Bertek Systems

Nearly three years have passed since the Print Services & Distribution Association (PSDA) joined forces with management firm SmithBucklin and relocated its headquarters from Alexandria, Va., to Chicago. Now the PSDA is making bold moves once again.

The fun doesn't stop at 50. Additional suppliers responded to this year's Top Suppliers survey, but just missed this year's list. Here are some of them:

The Print Services & Distribution Association (PSDA) is adding even more charm to Baltimore this year.

Do you think outside of the box? If so, you might consider adding integrated or affixed items to your product line. Here is a collection of the latest styles companies have to offer.

A little change never hurt anyone. With that in mind, this year’s big show promises a change of pace, a change of scenery and a change in demand. The newly revamped PSDA (formerly DMIA) will host its annual Print Solutions Conference and Exposition on Oct. 23-25 at the Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore. This year’s featured general session keynote speaker will be Charlie Pesko, founder and president of InfoTrends, a leading market research and consulting firm in the digital imaging and document solutions industries. Technological advances and refined marketing strategies are just some of the issues gaining momentum in a slowing economy. To encourage print

1 Ennis Headquarters: Midlothian, Texas Annual Sales $(000): 584,713 Principal Officer(s): Keith Walters, Chairman, President, CEO Employees: 6,200 Locations: 44 2 Champion Industries Headquarters: Huntington, W. Va. Annual Sales $(000): 145,188 Principal Officer(s): Marshall T. Reynolds, CEO Employees: 740 Locations: 22 3 Western States Envelope & Label Headquarters: Butler, Wis. Annual Sales $(000): 117,900 Principal Officer(s): Mark S. Lemberger, President Employees: 731 Locations: 5 4 Printegra Headquarters: Peachtree City, Ga. Annual

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

Static cling signs, banners and decals make great advertisers and have unlimited applications. Your flag decal won't get you into heaven," went a popular refrain in the '70s. These days most people probably wouldn't even consider putting an adhesive decal on their windows in the first place. But there is an alternative—static cling labels and decals. Using an electrostatically charged vinyl substrate, static cling labels are removable, repositionable and perfect for short-term advertising. They allow advertisers to quickly change and update their messages and can be printed in almost any size with eye-catching graphics. Though they may cost a bit more than adhesive-backed

Applications determine whether affixed or integrated products are indicated. The demand for value-added products has resulted in some innovative applications that combine multitasking convenience with aesthetic impact. This is certainly true of affixed and integrated products, which offer customers effective, streamlined approaches to sending, receiving and processing information. Add to this the tamper-proof/tamper-evident features that can be incorporated, and it's not surprising that these products are flourishing within the health-care, direct mail, manufacturing and retail industries. As single products that break out into individual components, there are clearly similarities between affixed and integrated solutions. However, affixed products involve joining two separate pieces of media

Customization is key to selling security labels By Eric Fiedler When distributors are fishing for security label sales, manufacturers suggest using customization as the bait. "If a customer has a concept, but isn't exactly sure how it can be achieved, we work with distributors to develop a product to meet their exact needs," said Debbie Chadwick, customer service manager at Bertek Systems, Swanton, Vt. Bertek Systems produces custom products such as tamper-evident labels, security slits, void features and more. John Abbott, sales manager for Metro Label, Garland, Texas, also said the majority of his orders for security labels "depend on what the end-user wants to accomplish." Vic Flanigan, vice