Northstar

It's not just famous for its inner harbor and crab cakes. It's not just the backdrop of HBO's now defunct The Wire. Many know it as "Charm City," but for the printing industry it's the site of PSDA's annual Print Solutions Conference and Expo from May 24 to 26 at the Baltimore Convention Center.

Midlothian, Texas-based Ennis announced the promotion of Tony Orsello to the position of general manager at Northstar – Brooklyn Park, Minn.

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

DMIA’s annual Print Solutions conference and exposition will be held Oct. 3-5 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill. The conference will provide three days of educational sessions, including a presentation by this year’s keynote speaker, Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House and co-author of “Contract with America.” Join Gingrich as he analyzes the current political climate in Washington, DC, and educates attendees on effective leadership. This year’s conference will feature equipment demonstrations, offering distributors better insight into how various applications are produced. In addition, exchange centers will be located on the show floor with more than 34 hours of

Customer need and supplier innovation converge with profitable results for distributors FROM VALUABLE basics—such as the fact that banks and credit unions do not co-mingle their languages—to the latest in anti-counterfeiting techniques, suppliers are a valuable source of information for distributors either looking to get started in the financial market or interested in increasing existing selling opportunities. "Distributors new to the market need to understand there is a separation between a bank and a credit union. They are two different channels," remarked Jim Staricha, national sales manager for Northstar, a division of Ennis located in Brooklyn Park, Minn. "For example, banks have

Checks won't be bounced out of the forms business anytime soon. Talk to anyone in the forms industry about the fate of the check business and two main issues will undoubtedly dominate the conversation: online banking and Check 21. Ever since the dawn of online transactions, the demand for personal check orders has been declining. And, ever since the passage of last fall's Check 21 regulations, there has been some conflict as to whether a manufacturer's security features pass muster. Despite these looming issues, there is a silver lining. "The real story about checks is that the paper document is going to be around

The North American Security Products Organization (NASPO), Washington, D.C., recently announced the certification of Northstar and Brady Brand Protection Solutions at its quarterly board meeting. The companies are the first certified security product producers in North America to be recognized by NASPO. To meet certification requirements, both organizations were required to adhere to the consensus standards set forth by NASPO, and to undergo a security audit by independent auditors. Both organizations met or exceeded the requirements for classification. Brady Corporation, Milwaukee, is an international manufacturer and marketer of complete identification solutions and specialty materials. The Brand Protection Solutions group provides a variety of

Acquisitions and consolidations make a shaky year in the print industry remain profitable. Transcontinental Printing Once again Transcontinental Printing, Warminster, Pa., has achieved the top ranking on the BFL&S Top 100 Manufacturers list. Reporting $2 billion in development within the United States for its latest fiscal year completed—$200 million more than last year's figures—the company thrives on nothing less than offering the best. According to Tracy Dennis, director of business, this year the best has meant concentrating on strategic relocation maneuvers and internal growth. "We've undergone consolidation, as well as staff, procedural, manufacturing and program changes that all contribute to Transcontinental's continued success," said

Dodging downturns and responding to distributor needs, the following lead a $4.96 million line-up. According to Tracy Dennis, vice president of sales for Transcontinental Printing, Newtown, Pa., "our current growth areas are in value-added products, but data management and fulfillment are emerging as the way of the future." She explained that distributors are increasingly requesting these services as customers are seeking a single source for meeting all of their needs. "For example, end-users conducting large direct mail campaigns want assistance with storing, tracking and managing data, rather than simply manipulating it. This allows them to prepare better focused and more effective future mailings."

Forms leaders speak out about the past, present and future of the industry Transcontinental Printing, Newtown, Pa., keeping up with industry needs means paying close attention to industry trends and customers' needs. "We make sure we are manufacturing the products that distributors are asking for," said Tracy Dennis, sales manager. She explained that company representatives continually talk to and meet with customers and ask where they see the industry headed. This feedback, she noted, has shown that distributors are seeking fewer continuous forms and more value-added products such as direct mail, label forms, cut sheet products, security features and commercial pieces. "We