Relizon Announces 2004 Results
The Relizon Company, based in Dayton, Ohio, announced that it achieved "record-breaking" business performance results in 2004. The company, which is for sale, added $68 million in annualized new business from accounts such as Hudson's Bay Company, M&T Bank, Novation, Prime Advantage, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Shell Canada Ltd., Toys "R" Us Inc. and Wegmans Food Markets Inc. (To read about the sale, reported in the March 31 issue of DMIA's Independent Management Report newsletter,
click here.)

Rising Costs Lead to Flint Ink's Price Increases
Flint Ink North America, Ann Arbor, Mich., announced price increases for a variety of ink products in response to the rising costs of raw materials, transportation, energy and environmental compliance. Prices for all heatset ink products, including process, special, spot color, metallic, fluorescent inks and overprint varnishes, have increased by six percent. Color ink prices for newspaper and coldset commercial printers also have increased by six percent. The price increases were effective April 1. Effective May 1, prices for UV ink products, for sheetfed and web printing, and prices for liquid packaging ink products will increase by six percent. This includes solvent-based inks, water-based inks, and radiation curable inks and coatings for flexographic and gravure packaging printers and converters.

Nashua Seeks Buyer for Toner Business
Nashua Corp., Nashua, N.H., said it plans to exit its toner and developer business by March 31, 2006, blaming high operating costs, in a move that would affect about 71 jobs. Nashua said it would seek buyers for its toner and developer assets, as well as its real estate located in Merrimack, N.H. The company said it would reduce the number of workers in the toner and developer unit throughout the closing period. The employees work primarily at facilities in Merrimack and Nashua.

Amazon.com Acquires Book Printing Service
Amazon.com Inc., Seattle, has acquired a publishing company that prints books when they're ordered rather than relying on warehouses stocked with titles. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed. BookSurge LLC, based in Charleston, S.C., offers an inventory-free book fulfillment network to publishers and authors, and has a wholesale service for retailers, wholesalers and distributors. Founded in 2000, BookSurge maintains a catalog with thousands of titles that are printed on-demand and available for sale on Amazon.com.

Call for Entries: 2005 Print Solutions Magazine PEAK Awards
Win a Print Excellence and Knowledge Award and show your talent to the rest of the world! A PEAK award is a valuable marketing tool that will raise your company's profile and show clients and prospects that your work is the best in the industry. PEAK awards recognize companies that meet customers' printing needs through creativity in design, manufacturing, fulfillment, cost savings reporting or other services that solve problems or improve a client's business. Click here (http://www.printsolutionsmag.com/peak.html) for complete information and entry forms. Deadline for entries is June 1.

Automated System Sounds Great to Beltone
The need for cost savings and streamlined processes has made on-demand marketing a priority for many companies, including Beltone, one of the world's largest makers of hearing instruments. The Chicago-based firm has a nationwide network of approximately 400 distributors. In 2001, each had its own system for direct marketing and its own ideas about how to best portray Beltone's products. Beltone decided its marketing method was inefficient and expensive to execute, and lacked brand messaging.

Wanting an automated system, it turned to Darwill, a technology-driven printer in Hillside, Ill., that provides a range of data, printing and mailing services to clients. Full story.

WHAT'S NEW AT DMIA?

The industry is moving faster than ever, and DMIA's TRADEMarts make it easy and convenient to stay updated. Attending a TRADEMart is your best chance to take advantage of the product innovations and dynamic ideas that are hitting the marketplace.

Upcoming TradeMart Dates and Locations
April 19	Minnetonka, MN (Minneapolis)	Seminars
April 20	Overland Park, KS (Kansas City)	Seminars

Minnetonka Seminars Include:
Selling Variable Data Solutions for a Marketing Campaign —Wise
Pressure Seal for the Financial Services Market – Distributor Case Studies —InfoSeal, LLC
Closing The Sale With Pressure Seal —Wilmer

Hampton Seminars Include:
Closing The Sale With Pressure Seal —Wilmer
Technology Driven Print —Telemark

For more information on TradeMarts, click here.

Spring Management Conference
DMIA's Spring Management Conference will be held April 13-16 at JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa, Tucson, Ariz. Sessions are designed for presidents, CEOs, sales managers, sales reps and customer service managers looking for practical ideas they can implement immediately. The comfortable, casual, and friendly meeting formats will encourage you to ask questions, share successes and challenges, explore new perspectives and challenge conventional thinking. This is your opportunity to explore new tools, techniques, and processes; discover models of innovation; and expand your network. For details, visit For details, click here.

TOP TEN

Here are this week's top unusual source requests received by DMIA:

1. Seed Envelopes; 3" x 4 1/4"; prints 1 color; foil lined; QTY=2MM
2. Antacid Packets; prints 1-2 colors; QTY=Minimum+
3. Table Tops; 60" x 90"; Formica material; 1 1/2" thick pressboard; QTY=10-25
4. Application; 5 7/8" x 9"; prints 4/1; miniature folding to 1" x 1"; spot glued and packed in trays QTY=5M-10M test, 250-500-1MM final run
5. Personalized Invitation; 7" x 5 1/4"; 3 panel with a die-cut to hold return envelope and reply card; prints 1 color; QTY=250-500
6. Waterproof Matches; possible 1 color imprint; QTY=500 tubes/units
7. Envelopes; #10 double window; prints 4cp; QTY=440M each of 9 lots every month
8. Trash Station Boxes; 20" x 13" x 32"; prints 1-2 colors; cardboard stock; QTY=250
9. Sanitary Glass Caps; 2 3/4" - 3 3/8" diameter; prints 2 colors; QTY=5M-10M
10. Cellophane Cigar Wrapper; prints 1 color; QTY=1M=10M

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 Source Hotline Database online. For new sales ideas every day, try our 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 Cheryl Rush.

Sales and Marketing Tip
10 Forget-Me-Nots For Maximizing Profits
These 10 sales and marketing tips will help you make profits in the long term. Full story.

E-Commerce Spotlight
5 Ways To Avoid Online Credit Card Fraud
Here are five tips to keep fraudulent orders from eating away your online profits.
Full story.

More Information

Product of the Week
Smart Marketing: 52 Brilliant Tips & Techniques to Boost Profits & Expand Your Business
This book teaches novice and seasoned marketers, salespeople and company owners 52 tricks to successfully run their businesses. Each chapter focuses on an innovative, cost-effective idea that solves problems, gets customer commitment and leads to an increase in sales. Code: SMRTMKTG. Member Price: $17.50. To order, contact Tina Davis.

Hot Sites
The Worst Jobs in History
Britain's Channel 4 just wants to make you feel better. After all, you could be a guillemot-egg collector or a corn-grinder in the days of the Roman empire. You could have earned your daily bread as a leech collector.
Visit the site.

Film Festivals
Now that the Oscars and Golden Globes have been awarded, you may think that the season of film celebration, award shows and festivals is in a quiet slumber. Nothing could be further from the truth. This site provides a great resource about previous and upcoming film festivals worldwide. You can read the latest headlines from the various festivals and coverage of the proceedings, and search a prodigious database of information.
Visit the site.

Got News?

Email your press releases to: E-Weekly News. Send company logos as .gif or .jpg files (20k or less). Submissions may be edited and logos may be resized.