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NPES, The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies, is a trade association based in the United States representing more than four hundred companies that manufacture and distribute equipment, systems, software, and supplies used in printing, publishing, and converting.
The Association was founded as the National Printing Equipment Association in 1933 in response to the U.S. government’s call for industries to organize to develop codes of fair practice to promote economic recovery during the Great Depression. The 26 charter member companies included manufacturers of printing presses, bindery equipment, typesetting machinery and specialty equipment.
In 1939, NPEA held its first print exhibition in the US at the 1939 New York World's Fair. In 1977, the NPEA office was moved to Washington, DC, and the next year the organization’s name was changed to NPES – National Printing Equipment and Supply Association.
In 1982, GASC (the Graphic Arts Show Company) was jointly formed by NPES, PIA (the Printing Industries of America), and NAPL (the National Association of Printing Leadership) to organize and manage the industry’s GRAPH EXPO trade show. The organization changed its name once again in 1991, becoming NPES The Association for Suppliers of Printing and Publishing Technologies. In 1998 NPES adopted its fourth and current name, adding “Converting” in recognition of the organization’s representation of that industry segment.
Today, the Association represents manufacturers, importers, and distributors of equipment, supplies, systems, and software used in every printing, publishing, and converting process from design to distribution. Virtually all industry products and processes are represented by member companies, which range in size from under $1 million in annual sales revenue to more than $1 billion.
NPES member services include informational publications, statistical, safety, marketing, and education data and programs, government affairs representation, safety and technical standards development coordination (national and international), and international trade assistance.
Now based in Reston, VA, the NPES headquarters also house the offices of the Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC). GASC events include the international PRINT show and the national GRAPH EXPO exhibition.
Residing at the same location are the offices of the Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation (GAERF). GAERF was created in 1983 by NAPL, NPES, and PIA to channel a portion of the revenues earned by GASC–managed shows into educational initiatives supporting a strong future for the industry.
Founded in 1937, the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. was a professional society representing individuals in the plastics industry. In 2010, the organization began doing business as SPI: The Plastics Industry Trade Association, before changing its name to the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS).
The Printing Industries of America was a nonprofit trade association that advocates for the United States printing industry.
The Technical Association of the Graphic Arts (TAGA) is an organization founded in 1948 in Chicago, Illinois, United States, to publish information about the graphic arts industry. It currently operates out of Warrendale, Pennsylvania.
Graphic Arts Monthly was a trade publication and web site owned by Reed Business Information serving the information needs of the printing industry, including printers and trade plants. Reed predecessor Cahners Publishing acquired Graphic Arts Monthly's publisher Technical Publishing in 1986.
Converting was a trade publication and Website owned by Reed Business Information serving the information needs of converters: industries that convert paper, paperboard, plastic film and foil materials into finished, printed packaging such as bags, pouches, labels, tags, folding cartons and corrugated shipping cases.
The American Pet Products Association (APPA) is a not-for-profit industry association founded in 1958 and headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. The APPA represents more than 1,000 pet product manufacturers, importers of pet products, and suppliers of products for non-pet livestock as well.
The Auto Care Association is a not-for-profit trade association based in Bethesda, Maryland. Auto Care Association's nearly 3,000 members and affiliate companies, represent approximately 150,000 businesses that manufacture, distribute, sell and install motor vehicle parts, accessories, tools, equipment, materials, supplies, and services. Representing suppliers, distributors, retailers, service providers, program groups, manufacturers’ representatives, educators, and publishers, the Auto Care Association protects and advances the interests of businesses providing aftermarket products and services for all classes of motor vehicles.
The Graphic Arts Show Company is an industry association in the United States. It was formed in 1982 by an agreement between three industry associations, the National Association for Printing Leadership (NAPL), NPES The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing, and Converting Technologies (NPES), and Printing Industries of America. GASC aims to provide an effective forum through shows and conferences to meet the marketing requirements of the graphic communications and converting industries.
The Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation is an organization whose mission is to advance knowledge and education in the field of graphic communications by supporting programs that prepare the workforce of the future.
Promotional merchandise are products branded with a logo or slogan and distributed at little or no cost to promote a brand, corporate identity, or event. Such products, which are often informally called promo products, swag, tchotchkes, or freebies, are used in marketing and sales. They are given away or sold at a loss to promote a company, corporate image, brand, or event. They are often distributed as handouts at trade shows, at conferences, on sales calls, and as bonus items in shipped orders. They are often used in guerrilla marketing campaigns.
The American Equestrian Trade Association (AETA) is a not-for-profit (501-C6) trade organization founded in 2007. Association membership consists of 370 organizations involved with manufacturing, distribution and retailing of products for horses and riders.
The GSI C/A/T is a phototypesetter developed by Graphic Systems in 1972. This phototypesetter, along with troff software for UNIX, revolutionized the typesetting and document printing industry. Phototypesetting is most often used with offset printing technology.
The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies is a trade association representing more than 900 North American manufacturers and suppliers of equipment, components and materials as well as providers of related equipment and services to the packaging and processing industry.
The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) represents over 6,000 amusement-industry members in more than 100 countries worldwide and operates several global attractions-industry trade shows. Its annual IAAPA Expo in Orlando, Florida, is recognized as the world's largest attractions trade show in the number of attendees and exhibitors and providing members insight into current amusement trends, laws, operations and industry methodology. IAAPA also helps to promote guest-safety and ride-safety guidelines in conjunction with ASTM International and assists its members to uphold the highest amusement-industry safety and professional standards.
Böttcher America Corporation, a subsidiary of the German firm Felix Böttcher GmbH & Co., manufactures and sells materials for the printing industry in North America since 1982. Böttcher America is headquartered in Belcamp, Maryland United States and employs over 200 employees.
Anuga FoodTec is a trade fair for the food and beverage industry. It covers aspects of food production including process technology, filling and packaging technology, packaging materials, ingredients, food safety, and food production. It is structured into eight product segments: food processing, food packaging, safety and analytics, digitalization, automation, intralogistics, environment and energy, science and pioneering.
The RemaxWorld Expo is an annual trade show comprising vendors from within the print consumables industry. The event began in 2007, resulting from a joint venture between the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) and Recycling Times Media Corporation. Centered in Zhuhai, widely recognized as being the print consumables capital of the world, the exhibition currently takes place in the newly constructed Zhuhai International Convention & Exhibition Center. In 2015, the show accommodated 463 exhibitors and 13,938 visitors from 83 countries.
The Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) was founded in 1904. MEMA represents more than 1,000 companies that manufacture motor vehicle components and systems for the original equipment and aftermarket segments of the light vehicle and heavy-duty motor vehicle manufacturing industry in the United States. Motor vehicle component manufacturers are the largest employer of manufacturing jobs in the U.S., contributing nearly 3 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product. Motor vehicle parts suppliers generate a total direct and indirect employment impact of 4.26 million jobs, up nearly 18 percent since 2012.
The Plastics Industry Association, abbreviated as PLASTICS, is a trade association representing the plastics industry. Founded in 1937 as the Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc., the organization rebranded as the Plastics Industry Association, and PLASTICS for short, in 2016.