FLAG (Flexo Label Advantage Group) explored the newest label trends and how the organization is poised to support members and vendor partners at its popular Annual Members Meeting. Described by many as, “the one event [they] don’t want to miss,” FLAG welcomed a record-setting 115 attendees to Overland Park, KS, USA, from April 29-May 1, 2025, for the 13^th edition of the meeting – themed “Power Up.”

The Annual Members Meeting delivers knowledge, networking opportunities, Peer Group Meetings, a Partner Tabletop, an Awards Ceremony, and more. The event serves as a gathering for members, allowing them to troubleshoot pain points in their businesses and establish a road map for success.

Currently, FLAG has 141 converter members and 32 vendor partners. According to FLAG, savings for the entire group was more than $11 million last year.

“It’s amazing to have so many people here in attendance,” said JC McKay, president, FLAG. “Everyone is coming together with one mission: to grow stronger and more profitable businesses. This meeting has grown into an experience like no other. We want to give you actionable takeaways you can bring back to your company.”

During the meeting, John McKay, founder and CEO, announced FLAG’s new partnership with Corcentric. Corcentric is a global provider of B2B commerce solutions, specializing in procurement, payments, and finance for enterprise and middle-market companies.

“This partnership is going to revolutionize the way FLAG members and vendor partners collaborate,” said John. “We are improving our operational workflows and delivering bigger advantages to everyone, more than ever before. This new partnership creates tremendous new value for everyone here.”

Our mission is to remove friction from B2B commerce,” added Matt Clark, president and CEO, Corcentric. “We want to create a win-win situation with buyers and suppliers, and that’s our true north star. We’re embarking on a fundamental transformation of the FLAG and IPW ecosystems that will only enhance your operations.”

Additionally, FLAG also hosted the annual Member Tour, which took place at SpectraGraphics in 2025. Lenexa, KS-based SpectraGraphics has seen sizable growth and transformation over the past five decades.

SpectraGraphics has been an industry leader in hybrid printing technology. An early adopter in 2020, the company installed its first digital hybrid Domino 610 press. This installation has promoted the handling of short-run jobs and complex applications like expanded content labels, cold foiling, and resealable packaging. Following its positive returns with the first hybrid press, SpectraGraphics added another in 2022.

“I have really enjoyed FLAG, and I’ve learned a lot and I really appreciate the help of the suppliers and other members,” noted Kevin Briggs, president, SpectraGraphics. “I volunteered us because we’re a testament to what a small converter can do for growth – its equipment, people, and processes.”

“This opportunity is unavailable anywhere else in the industry,” added JC.

FLAG also returned with its informative member panel this year. Titled, “Power Up Your Efficiency & Sales,” the organization welcomed Liz Pecha-Poelker of PrintFlex Graphics, Gavin Bence of Tailored Label, Adam Sidrane of K. Sidrane, and Ryan Jackson of Columbine Label Company to discuss industry trends and how they’ve found success in a challenging landscape.

The panel discussed how their member companies are dealing with many of the industry’s challenges and most popular trends, from workforce and automation to leadership.

“We’ve partnered with a local non-profit on workforce development, bringing in a steady flow of candidates,” commented Sidrane. “These are employees who are motivated to work hard and they want to grow. We’ve reached out to schools and other local trade schools and non-profits to find people with skills that could help our industry.”

“We’ve hired an automation engineer to help solely with projects that would benefit from automation,” added Bence. “The younger generation doesn’t want to learn a craft. The more touch screens, the more it’s like their normal life. That will help and that’s part of our push.”

“We want to find people who are young and want to work,” remarked Pecha-Poelker. “Then we’ll work with them and train them. We’re looking at a generational difference in how different shifts are viewed. People stayed in their jobs longer years ago, and we’re just not seeing that now. We’re keeping our principles at our company, and we have a lot of long-term employees.”

The Annual Members Meeting provided several other highlights. The welcoming night featured pickleball at SERV, while the second evening saw FLAG host its annual Awards Ceremony. FLAG also announced that next year’s Annual Members Meeting will be hosted by Label King, which is based in San Diego, CA.