NAStar

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.

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

Necessity is frequently called the “mother of invention.” Even when new products evolve into cultural mainstays, there’s always room for improvement or repositioning in the marketplace. Breweries in the United States, for instance, have been up and running since 1663, when Nicholas Vartlett opened one in Hoboken, N.J., according to the Hoboken Historical Museum and Cultural Center. Almost 400 years later, companies making and marketing beer still seek ways to maintain market presence. And no matter how successful the daily deluge of direct mail continues to be, upping response rates by adding personalized notes and incentives has become an increasingly popular advertising technique. Liquid

They take a lot of heat, yet remain a cool solution for variable imaging and product identification. Persnickety is a word that comes to mind when discussing laser labels—annoyingly exacting in production and handling requirements. Make no mistake, they're a great product and the demand is certainly there, but if an application can be met using a different type of label, at least consider the alternative. One problem is excessive heat. Fusers on laser printers heat up to 250 degrees and 300 degrees Fahrenheit, making the proper combination of substrate, adhesive and liner essential for the labels to emerge unscathed. Even with the right