Cards

Headquartered in Ellisville, Mo., PSI Printing Services introduced EinsteinRewards 3750 in response to reports from convenience marts and gas stations stating that 70 percent of the customers pay for fuel purchases at the pump and never walk inside, causing store owners to lose a captive audience. The challenge was to provide a solution with very little foot print that offered the ability to issue and redeem gift and loyalty cards, print a receipt and maintain databases in an instant. PSI’s EinsteinRewards 3750 is a complete, total solution that runs from a VeriFone Omni 3750 credit card terminal and offers all the benefits of a

AFE Industries, Santa Fe Springs, Calif., announced the installation of a new 10-color Aquaflex DBX Press in its US1 facility in Santa Fe Springs. The 10" wide web press is equipped with 10 flexo print stations, a UV silk-screen print unit, a variable imaging ink-jet print station, a hot-stamping unit, front/back laminating units, front/back UV-curing units and three rotary die-cutting units. This press adds to the facility’s extensive capacity for plastic and paper phone cards, while expanding the process-color tag and label printing capabilities, including the ability to print four colors on the front and back. In addition, the press has the flexibility

Technological advances enable a host of security measures at work in today’s marketplace. Many of the new developments spawn the need for related accessories and supporting products, creating new selling opportunities. This month’s mystery product is an innovative solution designed for use with sophisticated identification badges and card products. Best of all, the unique, practical, patent-pending product makes a great door opener, helping distributors gain access to new accounts. Use the following clues to try to guess what the product is: • It prevents damage to delicate, embedded smart card and RFID technology. • It is a secure measure for both plastic

there is a war being fought on the roads, but you may not realize it when you cruise down the expressways. No road warriors will assault your vehicle with maces or numchuks. To the public, the war is quiet; to those involved, it is a fight for survival—a bitter battle. Don’t assume you aren’t involved in this war. When you arrive at a destination and begin the search for something to eat, you have just entered the fray. On the highways, in the cities and around the airports, restaurants serve the ceaseless flow of hungry travelers. Eateries are one of the firm pillars supporting

Boston-based Arthur Blank & Co. introduced its new Talking Gift Card, featuring a recordable voice chip for personalized messages, which is mounted to the company’s patented RAC card. “Powered exclusively by Voice-Express, the product introduces a world of marketing opportunities for retailers,” said Jake Jacobs, vice president of sales. For more information, visit www.arthurblank.com. Visit www.bfls.com/infocenter and enter #200

Durable, versatile solutions, these industry favorites are tough to beat. Plastic products have maintained their coveted position at the forefront of the industry. From cards to door hangers and keytags to rulers, the durable material has so many uses that customers can't seem to get enough of it. Plastic products have arguably made life more livable, and have proven themselves worthy of the accolades they often receive. "Plastic card sales have increased considerably because people see the value and durability of plastic when compared to paper products," said Jake Jacobs, senior vice president of sales at Arthur Blank & Co., a Boston-based supplier

These not-yet-ready-for-prime-time card products may be the next American idol. From Software developers to plastic card printers and a variety of specialists and consultants in between, smart cards are beginning to attract a lot of attention here in the United States. As expected, costs are coming down, yet they remain prohibitive for most. Still, it is only a matter of time before customers dependent upon a secure, efficient and intelligent approach to operations management are clamoring for this solution. Proactive distributors and manufacturers who begin learning now will be earning later as a result of a smart card education. Slowly but Surely Headquartered in

Plastic products redefine their role in the industry. It has become so intertwined with our lives that we often overlook its significance. We find it in various formats necessary for the ease of monetary transactions, efficient luggage tracking, coast-to-coast calling and room privacy. All-purpose plastic has transformed itself into a plethora of products that make life a whole lot easier. The plastic card has carved a clear and definite path for itself in the plastic products industry. "Plastic cards represent over 80 percent of our printed plastic division's annual revenue," said Dean Boustead, sales manager for Allegheny Printed Plastics, a plastic card manufacturer and

From gift cards to door hangers, printed plastic products are steadily replacing their paper-made counterparts, and in turn, multiplying industry profits. Just as the coveted department store gift card and the ever-present 60-minute pre-paid phone card have made a name for themselves, plastic cards and products are also taking on an increasingly dominant role in today's business practices. Arthur Blank & Co., a Boston-based supplier of private-label plastic cards, produces a variety of cards, including gift cards, membership and identification cards, access control cards and loyalty program cards. While color and design are usually the first attributes that capture customers' attention, there is more

As this high-tech product gains popularity, distributors may be able to find a new profit stream. Did you know that smart cards are experiencing a significant surge in popularity within the United States? In past issues, BFL&S has discussed how these cards have gained so much notoriety in Europe, but not so much in the U.S. Because of differences in existing technology, these smarter-than-average products experienced a fairly slow start here in the states. But it seems the tables are turning in favor of smart cards as more companies are willing to invest in the intelligence, security and convenience they provide. In fact,