NAGASA/Annual Report -
The Channel at Work
A Quick
Message from the President
Dear Member,
One reason I always enjoy doing our annual report each year is that it reminds me how much we've accomplished and in 1996, we achieved more than ever before. We changed the format of this year's report so you could more clearly see how we've worked together in growing our channel.
This year, we moved into more aggressive advocacy of our channel, challenging all participants to join us and see how together we contribute to this dynamic and ever-evolving distribution avenue. In just a few years we've witnessed the shift in distribution from traditional to digital products; digital now accounts for 30% of the activity in the channel, and it's still growing.
We've heightened our membership development efforts, and we're sending out more information than ever before. Two results: Membership is up again by 10% - the 4th year in a row and NAGASA and PESDA, the Printing Equipment & Supply Dealers' Association of Canada, operate under "joint" membership. That demonstrates what an impact we can have in actually shaping the channel by working together.
Of course, we have our challenges, as always. Mergers and acquisitions
continue in our industry, among both manufacturers and dealers. We lost
12 members to M&A last year, although our net membership is still up.
As bigger companies get bigger, smaller companies 
must become increasingly involved in staking out their place
in the channel. NAGASA's the place to do that.
1996 was a very good year for most of us in the channel. Our ambitions for 1997 are even bigger when NAGASA celebrates its 5th anniversary. The more we work together, the better the channel works.
Sincerely,
David J. Steinhardt, President & CEO
NAGASA © 2000