The Print Council Announces GLS Companies and The Hickory Printing Group as New Members

WASHINGTON, DC—January 8, 2008—The Print Council, a national business development initiative created to help promote greater use of printing and print media, today announced that GLS Companies and The Hickory Printing Group have recently joined the organization. As new members, the companies will work in concert with other member companies of The Print Council on initiatives to help develop, maintain and expand the market for printed materials.

Members of The Print Council include commercial printers, paper manufacturers, press, ink and equipment manufacturers, publishers, industry associations, ad agencies, and public relations firms. Through advertising and speaking engagements, The Print Council is a visible and leading advocate of print as an effective marketing and communications medium.

GLS Companies is a full-service Integrated Communication SolutionsSM provider based in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. GLS provides award-winning creative; state-of-the-art web, sheetfed and digital printing; on-site mailing; flexible distribution and fulfillment services; packaging design and printing; and promotional products expertise for flawless execution of nearly any size or type marketing campaign. Long recognized for its environmental leadership, GLS was one of the first companies in Minnesota to be certified to Forest Stewardship Council chain-of-custody standards (SW-COC-1865), and has been recognized as a Printing Industry of Minnesota “Great Printer” since 1997 for its environmental, health and safety initiatives. The company is IS0 9001:2000 certified.

“The Print Council has been most resourceful and assertive, promoting the continuing value of print as a preferred media choice,” said Gary Garner, President and CEO of GLS. “As a company, we have always taken an active role in supporting industry causes we believe in – environmental or economic – that benefit everyone. We think all printers should support the industry to help differentiate printing from other forms of communications media.”

The Hickory Printing Group, a privately-held business founded in 1917, is one of the largest printers in the United States. Over the years, The Hickory Printing Group has expanded its services in order to meet the needs of a changing market that requires services that complement printing. Today the company provides results-driven integrated marketing solutions including web, sheetfed, digital, variable data, and packaging printing; eCommerce; mailing; fulfillment; and one-to-one marketing. The Hickory Printing Group is an FSC certified chain-of-custody print provider so that their clients can reliably portray themselves as concerned corporate citizens who recognize the importance of sustainability.

“We are proud to help support the efforts of The Print Council. Because the printing industry is facing so many different competing media, it is imperative that we inform advertisers of the value and significance of the printed piece combined with other services,” remarked Ola Tornerud, Director of Marketing for The Hickory Printing Group. “In fact, while many expected that print would decrease, for us it has increased. Our clients are seeing that print can do more for them when it is complemented by other services. Because consumers respond to a mix of media, we provide print campaigns that integrate with the Internet and with e-mail. Additionally, we have found that consumer demand for printed pieces has continued to rise.”

“Both The Hickory Printing Group and GLS Companies are excellent examples of companies that have demonstrated public and industry responsibility. They are companies that understand how to take active roles for important causes, such as ours,” noted Ben Cooper, Executive Director of The Print Council. “We look forward to their counsel and participation as we work to significantly amplify print’s value in the media mix of advertisers and companies involved in communications decision-making. Their presence adds to The Print Council resources dedicated to providing printers with proven tools to drive home the point that in both traditional and digital markets, print is the powerful core medium for communications.”

About the Print Council
Through education, awareness, market development, advocacy and research, The Print Council serves the industry to develop, maintain and increase the market for printed materials. Launched in 2003, The Print Council’s members now number in the hundreds, representing more than 50 companies, including many of the largest names in the industry. The Print Council may be contacted through Ben Cooper, Executive Director at 202-973-5977, by e-mail at bycooper@wms-jen.com, or on the Web at www.ThePrintCouncil.org.

MEMBERS: Broadford & Maloney Inc.; CGI North America; Corporate Press; EFI; Friesens Corp.; GLS Companies; Heidelberg USA; The Hickory Printing Group; International Paper; IWCO Direct; Jacob North Printing: Japs-Olson; Jet, Inc.;

The John Roberts Company; Kodak; Lake County Press; Lawton Printing;

MAN Roland; Mitsubishi Lithographic Presses; NewPage; Pitney Bowes; Prism USA; Sandy Alexander; Sappi Fine Paper; Sheridan Group; Unisource; U.S. Postal Service; Williamson Printing; Xerox

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS: Cal Poly; CUNY; Cygnus Business Media; DMA; EDSF; EMA; GAA; Graphic Communications World; Group M; HSPR; IAPHC; InfoTrends; Kean University; Leo Burnett; Liberty or Death Communications; Media Ink;

NAK Marketing & Communications; NAPIM; NAPL; New England Printer & Publisher; North American Publishing; NPES; NPTA; NYU; OutputLinks; PennWell; PIA/GATF; Press+; Penton Media; Print Buyers Online; Printer’s NW Trader; Reed Business; RIT; Rogers Media; TAGA; WhatTheyThink.com; Xplor International