Letter from the Chairman of the Board

Published: June 01, 2008

Seventy-five years ago several prominent members of the tag-printing industry came together to discuss the possibility of forming a trade association, and soon thereafter the Tag Mfrs. Inst. (TMI) was officially created. What a long way we've come in the past 75 years since the association's inception; and speaking as the current chairman of the board, I see great potential for the continued growth and vitality of TLMI.

The opportunities and challenges that both the North American industry and the association face today are markedly different than those confronting the founding members of TMI. In 1933 the founding members of the association were facing the possible dissolution of the very market to which they were supplying products. Today, our association represents what remains a de facto and growing product decoration standard in an industry where environmental sustainability and globalization initiatives are paramount — two initiatives TLMI takes very seriously.

TLMI is continuously dedicating resources to environmental directives in an effort to offer our converter and supplier members resources and tools as our membership charts their own companies' course in addressing the sustainability and “green” demands of their customers and of the marketplace overall. TLMI's Environmental Committee is led by some of the industry's most prominent environmental experts, and their directives moving forward remain a core element in the association's function as a key resource for its membership and a progressive force for the industry.

The other issue the TLMI board considers one of its top priorities is that of globalization. The groundwork is being set in place to ensure TLMI expands its reach and bridges the markets of the Americas — bringing a new resource to the growing markets of Mexico and Central and South America. TLMI will be establishing delegations as directed by the needs of our membership, traveling to some of the world's economic powerhouses, including India and China.

As TLMI celebrates its 75th anniversary, we acknowledge and stand firm on the strength of our past; however, we also look to the future and take our role in the continued evolution of the global narrow web marketplace very seriously. I'm confident the TLMI board of directors moving forward will continue to address these market opportunities and challenges and build upon the association's firm foundation to secure its central place in the global marketplace for the next 75 years.

MISSION STATEMENT

TLMI is a member-driven association strongly committed to providing business solutions that enhance the prosperity of its members and the narrow web tag, label, and packaging industries.