ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA – The Graphic Arts Marketing Information Service (GAMIS) of Printing Industries of America (PIA), Incorporated, recently published the new industry awareness study entitled Package Printing 2001-2005. The study focused on corrugated, flexible packaging, folding cartons, and labels. The objectives of the study were to: * identify key trends for printers, suppliers, and senior management in the packaging industry; * identify opportunities for industry suppliers to better serve package printers; * provide a qualitative analysis of important packaging industry issues; and * quantify the demographics of key packaging segments including corrugated, flexible packaging, folding cartons, and labels. According to State Street Consultants, of Boston, Massachusettes. which conducted the research for GAMIS, packaging will grow in line with its long-term historical growth rate, but perhaps a bit slower than the peak growth of the second half of the 1990s. Labels and flexible packaging will be the fastest growing packaging segments. The value of printing in packaging for the four studied segments is $21.2 billion. State Street reports that between 2000 and 2005 the four packaging segments studied will experience compound annual growth rates as follows: corrugated 3.5 percent, flexible packaging 4.5 percent, folding carton 2.5 percent, and labels 4.5 percent. Flexography is the dominant process for all of package printing, holding between a 60-70 percent share, equivalent to $15 billion in value. Offset printing, however, is and will remain the dominant process for folding cartons. The study found that the move to digital workflow and computer-to-plate, or CTP, are the biggest changes and challenges on the horizon for packaging segments. Prepress trade services are handled by traditional prepress firms, and nearly one-quarter of all trade shops concentrate on packaging, working primarily with converters. State Street also found that there is an increasing use of complex process color, especially in flexible packaging and folding cartons. The firm also found that the client most often decides on the printing process for their packaging project. Package Printing 2001-2005, is a more than 400-page report and was recently distributed exclusively to GAMIS members. The complete report will not be available for sale to non-members until after January 1, 2002. For more information on the study, or to become a GAMIS member, contact Jackie Bland, GAMIS executive director by phoning 703/519-8179. Details can also be found on the web site at www.gamis.org. GAMIS is a special industry group of PIA dedicated to providing its members with current, relevant market data and information on the graphic arts and related fields. The principal benefits of the organization are member-directed research studies, quarterly meetings, market research skills building, and unlimited networking opportunities.