C. Clint Bolte & Associates

Gathering on the outskirts of Atlanta in Kennesaw, Georgia May 16-19, 85 print manufacturers and suppliers of the Document Management Industries Association (DMIA) networked and heard presentations on leading edge systems, solutions, and supplies to better serve their independent distributor market place. While the some 1,200 DMIA distributor members were not in attendance, they represent approximately $4 billion in business to these manufacturers. These distributors, as professed forms and systems specialists, purchase forms, information flow design services, advertising specialties, and commercial printing to name but a few of the products and services they offer to their clientele.

In addition to the topical presentations, the attendees heard a brief synopsis from each of the conference’s twenty supplier sponsors. Several new product introductions or enhancements were highlighted even before the more traditional Graph Expo ’03 unveiling.

Mr. Ivan Verheye, President of Strobbe’s North American operation, described its soon-to-be released GapFinder™ software. This solution offers rotary forms printers an automated workflow tool to address specific press plate cylinder gap demands. It analyzes each job for gap requirements and takes the necessary steps to assure press compatibility without any operator intervention. The software automatically processes the customer’s file through step and repeat assembly, gap repositioning or split gap imaging, and then the final imaging for register, scan marks, and plate identification. Concluding successful Beta testing during the last six months at three different US plants, the product will be commercially released in the next thirty days. The investment will range from $15 - $60 thousand depending upon the modular buildup.