, for approximately $990 million. The agreement is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close this summer. The Astron Group employs more than 4,000 people across 70 locations globally, and expects approximately $550 million in revenue in 2005.
Cowbells Ring in Business <http://www.advantagegraphics.com/> A rush on cowbells? That's what helped <http://www.advantagegraphics.com/> Advantage Graphics, Portland, Ore., increase its promotional business by approximately 5 percent. Advantage Graphics is a full-service graphics company specializing in traditional business forms, laser forms, digital printing, integrated labels, design services and inventory management. That work represents 95 percent of its business. The balance is promotional work, including corporate apparel and promotional products, a market it entered three years ago. <http://www.dmia.org/sol_center/enewsletter/enews_articles/sow042205.html> Full story.
TRADEMarts Upcoming TradeMart Dates and Locations: St. Louis Seminars Include: Pressure Seal for the Financial Services Market--Distributor Case
Studies Closing The Sale With Pressure Seal —Wilmer View session descriptions online: <http://www.dmia.org/em/tm2005/ses_stlouis.html> Lisle Seminars Include: Pressure Seal for the Financial Services Market--Distributor Case
Studies Security Required--Document Risk Management —Appleton Closing The Sale With Pressure Seal —Wilmer Distributor Turns a $500 Folder Quote into a $7,000 Filing System Sale--A Case Study —ASE Dealer Source Don't Touch that Stationery Order —Business Stationery Inc. View session descriptions online: <http://www.dmia.org/em/tm2005/ses_chicago.html> For more information on TradeMarts, <http://www.dmia.org/em/trade_marts.html> click here.
Here are this week's top unusual source requests received by DMIA: 1. Seat Check Tickets; 1 1/8" x 4"; prints 1/1 per lot; 5 lots total;
10pt. Bristol Cover C2S; QTY=8MM each color 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 new sales ideas every day, try our <http://www.dmia.org/dmiasearch/am_pm/search/index.cfm> 1,000 Sales Ideas Database. 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 Creating A Strategy The quality of your merchandise is important, but it's the promotion of products and its impact that determines success. <http://www.workz.com/content/view_content.html?section_id=525&content_id=6789> Full story.
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