Label & Narrow Web articles from May 2008

Label & Narrow Web archives from May 2008

The color green.(EDITORIAL)
May 1, 2008... This whole green thing is great. For the past couple of years, ever since the fear of global warming cooled a bit, everybody has been waving the green flag. One would think that with all this excitement the polar caps will start freezing up...

UPM Raflatac opens $100M plant in Illinois.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
May 1, 2008... UPM Raflatac, a global producer of pressure sensitive labelstock, officially opened its newest manufacturing facility in early April: a 220,000 square foot plant in Dixon, IL, USA, about 100 miles west of Chicago. The facility, representing an...

Sustainable Green Printing Partnership announces criteria.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Conference news)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP Partnership) revealed the criteria on how to become a sustainable, green printer at the National Environmental Health and Safety Conference (NEHS) on March 12, in Indianapolis, IN, USA. The...

SCT acquires Graphic Options.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... SCT International, Atlanta, GA, USA, a holding company focused on security printing and brand protection, has acquired Graphic Options, a company that specializes in security design and advanced plate technology. Graphic Options, currently...

Cortegra moves HQ in New Jersey.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
May 1, 2008... Cortegra, a manufacturer of labels and packaging products for the pharmaceutical industry, is moving its headquarters from Fairfield, NJ, USA, to nearby Parsippany. The new 12,000 square foot office will enable Cortegra to centralize many of...

Flint acquires Siegwerk in Australia, New Zealand.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
May 1, 2008... Flint Group has signed an agreement with Siegwerk Group to acquire Siegwerk's packaging ink business in Australia and New Zealand. The agreement includes the intangible assets, sales, marketing and distribution channels of Siegwerk in both...

Wausau Coated attains FSC certification.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
May 1, 2008... Wausau Coated Products, Wausau, WI, USA, a manufacturer of pressure sensitive label products, has announced a first for the pressure sensitive industry. Wausau Coated has attained chain of custody certification through the Forest Stewardship...

Digitalabel launches an expanded website.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Website overview)
May 1, 2008... Digitalabel launched its new website, www.digitalabelllc.com, featuring samples, substrate suggestions, a quote request form and more. "We offer a fully electronic, computer-to-print, narrow web method of printing high-quality, accurate,...

TLP again named best workplace.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Tailored Label Products Inc.)
May 1, 2008... Milwaukee Magazine and The Management Resource Association have declared Tailored Label Products (TLP) to be one of the "Best Places to Work in Southeastern Wisconsin." It is the second time that the company has earned the award. TLP also...

Avery Dennison acquires DM Label Group.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
May 1, 2008... Avery Dennison Corporation (NYSE:AVY) has acquired DM Label Group, a manufacturer of woven labels with manufacturing facilities in six countries. DM Label Group is headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan. "The acquisition of DM Label Group reflects...

Label Traxx adds Indigo parameters to software.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
May 1, 2008... Tailored Solutions' Label Traxx print business management software now fully supports HP Indigo presses in label production. Label Traxx Version 5.2 enables HP Indigo users to automatically apply digital parameters--including speed, spoilage...

GIDUE expands plant due to increased sales.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(GiDue S.p.A.)
May 1, 2008... An increase in sales during its 2008 fiscal year has prompted GIDUE, a manufacturer of narrow and midweb presses, to add 2,200 square meters of space to its head-quarters in Turate, Italy. The company is in the process of constructing an entire...

Three suppliers win FPPA innovation awards.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
May 1, 2008... The Flexographic Pre-Press Platemakers Association (FPPA) recently presented its annual awards in San Antonio, TX, USA. The recipients of the 2008 Technological Innovator of the Year awards are NPP Packaging Graphics Specialists, Kodak, and...

DuPont, Sun join forces to improve flexography.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
May 1, 2008... DuPont Packaging Graphics and Sun Chemical, two suppliers to the flexographic and packaging graphics industries, are collaborating to produce improvements in flexo printing by bringing together Sun's WetFlex wet-on-wet flexographic printing...

Korean firm taps Stork for RFID printing.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
May 1, 2008... EXAX Inc., a South Korean chemical manufacturer, is set to expand into RFID (radio-frequency identification) label production at its Cheonan plant by investing in a dedicated rotary screen printing line from Stork Prints. When installed, the...

GSI Technologies wins Printed Electronics Award.
May 1, 2008... GSI Technologies, Burr Ridge, IL, USA, a producer of industrial graphics products and printed electronics components, has been honored with the Best Commercialization Award from IDTechEX Printed Electronics Europe. More than 600 delegates...

FINAT launches a club for Young Managers.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
May 1, 2008... FINAT, the European label association, has launched a Young Managers' Club to help prepare the next generation of executives for taking control of their companies. The club is welcomed by Isidore Leiser, head of France's Stratus Packaging...

Bunting acquires Magnet Applications Group.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Bunting Magnetics Company)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Bunting Magnetics Company, Newton, KS, USA, has acquired Magnet Applications Group Ltd. (MAGL). MAGL was founded in 1955 and currently has manufacturing operations in Berkhamsted, England, and Dubois, PA, USA. MAGL manufactures and distributes...

SMAG establishes a sales office in USA.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(SMAG Graphique)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... SMAG, a French manufacturer and distributor of printing and converting equipment for the label and flexible packaging industry, has opened a branch office in the United States to handle sales in the US and Canada. The office is located in...

Loparex Group to sell some units to Mondi.(INDUSTRY NEWS)(Mondi Coating BV)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Loparex Group, a manufacturer of release liners, has signed an agreement with Mondi Coating BV (part of Mondi Group) to sell Loparex Oy (Lohja, Finland), Loparex Ltd. (Glossop, England), as well as Loparex's printing and slitting terminals...

FDA approves UV/EB coatings for food contact.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
May 1, 2008... The US Food and Drug Administration has given its approval to the use of UV and EB coatings that come into direct contact with food. Issuance of Food Contact Notification (FCN) 722, which announced the approval, was made public this week by...

Henkel to buy adhesives unit from National Starch.(INDUSTRY NEWS)
May 1, 2008... Henkel KgaA has announced that it will acquire the adhesives and electronic materials businesses of National Starch and Chemical Company of Bridgewater, NJ, USA, a subsidiary of ICI plc. The acquisition is conditional on the successful...

Gallus promotes the benefits of a digital workflow.(VIP SEMINAR)
May 1, 2008... Gallus, a label printing equipment manufacturer, welcomed over 100 guests to its headquarters in St. Gallen, Switzerland, for the company's VIP seminar titled "Industrial Manufacturing: The Benefits of Digital Workflow Solutions." The seminar...

Fraudulent buyers target label printers.(GHANA FREIGHT SCAM)
May 1, 2008... The scammers are going after the label companies. Several North American converters have received emails from various clergymen who are interested in buying labels. It appears that the requests for quotes are aimed at making money through a...

ACPO LTD.(INDUSTRY PEOPLE)
May 1, 2008... ACPO LTD., Oak Harbor, OH, USA--David A. McSherry Sr. has been added to apco's staff as chief financial officer. McSherry has more than 20 years experience in the pressure sensitive industry and is a certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt....

CC1.(INDUSTRY PEOPLE)
May 1, 2008... CC1, Portsmouth, NH, USA- CC1 has announced the hiring of Mike Coughlin as field service engineer.

Erhardt + Leimer.(INDUSTRY PEOPLE)(Dana Caruana, Gary Trinklein and Bob Jackson appointed)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... ERHARDT + LEIMER, Duncan, SC, USA--Dana Caruana has rejoined Erhardt + Leimer as key account manager for converting industry sales, USA. The company has named Bob Jackson technical sales manager for the South Central Territory in the US. Gary...

Fujifilm Hunt Chemicals.(INDUSTRY PEOPLE)(Steven Coomber, Rob Marusa and Brad Phillips appointed)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... FUJIFILM HUNT CHEMICALS U.S.A., Allendale, NJ, USA--Fujifilm Hunt Chemicals U.S.A. has announced the appointment of Steven Coomber to the position of marketing manager, Business Development Group. In addition, the company announced the...

Fusion UV Systems.(INDUSTRY PEOPLE)
May 1, 2008... FUSION UV SYSYEMS, Gaithersburg, MD, USA--Fusion UV Systems Inc. announces the appointment of Bill Tongen as key account manager. Tongen has territory responsibility for sales in Minnesota, western Wisconsin, South Dakota and North Dakota.

Anne Tuzik.(INDUSTRY PEOPLE)
May 1, 2008... GPA, Chicago, IL, USA--Anne Tuzik has been promoted to vice president of finance. In this role, Tuzik will have responsibility for all aspects of GPA's financial management. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Harper GraphicSolutions.(INDUSTRY PEOPLE)
May 1, 2008... HARPER GRAPHICSOLUTIONS, Charlotte, NC, USA--The company has announced the addition of Paul Teachout to its team as Southeast technical graphics advisor. Also, Ken Jones has joined Harper as a technical account manager. Jones is responsible for...

Kammann Service.(INDUSTRY PEOPLE)
May 1, 2008... KAMMANN SERVICE, St. Charles, IL, USA -Kammann Service Inc., the service support company of Kammann Machines Inc., has announced the appointment of its new president, Paul Bolduc.

MetalFX.(INDUSTRY PEOPLE)
May 1, 2008... METALFX, Leeds, Yorkshire, UK--MetalFX Technology, a Ciba Specialty Chemicals Corporation subsidiary, has named Jim Walker as business manager. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Screen.(INDUSTRY PEOPLE)
May 1, 2008... SCREEN (USA), Rolling Meadows, IL, USA -Screen (USA) has announced the promotion of Scott Benson to the newly created position of product coordinator for CTPAVorkflow.

Smyth companies.(INDUSTRY PEOPLE)
May 1, 2008... SMYTH COMPANIES, Minneapolis, MN, USA -Smyth has named Bill Denzen general manager of the company's Minneapolis roll-fed division. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Stork Prints America.(INDUSTRY PEOPLE)
May 1, 2008... STORK PRINTS AMERICA, Charlotte, NC, USA--Danny Sheikh has been appointed executive vice president of Stork Prints America. He moves from Stork Prints Pakistan where he had been managing director since 2001. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Tapecon.(INDUSTRY PEOPLE)
May 1, 2008... TAPECON, Buffalo, NY, USA--Tapecon has announced additions to its sales team. Michael Torrell will cover western New York and Nello Mastracco will cover the eastern portion of the state.

FINAT: fighting fit at fifty: as the European narrow web industry recovers from the Interpack packaging show and prepares itself for Drupa (May 29 to June 11, Dusseldorf), we look at some of the people, products and events on the European scene.(NARROW WEB EUROPE)(Industry overview)
May 1, 2008... It is a sobering thought that 75 percent of the world's present population was as yet unborn when, back in 1958, a small group of British and continental label specialists met in Nice, France, to found the world's first international pressure...

Desperately seeking relevance.(MINDING MY OWN BUSINESS)(Industry overview)
May 1, 2008... I was doing some customer research for a sales and marketing plan recently when I came upon a worthwhile piece of advice to those with purchasing power in business. "Salespeople," the purchaser is advised, "always sell what they have in...

Driving green.(LETTERS FROM THE EARTH)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2008... The president called me and asked, "Are we green?" "Heavens no," I responded. There was a pause and he asked, "Can you help us get green?" I replied, "Sure, I can help you. But at the end of the day it's up to you, you and your team. You have...

Sweet, juicy and green.(FIELD REPORT)
May 1, 2008... When citrus shippers think green, the labels are part of the solution. W.G. Roe & Sons, one of the country's oldest citrus and juice suppliers, is leading the way into the "green" 21st Century with its compostable packaging, including clamshell...

'Clean' manufacturing is green manufacturing.(PRINTING LEAN)
May 1, 2008... Over the past several months we've been discussing Lean as a business model that eschews waste. One of the more common wastes is the obvious waste of physical product--paper, ink, solvents, packaging, etc. It only makes sense, then, that if we...

Star Label Products.(NARROW WEB PROFILE)(Company overview)
May 1, 2008... Star Label Products has one of the cleanest label plants anywhere. Perhaps the cleanest. It's a point of pride and a good business tool. The company makes labels for food companies, generic pharmaceutical businesses, and the cosmetics industry....

European label markets: Europe is a grand mixture--an agglomeration, some might say--of cultures and economies. The label scene, still healthy but in flux, mirrors the continent's diversity.(Industry overview)
May 1, 2008... When the Great and Good of the European label business meet, as they will at the annual FINAT congress in Paris in June 2008, the official theme will be "Rendezvous with the Future," but the unofficial feeling will be "Things can only get...

Plant safety.
May 1, 2008... Twenty to twenty-five thousand workers in industry in the United States alone are killed annually while in the course of their employment. Two million suffer non-fatal accidents of varying degree, which make them miss days of employment. Is it...

Greening the workplace: efforts at environmental improvement range from the simple to the complex, and involve expense as well as payback. Here's how several converters are changing their environments for the better.
May 1, 2008... A big objective in business today is to move away from activities that pollute and destroy to those that have lesser, little or no effect upon the environment. It's called the green movement, and it has several drivers. Producers of consumer...

Materials handling: materials are tools of the trade, and must be handled with care and caution, with safety in mind.
May 1, 2008... Handle with care. This phrase is used to instruct people in the handling of a wide range of materials. From a carton of eggs to priceless fine art, items are susceptible to being broken whenever they're picked up, handled, or put in motion....

Product resources.(Materials Handling)(Directory)
May 1, 2008... The following companies are manufacturers or suppliers of materials handling equipment. AAA Press International Arlington Heights, IL USA 800-678-7222/847-818-1100 aaapress.com Info@aaapress.com Mark Hahn AB...

Label Summit Latin America: long considered to be an emerging market for labels, Latin America is proving itself to be emerging with greater strength and rapidity.(Company overview)
May 1, 2008... Mexico City is a vibrant place, rich in culture, history and tradition. Also, Mexico's capital is one of the world's largest cities, boasting a population in excess of 20 million people. It's a place teeming with energy and in mid-April, this...

May/June 2008.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... The following pages offer new brochures and product information from companies advertising in this section. To receive a particular brochure or more information on a product, please contact the company direct. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Your single source for precision rotary tooling.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... RotoMetrics offers the most complete line of precision rotary tooling. Our products are unmatched in the industry for accuracy and durability, and RotoMetrics ensures its high quality with one of the most stringent quality standards in the...

Electro Optic US: excellence in flexible dies.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... Electro Optics offers three basic grades of flexible dies of unsurpassed quality to address the cut- ability and longevity requirements of the average label stock to high demanding non-paper label-stock. In addition, the Electro Optic extremely...

New from AB Graphic International.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... Omega Digicon Series 2 label converting line * Modular design permits add on options at any time OMEGA Digicon FB * Flatbed Converting Solution with hot foil stamping FSR Filmic Slitter/Rewinder * Inspection...

Bunting Magnetics Co. Magnetic Cylinders and Flat Bases.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... Precision-built Bunting Magnetics Cylinders and Flat Bases can make your existing press better, and a more productive press that can turn out a superior product in less time with reduced labor. Bunting offers a complete line of Magnetic...

Neschen [R] Technical Coatings pressure-sensitive label films.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... Neschen [R] 5000 Series ink-receptive films are constructed of 2 mil, biaxially oriented polypropylene with a permanent, aqueous acrylic adhesive. Available in clear, white and metallic, they can be dispensed at high speeds and offer excellent...

New mini UV from GEW.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... GEW Inc., supplies UV curing systems for the narrow and mid web, printing and packaging industries. Specialist applications include UV systems for wide web CI flexo presses, silicone release coating and ink jet. Innovations include the energy...

Pioneer and global leader in thermal transfer ribbon technology.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... ARMOR brings: * a comprehensive range of TT ribbons. * an unequalled package of services. * a new subsidiary, ARMOR Brasil. * unparalleled investments in production capacity, quality (ISO9001). * health and safety...

Go green for bigger profits.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... GO GREEN FOR BIGGER PROFITS. Looking for a great way to make more money? ELASLON plates are the answer. Longer press life means fewer plate changes and increased productivity and profits. Many of our customers have seen run lengths double on a...

Label Traxx [TM].(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... Tired of multiple software programs to run your business? Your alternative is clear. Label Traxx [TM] job management software is the solution developed for flexo printers, by flexo printers. Integrated modules encompass CRM,...

New Platinum [R] XLT [TM] Anilox Rolls.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... Harper's new XLT (Xtreme Laser Technology) Anilox Rolls were developed after years of research by an international team of printing and laser experts. The benefits to you? Line screens up to 3500 lpi; increased cell volumes; greater longevity;...

Short-run, digital color label printing starting at just $1495!(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... Primera Technology's LX400 Color Label Printer prints full-color images and photos on labels. * Print resolution is 4800 dpi * Prints labels as wide as 4.25", and up to 24" long * Offer your customers short run jobs, with no plate...

The Mark Andy VSR--productive slitting and finishing solutions.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... The Mark Andy VSR uses advanced technology in this efficient inspection rewinder. Operator friendly and offered with a variety of options including dual rewind, 40 in (1016 mm) unwind and 100% vision inspection systems, the Mark Andy VSR is the...

New Durables Product Listing now available.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... The new Durables Product Listing provides details on more than 100 Avery Dennison products specifically designed for the Durable Goods market. Products listed include overlaminating films, print-treated PET, topcoated PET, vinyls, polyolefin...

The Mark Andy 2200--servo driven for performance.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... Known for superior construction and engineering, the 2200 is the most dependable press in the printing industry. With the addition of film capability and servo technology, converters can enjoy the latest technologies while becoming more...

MPS Narrow Web Servo Drive Press.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... MPS leads the Industry with Narrow Web Servo Drive Press Technology. In 1999 the first Servo Drive press was sold. Today there are over 150 Servo presses in production with over 1000 print stations. What does this mean to you??? Experience.......

The next generation turret rewinder.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... The new KR Series Servo Turret Rewinder has bridged the gap between the control of an off-line finishing system and the efficiency of an in-line turret rewinder. The KR rewinds finished rolls and transfers the web to a new core at full process...

Cutting tools world wide.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... Founded in 1965, Kocher+Beck today became one of the best known supplier for cutting tools world wide with production plants in Germany, UK and USA. The product range includes the following: Flexible dies for flat at rotary applications....

Time is on your side with Roll Express.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... Get first--quality paper, films, tag and flexible packaging stocks, slit-to-order in 24 Hours from Roll Express[R]. The industry's most relied--upon roll stock program. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] W6580 Quality Drive Greenville, WI...

INTEGRA 9505 barcode verifier.(Literature Showcase)(Label Vision System Inc. )(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Verify barcodes of any kind, 1D and/or 2D (even multiple codes at one time) and analyze any problems quickly. The state of the art INTEGRA 9505 barcode verifier is powerful and easy to use. It highlights the exact problem area of the code so...

Splice-free and trimless labelstock product guide.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... UPM Raflatac introduces its latest product publication: the Splice-free and trimless labelstock product guide. This guide showcases UPM Raflatac's extensive range of splice-free and trimless products and includes distribution locations...

OMET's Innovative new X-Flex press.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... OMET's Innovative new X-Flex press sets a "New Benchmark" for press performance in narrow web presses. Featuring 'straight-thru' web path (the shortest in the industry-only 1,650mm/5.5ft of web per print station), produces the lowest waste of...

New "C1" rotary die.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... Wilson Manufacturing has developed a revolutionary new finishing process for solid engraved rotary dies. The new process offers multiple benefits such as greater wear resistance and more resharpenings. These dies have proven to be especially...

Aquaflex introduces the ELS Servo 16 inch.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... Building upon the success of the ELS Servo prime label press is the latest addition to the Aquaflex line--the multi-substrate ELS Servo 16. Featuring exceptional reproduction at speeds up to 750 fpm, the ELS Servo 16 provides the extra web...

Stork RSI [R] module program--for the smoothest of rotary screen printing runs.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... Integrate high-value rotary screen printing capabilities to your existing or new press with ease, thanks to Stork Prints' RSI[R] (rotary screen integration) program. Our precision-engineered, repositionable modules deliver ultimate stability...

Polywest Rubin sleeves offer improved performance.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... Literature presents Rubin sleeves for flexo printing that are light-weight, offer greater cut resistance and excellent stability. Specifically developed for use with UV and water-based inks, Rubin sleeves feature a new, innovative surface ideal...

New corona treater advantage DT +2.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... * 40% higher efficiency equals more treatment. * Pre-wired for turn-key installation. * Easy-mount brackets fit any line! * DT +2 Bare Roll or patented TNT systems available--treat any web! * Compact size and easy to operate!...

Nilpeter A/S.(Literature Showcase)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Besides offering your printing business our presses, we offer our support, and experience with the latest market developments and solutions. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With our "People-to-People" approach, working on printing solutions...

Destructible Vinyl products.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... Lintec of America has added a new line of VOID and Destructible vinyl's to its Security and Product Authenticity product range. The new VOID products include bright silver and matt silver polyester films. These products offer a smaller VOID...

EarthFirst [R] brand films.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... Plastic Suppliers Inc. EarthFirst[R] brand films, a patent pending manufacturer of EarthFirst, will be displaying at the 2008 Label Expo show. EarthFirst films have excellent properties: lower shrink initiation temperature, a natural dyne level...

LVS 7000.(Literature Showcase)(Label Vision Systems, Inc. )(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Validate sequential numbers and barcodes as well as verify linear (1D) and matrix barcodes (2D) to ISO standards in-line at press or rewinder line speeds. 100% inspection of the printed image is possible as print defects (blemishes) and human...

Jalema filing systems.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... Jalema offers large format hanging file systems for organizing and protecting valuable job material such as photopolymer plates, film, samples, flexible dies, etc. Sturdy double pocket files with a protective dust/light flap hang on...

New SP-2100 Slip/Peel Tester.(Literature Showcase)(IMASS, inc. )(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... The NEW SP-2100 SLIP/PEEL TESTER is successor to the widely-used SP-2000 Tester and retains all the features but adds as standard: SetupSaver to store 7 setup changes; ExLink21 software to log and plot data in Excel [R]; StatsLink21 software to...

A successful partnership.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... Our customers associate the name Schober with high precision, maximum reliability, long lifetimes and exceptional efficiency. The extensive Schober know-how and the ongoing research and development enable us to offer our customers single...

Coating is our business. Service is our passion.(Literature Showcase)
May 1, 2008... * easy to contact * responsive * technical expertise * over 100 trimless items * easy to do business with * personalized service [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] To see what we're all about, call to request our service...