White Stone, VA, April 2004—On April 6 and 7, the Research and Engineering Council of NAPL held its 46th annual Binding, Finishing and Distribution conference in Chicago. At the meeting, some 150 postpress personnel from around the world gathered for an advance look at technologies to be introduced at Drupa, as well as learning how to address personnel issues in the workplace. The conference, chaired by Dr. Twyla J. Cummings, assistant professor and graduate program chair at the Rochester Institute of Technology School of Print Media, featured presentations by nearly 20 postpress vendors, who provided the attendees with a preview of forthcoming Drupa announcements. A keynote speech was offered by Barry R. Meinerth, senior vice president for production and fulfillment at Time, Inc., who discussed challenges facing magazines and publishing, and how the binding, finishing and distribution industry must respond. The annual R&E Council Bindery, Finishing & Distribution seminar is widely seen as the preeminent technical meeting in the postpress segment of the printing industry. At the 2004 meeting, attendees heard executives from Action Printing, Banta Corporation, Brown Printing Company, R. R. Donnelley & Sons, GLDirect, and Quad/Graphics describe their successful solutions to myriad postpress problems. Discussing the success of the seminar, R&E Council managing director Ronald L. Mihills said: “No other meeting in the industry focuses solely on the latest in technology and processes for bindery and distribution. This year, postpress personnel heard the latest in operating techniques from users and vendors, and learned about equipment to be shown at Drupa for the first time. The closing session—chaired by consultant Dennis Mason and featuring the observations of Charles Dine of Banta and William Graushar of Quad/Graphics—was particularly well received and provided the attendees with insights from industry veterans familiar with all aspects of bindery operations.” The 2005 R&E Council Bindery, Finishing & Distribution seminar will be held in Chicago on April 5 and 6, 2005.