Ward/Kraft

Close working relationships between distributors and manufacturers can improve sales for both. Selling solutions involves more than just finding the right form in a catalog. These days, it often requires teamwork, with the distributor involving experts in software, production equipment and technology—all from a manufacturing partner. But it doesn't have to stop there. Today, manufacturers also provide printed marketing collateral, product education, plant tours and joint sales calls to boost marketing efforts. For instance, Highland Computer Forms, Hillsboro, Ohio, offers sample packs and welcomes distributors and their customers on plant tours. "It provides an additional level of comfort if they see

Expanded manufacturer sites add convenience and resources By Janet R. Gross Manufacturer Web sites have offered distributors product information, e-mail communications, even marketing support for several years now. Some forms producers, though, have begun expanding their sites, promising added convenience and resources for distributors. For instance, a few manufacturers allow end-users to enter reorders through their Web sites and credit the distributors with the sales. Roger Buck, national sales manager and vice president at Ward/Kraft, Fort Scott, Kansas, said he expects this capability to be added to the company's site by the first quarter of next year. "It's a development issue," he said. "We

Newsbrief American Buys CST/Star Assets American Tissue, Happauge, N.Y., has purchased the assets of CST/Star Products, Wheeling, Ill., which recently closed. The purchase includes all of CST/ Star's eight plants, presses and other equipment, accounts receivable and all brands, trademarks and copyrights. The new company, operating under the name American Forms, is led by President and CEO Alan Vosper. American has opened three of the purchased plants—Wheeling, Ill.; Plano, Texas; and Leola, Pa.—employing about 100 people. Approximately 85 of those employees formerly worked for CST/Star. No senior management has been retained. In addition to the three plants, American Forms has distribution agreements at several

Breaking News GATF Releases Four Research Studies Reports feature PDF setup and digital proofing Four original research studies on color management workflow, PDF setup and digital color proofing have been released by GATF. The color management workflow study looks at the color accuracy and workflow timesavings of color management systems. The study finds that color quality depends on operators, but that CMS systems offer time savings and waste reduction. The PDF setup study was designed to evaluate the image quality of several different compression settings in PDF. The study concludes that compression affects color, detail and modeling. Overall, the JPEG-Medium compression setting produces files

Combining a form and label solves a problem, adds value By Stacey Wenzel With end-users expressing an increasing desire to print documents in the office, the integrated label is becoming a popular value-added solution. The product's streamlined construction minimizes the thickness of the label, allowing it to easily pass through a printer. This flexibility makes it suitable for a variety of applications and markets. "We are starting to build integrated labels into other products, like thermal-transfer forms, multi-part cut sheets—with one part being an integrated label—and plow-folded envelopes with forms and integrated labels," said Daryl Roller, CFC, vice president of national sales for Ward/Kraft, Fort Scott, Kan. "We

Weather- and water-resistant labels withstand harsh elements By Stacey Wenzel You wouldn't dare go to the beach without sunscreen, would you? Or brave winter's snow and cold temperatures without wearing a hat and gloves? We all know that we need to protect ourselves from such extreme elements. The same holds true for labels. If a label can't survive harsh conditions, then it can't perform its job properly. However, with the right protection, labels can withstand some of the most demanding environments. According to Carl Gerlach, director of marketing for Shawnee Mission, Kan.-based Gill Studios, the outdoor durability of a label or decal typically