Industry Profiles

Royal Rubber Stamps, situated on a busy street in Dublin, has been in operation since 1986. Owner Fran McPartlin described his stamp business in a conversation with M.I.M. Europe editor Anne Shadis.

A few glimpses of this year's IMIA show in Philadelphia, where business and camaraderie combined to make the event a happy and successful enterprise. Stay tuned for even more show coverage in our October 2012 issue of Marking Industry Magazine!

When you consider the broad range of products and applications that fall under the heading of marking and identification, our 2012 Gold Manufacturer of the Year, Durable Technologies, exemplifies a company that spans that spectrum. By consistently expanding through acquisitions, organic growth and strategically serving customers across a variety of markets, the company has positioned itself as an expert in delivering marking and identification solutions, particularly in direct part marking.

Simon’s Stamps has won its second Manufacturer of the Year award with an almost 30 percent growth in sales in 2011. The company, based in western Massachusetts with 15 employees, was a previous recipient of the Silver award in 2005. Owner Simon Peter Alciere spoke with me in detail about their day-to-day operations.

Barry Goldman of AAA Stamp & Seal is a first-time winner of the 2012 Bronze Manufacturer of the Year award with a 36 percent increase in sales! David Hachmeister spoke with Barry at his stamp shop in Saddle Brook, New Jersey.

Russ Bernard of Quality Stamp & Sign Co. in Salt Lake City, Utah, is the 2012 president of the International Marking and Identification Association. I had the opportunity to speak with him about changes in the works for IMIA members in the coming year. The following is an edited version of our conversation.

For Stempel 539, one of the largest stamp makers in the Netherlands, the Internet will be the key sales channel for the future. It is the only channel where there are sales increases even in times of economic decline. But companies have to be very flexible in order to compete in this channel, as conditions change quickly.

As the IMIA’s newly elected leader, Tom Beaver of Indiana Stamp Co. and United RIBtype Co. discusses transitions, both for the IMIA and for stamp businesses, and how organizations can make naturally occurring change work for them.