Postal Forum Opens With Upbeat Mood
WASHINGTON -- Exhibitors on the trade show floor were optimistic about the 2004 National Postal Forum.The forum, an educational conference and trade show, traditionally is held twice a year, in the spring and fall. This year only one forum is taking place, at the Washington Convention Center here Sept. 19-22.
Many exhibitors said that this seemed to be a good move. The exhibit floor, which opened at 3 p.m. yesterday, was crowded immediately and still going strong by last night.
"Every one of our [product demonstrations] held in our booth was full," said Chris Lien, commercial mail market director at Firstlogic Inc., a postal software provider in La Crosse, WI.
His company has seen an uptick in sales this year, Lien said, and "many of our customers are doing very creative and innovative things this [fall mailing] season to save on postage and to stand out in the mail."
Other topics on people's minds at this year's forum: When will the U.S. Postal Service file its rate case? Is postal reform dead? When will the USPS issue a ruling on the First-Class versus Standard issue?
It also was announced here that the 2005 National Postal Forum will be March 20-22 in Nashville, TN. In 2006, the forum also will be held in the spring, but in Orlando, FL.
