Mark Andy

A proactive approach to marketplace changes proves profitable for suppliers There are no big surprises at the top of the BFL&S Top 100 Supplier listing this year. Except for a bit of order shuffling, the five companies tßhat have dominated the rankings for the past few years—Ennis, Quality Park, TST/Impreso, Western States Envelopes & Labels and Champion Industries—continue to do so. And, it is traditional products, including envelopes, forms, tags/labels, commercial printing and direct mail, that account for the bulk of the sales that these powerhouses are posting. Principle officers for the companies, however, stressed that it is product line diversification, acquisitions, ongoing

Marathon Label, Wausau, Wis., has added a short- to medium-run label press to complement its long-run capabilities. The eight-color Mark Andy Flexo press is designed to run 5,000 to 250,000 custom labels and tags. The primary niche market is prime/product identification labels that require high-quality, four-color process printing with UV top-coating. Other markets that will benefit from the new press include industrial labels, durable labels, retail tags and static-cling decals. For more information, call (800) 848-2112 or visit www.marathonlabel.com.

Effective tools when independent of one another, forms and labels partner up for dynamic results. Forms and labels come together in a few ways to accomplish all sorts of nifty things for businesses. Kansas City, Missouri-based GRI (Graphic Resources Incorporated)—formerly Dial Business Forms—has been specializing in form/label combinations for 25 years, with particular emphasis on solutions for the health-care industry. For instance, a form and tamper-proof label combination provides added value in processing samples for drug testing. At Genforms, a division of Ennis that's headquartered in Cerritos, Calif., forms featuring integrated labels are a core product. The lion's share of the orders are

The Top 5 Suppliers combined for more than $1 billion in sales for 2004. Quality Park Consolidates Brands It's been a busy year for Quality Park, formerly the PrintXcel brands. The company has changed its name, experienced major growth by realignment and secured the top position on BFL&S' Top 100 Suppliers list. "Our sales and marketing teams were able to secure large pieces of business from existing and new customers this past year," said Allen Conway, president. "These efforts were being driven in 2002 and 2003, and came to fruition in 2004. We're already off and running for 2005." Off and running,

At the Graphics of the Americas show later this month, Prime UV Systems, Carol Stream, Ill., will introduce four new products: a MiniScan 3C for Narrow Web Converters, a Sheetfed UV Coating System, an Easy Scan Portable UV Lamp System and Maximum Speed UV Dryers for Preprint Linerboard and Multi-Wall Bags. 1. The Prime UV MiniScan 3C features an easy-to-install interstation on all new or existing narrow web and label presses, including Aquaflex, PCMC, Propheteer, Mark Andy, Comco and Allied Gear. It offers high-speed curing of UV abrasion-resistant, chemical-resistant inks and coatings. Its high-power air cooling provides an effective low-heat cure, which results in

Quality, service and sound strategic planning put these suppliers on top. Rising from third place in last year's BFL&S Top 100 Manufacturers list, Ennis Business Forms, DeSoto, Texas, has achieved top honors this year. The successful company reported $240.8 million in sales for the latest fiscal year completed. When asked about the company's formula for success, Keith Walters, president and CEO, said that a combination of tried-and-true principles coupled with new ideas and acquisitions have proven to be the winning ticket. "Ennis continues to concentrate on basics, including customer service, cost control and e-commerce developments," Walters said. He also identified the integration of

Distributors can profit by providing the voluminous amount of printed documents utilized in the insurance industry. There is insurance for just about everything these days—health, life, disability, home, auto, long-term care, travel, even J. Lo's... The bottom line is that the insurance industry generates tons of paperwork—both standard and non-standard documents necessary to comply with individual state regulations—creating opportunities for forms professionals to lend expertise in document design to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative. "Forms don't sell themselves," observed Jenny Schidecker, sales and marketing professional for Vandalia, Ohio-based Megaform Computer Products, Inc. "We help distributors develop creative flow with forms by

Wise Tag & Label, Pennsauken, N.J., is proud to announce the addition of a Mark Andy 13˝ 10-color flexo press to its fold. In addition to Wise Tag & Label's other presses, the Mark Andy 13˝ model will help the South Jersey-based company provide a wide selection of printing capabilities—from small, one-color jobs to large, multi-color process runs.

Distributors experience priceless benefits by offering two products as one. Although Form/Label combinations may not make up a large percentage of business for most distributors and manufacturers—some reporting total annual sales of 2 percent or less for these products—they are products that make sense to provide and promote. After all, the applications for form/label combinations are limitless, and the benefits; priceless. For instance, John Strecker, vice president of sales and marketing for Data Label, Terre Haute, Ind., said that some of the specific uses for form/label combinations include packing lists, order forms, invoices, statements, service reminders, returned goods forms, patient information forms, laboratory forms,

New Tickets to Paradise The coupons Aloha Airlines designed for its promotional campaign are purchased in bulk by travel agents and resold at special discounted rates in groups of five to end-users. Contained in unit sets, the coupons require intricate numbering and security features to protect against duplication and theft. To address these production challenges, Aloha consulted Kerry Lam of Honolulu-based Monarch Business Forms to refine the security features of the original design and get it to the printing press. Lam, in turn, contacted Skokie, Illinois-based GBF Graphics. Having partnered with GBF in the past, Lam was aware of the manufacturer's special numbering capabilities.