CHICAGO, IL, September 6, 2001 – The National Association for Printing Leadership (NAPL) has announced the publication of the first-ever NAPL State of the Industry Report, an impressive, 60-plus page book containing tightly focused and intensely valuable information about current economic trends for members of the printing industry. A compendium of current NAPL research, including projected industry growth and profitability rates, the report was written and compiled by well-known NAPL economist Andrew Paparozzi and will be available before the end of the fourth quarter 2001. According to NAPL President I. Gregg Van Wert, this marks the first time NAPL has assembled a comprehensive collection of economic data in a single publication. "While similar information has been traditionally offered to our members through newsletters and special reports, it’s never been collectively available in a single source or in such depth," he said. "Because of our reputation for providing bellwether industry data, we believe this is an excellent investment for anyone in the printing industry." Priced at $249 (but only $49 for NAPL members), the 2001-2002 NAPL State of the Industry Report encompasses a full spectrum of trends and track records for the printing industry, including the relationship between the GDP and print-media ad spending and commercial printing sales. Its major purpose, however, is to provide information that helps members of the printing community continue their transformation from printers to communication-solutions providers, per NAPL’s focus on enabling printing companies to profit from change. Among the most important issues cited is how to ensure that printing companies are prepared to serve their clients’ needs during economic downturns, so they’re even better prepared when the economy eventually swings upward. In addition, the report includes pertinent background information on the economy in general, along with estimated sales growth and key trends expected over the next two years. "The report addresses the key concerns that printers have expressed to us," says Andrew Paparozzi. "It also presents views and forecasts from NAPL’s Long-Run Growth Leaders, Printing Business Panel and other proprietary sources that we use throughout the year to provide economic data to the industry at large." The NAPL State of the Industry Report will be available by calling NAPL at 201-634-9600. Additional information may be obtained at the NAPL website, www.napl.org.