ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA (May 22, 2002) – The Printing Industries of America (PIA) has added a new feature to the services they provide and now offers it’s members a new system that will track paper prices. According to Dr. Ron Davis, PIA’s Chief Economist, "after payroll costs, paper is the largest single line item in a printer’s budget, typically comprising 20 to over 30 percent of printers’ sales revenues depending on printing process and products. This new source will give printers’ recent information on paper prices making them more informed consumers in dealing with paper companies and merchants." The system, accessible through PIA’s Web portal www.gain.net (Graphic Arts Information Network) provides printers with month to month data on price changes for a selection of the most commonly purchased paper types. Also included in this feature is a direct interface with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Producer Price Index (PPI). "PIA members will have the benefit of explanation, interpretation and advice on how to use the BLS PPI data, which can be quite cumbersome. This service will translate in to money saved for printers," Davis explains. The service is in the " Business Solutions" section of GAIN and is accessible only to PIA member companies.