Stay Connected with Integrated Products

Laser printing and direct mail redefine the market

"INTEGRATED PRODUCTS are critical to the forms industry," noted Tom Yeager, vice president of sales and marketing at Batavia, Illinois-based Strata-Tac, a supplier of pressure-sensitive films and laminates for integrated labels, cards, coupons and magnets. "The products allow forms presses to go beyond traditional business forms, and open up new markets for manufacturers and distributors."

Yeager added that with the popularity of laser printers, integrated products have become the new "it" in the industry. "Laser printers are so widely used that distributors can't help but to create products that can incorporate laser images—namely integrated products," he said. "Companies that want to keep ID card programs in-house will find that integrated products are easy to design around their print needs."

According to Andy Harnett, president of New Jersey Business Forms, Englewood, N.J., there are several uses for integrated products, particularly in direct mail. "Combining high-color with integrated labels and cards offers something new for direct mail," he said.

Harnett added that combining an integrated card or label with a self-seal mailer is another unique use for the products. "Our InfoSeal division's Pressure Seal Plus offers integrated cards and labels within a pressure-seal self mailer," he explained.

According to Yeager, there has been an increase in the use of integrated products in promotional printing. "Traditional applications, such as shipping labels and ID cards are growing, but promotional printing is where more creative products can be found," he said. He also noted that security applications with holograms for ID cards and parking passes have new potential.

As for market trends, Harnett said that within recent years, manufacturers have been creating trademark names for their products. "It is important for distributors to see past the marketing strategies and realize that the basic materials and construction of the products are still the same," he observed.