Industry News
 Portfolio, the quarterly magazine for the members of the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA), has been re-named Craft Industry Today. Further, the publication has a new editorial focus on retail business, and new, lower ad rates to meet the marketing needs of any size craft product manufacturer.
The first issue under the new name will be mailed to CHA members in March.
Fahy-Williams Publishing Inc., publishers of trade magazines for retailers including Art Materials Retailer, edplay, and Educational Dealer has been named the association’s new publishing partner. In addition to Craft Industry Today, Fahy-Williams will also publish the directories used by the attendees of CHA’s two annual conferences and trade shows, held in January and in June.
For advertising information, call Tim Braden at 800-344-0559 or e-mail tbraden@fwpi.com.
The Board of Directors of NAMTA agreed at its fall meeting to drop the word “Trade” from the association’s name. NAMTA will now be known as the International Art Materials Association.
“We aren’t making any adjustments to the logo or the acronym,” said association President Kim Fjordbotten. “There is a lot of brand identity in the word “NAMTA,” and the board strongly agreed it should be maintained. It was simply time to update the association’s name.
“Dropping the word ‘trade’ isn’t a dramatic adjustment,” continued Fjordbotten, owner of The Paint Spot in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, “but instead a better reflection of the association and its membership.”
A valuable new relationship between the National Stationery Show (NSS) and School and Office Products Network (the Network) has been established. Its goal is to promote growth and opportunity across all business sectors. The partnership aims to build the presence of national brands in the commercial/specialty office and back-to-school markets in the 2012 NSS in May, in New York City. The intent is to draw attendance from major retailers in this important business sector, further diversifying the audience to create new business opportunities for both exhibitors and retailers.
The School and Office Products Network serves those who produce, distribute and sell (retail and commercial) furniture, supplies, equipment and services in the markets they choose to serve. The Network offers a variety of membership benefits including proprietary and industry research, educational opportunities, membership discounts and industry-specific news. The Network’s goal is to provide members with opportunities to partner together, utilize expanded resources and reduce costs within their business. For more information, visit www.schoolandofficenetwork.com.
The 66th annual National Stationery Show, the comprehensive source for greeting cards, social stationery and related lifestyle products, is scheduled for Sunday, May 20 through Wednesday, May 23 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The show features nearly 900 exhibiting companies and attracts some 11,000 buyers worldwide. Throughout the week, it presents educational programming, product demonstrations, special events, roundtable discussions and networking opportunities throughout the market week.
The National Stationery Show is owned and managed by GLM. For more information, visit www.nationalstationeryshow.com.
Golden Artist Colors in New Berlin, New York, was recognized by the Otsego County Conservation Association (OCCA) for its continued efforts in making a positive difference related to environmental protection, preservation and education in the county. The Business Conservation Award, new this year, was given to GOLDEN for its participation in the county’s Household Hazardous Waste Day collection for the last several years, an effort that’s been successful in keeping thousands of gallons of paint from landfill disposal.
According to Mark Golden, CEO, the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability is interspersed throughout the organization’s paint-making process as well as its culture. “We have an incredible staff here and what’s really exciting is that each and every employee owner does his or her part to ensure that we keep our environment as clean as possible. Their support is truly invaluable.”
In addition to recycling paint for Otsego and Chenango counties, GOLDEN purchases 100-percent renewable electricity in the form of wind and low-impact hydro. The company also operates a reverse osmosis system to recycle its process wash water, has an extensive in-house program to recycle what would otherwise be solid wastes, and maintains a “no exposure” facility which protects the environment from storm water discharges associated with industrial activity.
For more information, visit www.goldenpaints.com.
Walter Foster Publishing will celebrate its 90th year this March.
Founded in 1922 by artist Walter T. Foster, the company offers a diverse selection of instructional art books and kits. It has helped to create a foundation for millions of beginning, intermediate and advanced artists looking to hone their talent, learn new techniques, and discover different mediums. From its extensive “How to Draw & Paint” to its edgier “Fantasy Underground” and vintage-inspired “Walter Foster Collectibles” series, artists of all skill levels can choose from a variety of topics and mediums across a broad spectrum of traditional and eclectic subject matter.
For younger artists, Walter Foster offers a wide variety of topics in its award-winning “Learn to Draw” series, including pets, horses and moving machines, among many others. For tweens, the Studio Series offers “Fashion Design Workshop” and “How to Draw Magical, Monstrous & Mythological Creatures.” Walter Foster continues to expand its offerings every year, producing cutting-edge art instruction books and kits for a worldwide audience.
For more information, visit www.walterfoster.com, fan the company on Facebook or follow on Twitter.
Pacon Corporation has been purchased though a partnership with Pacon management and Mason Wells, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based private equity firm.
Pacon is a manufacturer, converter and supplier of paper products, educational aids, and arts and crafts products that are marketed worldwide. It operates under the names Pacon Corporation, Strathmore Artist Papers, Bemiss-Jason, Baywood ULC and Superior Specialties Inc. Pacon employs 450 people across six facilities in Wisconsin and one in Canada.
“The company’s skilled workforce, low-cost manufacturing capabilities, strong brands, talented sales and marketing organizations, and experienced management team have allowed the company to consistently meet the expectations of its customers,” said Tom Smith, senior managing director of Mason Wells.
“Mason Wells has a great track record of working with the management teams of packaging and packaged goods companies to create sustainable value for all stakeholders,” commented Pacon CEO Jim Schmitz. “This is a positive move for the long-term growth of the company.”
The 23k gold leaf from Easy Leaf Products, a division of Neuberg & Neuberg Importers Group, was used to create the glittering helmets for Notre Dame’s 2011 Shamrock Series that took place against the University of Maryland in November.
Each helmet was gilded with the gold leaf then “machine-turned” more than 200 times. The result is an impressive swirl effect and multi-layer textured finish.
The unique process took over a month to complete, and can be credited to 12 craftsmen at Troy Lee Designs, the custom helmet paint shop that partnered with adidas for this project.
The process dates back to the 1800s, when early artisans used pure gold dust infused with other liquid substances to paint intricate murals that can still be found in churches, cathedrals and castles around the world today. Other techniques used in the 1920s and ’30s to paint carriages and early fire engines were also employed.
“The helmets are an excellent example of gold leaf’s diversity and the many project opportunities available to organizations inside the gilding community and beyond,” noted Larry Neuberg, president of Easy Leaf Products. |
