Integrated Products

The Print Professional team congratulates everyone who participated in this year’s design contest for their creativity and ingenuity. It was exciting to receive new entries in the mail each day, and to see how industry professionals used their talent and supply chain expertise to deliver effective, high-quality solutions. With loupes in hand, a distinguished panel of judges from North American Publishing Company, Philadelphia, evaluated entries based on print quality, technical achievement and the degree to which a solution satisfied the intended application. They were so impressed with the submissions, that in addition to designating winners in the various categories, the judges felt compelled

The first priority of advertising is establishing need. Even product lines offering unlimited market potential and movement require a little push to maintain sales quotas. The good news is, the function of some products enables them to sneak their way into virtually any market. Form/label combinations, for instance, can be sold to almost every business sector. And, while traditional forms business has hit a plateau in recent years, form/label combinations still indicate room for product growth. Any business with high-volume shipping; any company dealing heavily in consistent consumer response or one requiring the services of a two-in-one product can be targeted to expand form/label

Laser imaging is typically done on matte card stocks. Now, USA/docufinish, Plainfield, Ill., introduced XBP—a vibrant, ultra-bright, fully laser-compatible EZ-Release Card. The product is available in 5 mil, 7 mil and 10 mil thicknesses, and has a specially formulated glossy, laser-receptive top coating, which provides superb toner anchorage while allowing for enhanced color. As with all USA/docufinish EZ-Release Card products, XBP can be printed in up to six colors, as well as four-color process. The company can also expertly affix the cards to forms and documents. Founded in 1986, USA/docufinish is an industry leader in innovation and unique value-added products. The company specializes

“Super-sizing” may have negative connotations since the release of a certain documentary a few years ago, but that doesn’t mean everything that’s been super-sized is potentially lethal. Offering traditional form/label combinations and affixed and integrated products is a healthy way for manufacturers to expand the variety of their services and products base. Even manufacturers of integrated labels may overlook everyday uses for such products. But, as consumers, we use form/label combinations and integrated products so often, they’ve become as ubiquitous as McDonald’s signature golden arches—well, without the same level of product recognition. First developed by Gary Stewart of Trade Printers, Phoenix, in 1980, the

By Maggie DeWitt Today’s much-touted industry mantra of “add value” is certainly helping distributors and manufacturers generate lots of good karma and healthy profits. This month’s mystery product creates a new opportunity to do the right thing for customers when it comes to supplying value-added integrated products. Check out the following clues and try to guess what it is: • It is a manufacturing capability that creates an alternative to roll-to-sheet production methods. • It is designed to accommodate the increasing demand for short-run jobs. • It cuts costs while enabling more printers to differentiate through value-added features. mystery