PRINTING United Alliance Forms Strategic Partnership with ASI

In the move, Alliance members will have greater access to ASI, the leader in the promo industry; and ASI will acquire the Alliance's Power Meetings events and Print & Promo Marketing media brand

Fairfax, Va. - PRINTING United Alliance, the most comprehensive member-based printing and graphic arts association in North America; today announces a strategic partnership with the Advertising Specialty Institute® (ASI), a leading technology, marketing, and information provider in the $26.1 billion promotional products industry. The mutually beneficial partnership between the Alliance and ASI paves the way for members of both organizations to benefit from the increasing convergence of promotional products and print distributors, printing, and apparel and promo decoration.

"The collaboration with ASI demonstrates the Alliance's mission-driven focus to equip members and the industry with the very best opportunities in the ever-evolving print and promo segment," says Ford Bowers, CEO, PRINTING United Alliance. "For the many printers and print distributors evaluating promo products or interested in expanding their business, this partnership offers them multiple access points to ASI, the leading promo industry service provider.

"For ASI suppliers and distributors who decorate in-house, this relationship with the Alliance delivers invaluable support, education, research, events, and expert guidance on the best techniques and technology to help them more effectively and efficiently decorate promo products."

As part of the agreement, ASI will assume ownership of the following programs and content:

• Events: Five Power Meetings and Power House hosted-buyer events strategically located across key markets. The Coeur d'Alene, ID, Power Meeting was held March 25-27. Upcoming Power Meeting and Power House events include Austin, TX, May 20-22; Napa, CA, August 19-21; Chicago, IL, September 23-25; and Park City, UT, October 28-30.

• Media: Print & Promo Marketing (PPM) magazine, a daily e-newsletter, media website and free Print & Promo Marketing Product Search tool, providing ASI distributors, suppliers and decorators with an expanded toolkit of resources and technology.

Alliance and ASI Events Collaboration
PRINTING United Expo and ASI are teaming up to offer an ASI Promo Products Knowledge Center and provide promo-focused education sessions at this year's Expo, taking place September 10-12 in Las Vegas. The 800+ exhibitors expected at the Expo this year will include several of ASI's top 40 suppliers. In turn, the Alliance will offer print-focused educational content at upcoming ASI trade shows.

A co-marketing agreement encompassing events, print, social, email, and digital media will provide members of both organizations with a clear understanding of where promo and various segments of printing overlap, identify opportunities, and promote membership offers.

"To drive growth in the promo industry, collaboration is imperative," says Timothy M. Andrews, ASI president and chief executive officer. "Considering that 20% of ASI distributors have ties to the print sector and a similar proportion of screen printers have expanded into promo, the potential for synergy is clear. By pooling talents across promo, screen printing, print and decorating, we'll create a dynamic marketplace unparalleled in its scope and potential, while bringing together ASI suppliers, decorators, and distributors at more relationship-building events than ever before.

"ASI members will have direct access to join the Alliance and their leading tools, research, events, subject matter experts, and affinity partners that will help them more effectively and efficiently decorate promotional products. Alliance members and printers who are looking to improve their decoration services and expand into promotional products will now have the prime opportunity to do so. We are excited for this partnership and the countless benefits it provides to the industry."

Join the Alliance
For more information on how to join the growing Alliance community and gain access to leading industry experts, events, programs, services, and resources, visit www.printing.org/membership.

About PRINTING United Alliance
PRINTING United Alliance is the most comprehensive member-based printing and graphic arts association in North America, comprised of the industry's vast communities. The Alliance serves industry professionals across market segments with preeminent education and training via iLEARNING+, workshops, events, research, government and legislative representation, safety, and environmental sustainability guidance, as well as resources from our leading media brands - Printing Impressions, Packaging Impressions, Wide-format Impressions, In-plant Impressions, and Apparelist. A division of PRINTING United Alliance, Idealliance is a global leader in standards training and certification for printing and graphic arts operations across the entire industry supply chain.

PRINTING United Alliance also produces the PRINTING United Expo, the most influential days in printing. The expansive display of technology and supplies, education, programming, and services are showcased to the industry at large, and represents all market segments in one easily accessed place.

About ASI
The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI®; asicentral.com) serves a network of 25,000 suppliers, distributors and decorators in the $26.1 billion promotional products industry. ASI's flagship product, the technology platform ESP®, manages the industry's entire supply and marketing chain. ASI also produces award-winning digital and print content, live events and educational programs that enable companies in 53 countries to be more efficient, productive and profitable. ASI's media and research operation provides the most authoritative business content in the industry, and the ASI Certification Program features 200+ live and online education courses for industry professionals. The company, family-owned and -operated since 1962, is proud to have been consistently ranked among the "Best Places to Work" in Philadelphia and Bucks County, PA.