FME

Orlando-based FME, will be unveiling some new equipment at PSDA's 2012 Print Solutions Conference & Expo at the Baltimore Convention Center from June 4 to June 6. 

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

Maitland, Florida-based FME will pre-introduce its new all-round label/integrator to the industry at the upcoming Print Solutions Conference and Expo.

On November 29, the White House lowered its forecast for next year’s economic growth, saying unemployment would rise as the housing slump and credit crunch weigh on national economic activity. Under the administration’s new forecast, gross domestic product will grow by 2.7 percent next year. The previous projection called for a stronger, 3.1 percent increase.

Finishing can add profitability to a product portfolio. One of the strategies that distinguishes some very profitable manufacturers and distributors of printed products is a strong focus on post-printing operations that add value through product features or print-related services. Printing industry participants have traditionally looked upon press production as the heart of their business—and press capabilities certainly continue to be very important—but market trends and overcapacity in the printing industry have reduced the ink-on-paper part of many printed products to commodity status. This includes forms, labels and commercial printing, where the ability to add value with press capabilities has gradually declined.

Changes in the industry have an impact on imprinting. To some, imprinting refers to screened or embroidered logos and marketing messages on promotional items. But in the printed document industry, imprinting usually describes personalization on checks, consecutive number applications, bar codes and variable data—mostly done in black ink—applied inline during product production or added later to pre-printed stock. Non-impact printing technologies—such as laser and ink jet—have had a tremendous impact on the use and manufacturing of imprinting equipment. Ten years ago, there were approximately 28 imprinting equipment manufacturers worldwide. Today, there are fewer than half that. Depending on whom you talk