Tags/Tickets

It's the first thing customers notice when they are trolling supermarket aisles and retail giants—labels stuck to bottles and jars and tags hanging from shirts, pants and shoes. For some consumers, it may be what helps them pick between Skippy or Jif, Pepsi over Coke or helps them choose what to pour over their salads.

Think of Rick Heinl, president of Tipp City, Ohio-based Repacorp, as a kinder, gentler daddy dearest type.

Last year, print professionals continued to navigate the rocky path of an economic recession. Nevertheless, overall sales figures were up from 2008. Were manufacturers able to hold on to their modest success? The answer is not so simple.

Tis the season—for shoplifting. Add the desperation associated with an economic recession to the busy holiday rush and the end result is probably less than desirable for store owners. Sure, product moves off the shelves, but not through purchase.

You can run, but you can’t hide. There’s no escaping [cue dramatic music]: The Recession. Had enough of the media’s fear-inducing headlines? Like it or not, this is reality—and not just for the printing industry. But that doesn’t mean suppliers and distributors have to close their eyes and wait for miracles to fall in their laps.

When a rental company presented Random Lake, Wisconsin-based Badger Tag & Label with the challenge of tracking its equipment inventory, Badger's solution was to create a perforated tag allowing for multiple tear-off parts in clearly identifiable colors. This tag allows the company to immediately see where each piece of equipment is in the rental cycle—just returned and requiring inspection, needing repairs or maintenance (therefore, unavailable for rent) or ready to rent.

The economic downturn could actually mean an upswing in sales for some traditional products. Just think of all the reduced-price tags and tickets retailers need and the labels for liquidated items, not to mention going-out-of-business signage.

Ward/Kraft, Ft. Scott, Kan., expanded its health care products to include labels critical in the blood collection process. The primary benefit of the new labels is their ability to withstand the handling requirements mandated by the FDA for the collection and distribution of blood donations stored in plastic bags. Distributors are now equipped with a solution for hospitals, pharmacies, medical labs, clinics, chain-of-custody and other health care related accounts who must label plastic bags containing blood and other bodily fluids. The critical components required for the labels to meet FDA and Red Cross requirements include specific adhesive, face stock and print coatings. Blood

The Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute (TLMI), located in Naperville, Ill., is a member-driven association serving the North American narrow web tag, label and packaging industries that companies can turn to for resources and tools to incorporate into their business-planning strategies. TLMI Communications Director and Editor Jennifer Dochstader took some time to speak with Print Professional about the latest trends in regard to growth planning for label and tag suppliers. Strategies are categorized according to company size. • Large Converters: Consolidation is still a central strategy as these companies continue to seek acquisition candidates that serve their overall business objectives. Given the slowed

Hardship. Crisis. Recession. Sound familiar? The current combination of escalating food and gasoline prices is surely reminiscent of the 1970s when high energy prices drove up grocery costs. Americans are desperate for a solution now, but economists predict continued economic doom and gloom. According to ABC News, those struggling to purchase gasoline at $4 per gallon will have to prepare for a $3 increase within two years. Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Agriculture speculated that food prices will continue to spike for at least the next few years. Similar to other industries, label and tag suppliers are combating the increases in raw material pricing