“There’s a magazine for that?”  That was my first reaction upon entering the label printing
industry. Of course, I’ve since learned that there truly is a magazine for everything, but at the time, it sure came as a surprise. And as I began learning about the industry and all that it entails, the surprises continued to come.

This issue we feature an article on in-mold labeling. I distinctly recall one of my first conversations with Jack Kenny. As he was introducing me to the industry, he explained that the product decoration on many laundry detergent bottles is indeed a label. That was a surprise.

Having had no background in packaging or printing, I had never considered or questioned packaging or labels in general. But once I got started, the revelations kept coming. Take security labeling, another topic covered this month. As an oblivious consumer, these labels were nothing more than a nuisance to me, trying to open up a CD or DVD case. I certainly didn’t pay attention to the nuances of this sticky, little strip – the holograms and any or none of the residue or label pieces it left behind.

Surprises continue to come. Sometimes it can be in the form of a new product launch, supplier partnership or merger and acquisition. Take Mark Andy’s recent acquisition of Print Products. For me, that was a surprise, if only because I personally know David Cloud and his family. When you can put a face and a personality to a news story, it certainly makes it resonate that much more.

As 2013 gets underway, I wonder what surprises it has in store. Not only are we all another year older, so is our industry. Technologically, it continues to advance. Digital keeps making headlines, as does faster, robust and increasingly automated flexo presses. Of course, green is still a theme, and will continue to be as long as we continue to make landfilled waste. And then there’s the aforementioned industry consolidation. Which topic will dominate the headlines this year? Could there be something new entirely?

Now back to magazines, specifically this one. Rodman Publishing got its start in 1964, and has been covering the label industry through L&NW since 1996, along with a number of other market-leading trade magazines. We’ve recently undergone a slight rebranding with a name change to Rodman Media, which better reflects our evolving business. In other words, we are more than just magazines, but also have websites, webinars, live events and direct marketing programs.

With that in mind, visitors to our website, nitesh_lnw.rodpub.com, may have noticed some changes in recent months, and the same goes for our weekly e-newsletter. Like the industry we cover, we are continuing to evolve to better serve our audience. That said, we welcome any suggestions that may enhance your experience.