Express Business News

What to Keep and What to Shred This Tax Season

If you're like most people, you spend more time organizing the closet than your financial records. After all, knowing when to get rid of clothes is a lot easier than knowing the rules for how long to keep tax returns, or better yet, whether or not you should be keeping receipts and credit card statements.

Unfortunately, as identity theft crimes continue to grow, we're living in a time where one person's trash is another person's treasure. As Americans sort through mountains of paperwork this tax season, it's important to not only understand IRS rules, but also protect personal information from would-be identity thieves. Last year, consumers lost nearly $57 billion to criminals who stole their identities - a scary thought as we discard old documents and fill up our garbage cans prior to April 15th.

Although it may seem easiest to keep financial records indefinitely, an overflowing desk drawer or filing cabinet makes it nearly impossible to access documents when they're needed. It also increases the likelihood of accidentally misplacing sensitive documents that can lead to identity theft.

"It's important to understand which documents need to be kept and which need to be shred to avoid having personal information fall into the hands of an identity thief," says Kristen Gehrig, senior marketing manager for Fellowes, Inc., the leading shredder manufacturer. "Shredding sensitive documents has become a home necessity these days."

To conquer the stacks of paper that inevitably accumulate in every household, it's important to understand what you need to keep and what you can safely shred:

• Tax returns: The IRS has three years to challenge information in your return and six years to conduct an audit based on unreported income. Keep tax returns and supporting records, like W-2s and 1099s for at least seven years.
• Investment statements for taxable accounts: Most brokerage firms and mutual fund companies send annual statements summarizing the year's transactions. Once you have these, you should shred your monthly and/or quarterly statements.
• Bank statements: Keep statements that back up information on your tax returns for up to seven years. Other bank statements can be shredded after reviewing for errors.
• Credit card statements: Keep statements for big purchases, like jewelry or large appliances. You might need them for warranties. If you put charitable contributions on your credit card, keep the statement for your tax records. Other monthly statements can be shredded once you've reviewed them for errors or unauthorized purchases.
• Pay stubs: While many people say to save these, it's a huge mistake. They contain everything an identity thief needs to open an account. Keep three months of history only if you are applying for a mortgage.
• ATM receipts: Shred all receipts after you balance your bank statement.
• Canceled checks. With no significance for tax or other purposes, these should be destroyed after one year.
• Retirement plan contributions: Keep records of contributions to non-deductible individual retirement accounts, such as a Roth IRA, indefinitely. Without them, you may find yourself paying taxes again when the money is withdrawn. Some financial institutions keep records of IRA contributions, but it's best not to count on it.
• Insurance policies, wills and other legal documents: These documents should be kept indefinitely.

For documents you need to keep, consider storing them in a safe and accessible place, such as a fireproof box in your home. When destroying records, it's best to use a shredder that can slice credit cards and has cross-cut (also known as confetti-cut)capabilities, such as the Fellowes' Powershred DS1. Identity thieves can't steal what they can't read, and cross-cut shredders ensure that private information is destroyed into small, unidentifiable pieces. The Fellowes DS1 is recommended by groups such as the Good Housekeeping Institute because of its Safe SenseT Technology, which shuts down the shredder when it senses that hands are too close to the paper opening, thus alleviating child safety concerns with a shredder in the home.

Paper Shredders

Additionally, a few more protective measures against identity theft should be taken during tax season. Take tax forms directly to the post office; do not leave them in a private mailbox where they're accessible to a potential neighborhood thief. Also, be sure to shred any paperwork needed to calculate taxes such as receipts, bank records and various forms. If you choose not to do your own taxes, be very selective of whom you hire. Conduct research on tax companies and ask questions, including how information will be stored, shared and disposed or destroyed.

GBC Showcases Top 20 Ways to Laminate Around the Home

Americans are getting more creative in developing methods to make their memories last forever with technologies such as writable CDs, memory sticks and mini hard drives. But, not everything can be stored or easily accessed electronically, as evident by the large increase in color printers, digital photo printing and a renewed interest in crafts that preserve memories like scrapbooking.

“GBC® has seen more interest in its lamination products from home users than ever before,” said Kellie Glueck, Director of Consumer Marketing at ACCO® Brands.

In a recent research study of home and business consumers who own laminating machines, GBC found that 24 percent use them to protect recipes and 23 percent utilize them for craft projects. “It's easy for consumers to capture volumes of memories and information that don't have the same effect in a digital format, like family recipe cards passed down through generations,” said Jim O'Shaughnessy, Lamination Category Manager for ACCO Brands. “We offer new laminating pouches to make it easier for both home and business users to laminate with or without a machine.” The SelfSeal™ NoMistakes™ lamination pouch does not require a machine. Simply align a document on the non-adhesive side of the pouch and peel away the liner to firmly seal it with a glossy, clear finish. Plus, the consumer has up to 24 hours to reposition the item, if needed. Another popular option is the HeatSeal® RetrieveIt™ pouch, sealed with any standard GBC pouch laminator. It fully protects documents for as long as needed. Just cut the pouch to remove the item still intact – a perfect touch for photos.

From checklists to photos, here's a sample of the hundreds of creative ways that people are laminating in their home lives:

• Recipe cards that also include photos of the final dish, making it easier for kids and families to select
• Mini bound photo books with laminated pictures from family vacations or winter breaks
• Long lasting luggage tags
• Helpful newspaper stories or decorating ideas clipped from magazine
• Neighborhood phone list for emergencies, with photos of neighbors
• Child's artwork laminated to make dinner placemats for easy clean-up
• Decorative photo greeting cards with personal message using new PhotoPOP! laminating pouches
• Safe and secure personal identification cards
• Durable TV schedule of sporting events or favorite shows, to keep near the remote
• Mixed-drink instructions and photos to keep by your bar and used as a drink menu
• Seasonal directions that remain in storage (i.e., artificial Christmas tree instructions)
• Photos or diagrams of gardens in bloom, so you know where bulbs and perennials should be when they re-bloom
• List of calorie/carb/exchange diet rules to keep in purse or wallet
• Maps, driving directions and/or photos of favorite road-side stops that can be stored in your glove compartment
• Homemade bookmarks that include family photos or list of “Books to Read”
• Household reminders, like “Please take off your shoes”
• Learning tools such as flash cards
• Delivery menus of favorite restaurants
• Emergency phone number/address list for children to keep in their school backpacks
• List of “Household Rules” or “Pet Instructions” for children and babysitters

GBC to Launch PhotoPOP!
The GBC study also named photos as the item most people have laminated. As a result, GBC is introducing the new PhotoPOP! laminated photo pouches for 4 x 6 photos, bringing creativity and fun to preserving and sharing precious moments. Available in several event based designs, from sports to vacation themes, they offer custom designed borders for any picture. Pictures can be easily placed inside the flexible frame by opening the pouch, peeling back the liner to center the photo, then sealing the PhotoPOP! pouch so a personal message can be written on the back. The PhotoPOP! pouches do not require a machine and offer a new, easy way to send photo greetings or preserve a memory with style. Plus they come with an envelope and magnets to make mailing and displaying easier.

GBC laminating machines and pouches including PhotoPOP! are available at local office products retailers.

About GBC and ACCO Brands Corporation
GBC has been the market leader in binding and lamination for 60 years. With a complete line of binding and laminating machines and supplies, GBC helps consumers present, protect and preserve. To learn more, visit www.acco.com/GBC.

ACCO Brands Corporation (NYSE:ABD) is a world leader in branded office products, with annual revenues of nearly $2 billion. Its industry-leading brands include Day-Timer®, Swingline®, Kensington®, Quartet®, GBC®, Rexel®, and Wilson Jones®, among others. Under the GBC® brand, the company is also a leader in the professional print finishing market.

Laminators

New Web site Aims to Educate and Build Confidence in Crime Protection

The hard statistics on identity theft are well-known, but how do Americans perceive the crime, and how knowledgeable are we on ways to safeguard ourselves from identity thieves?

According to a national survey of 1,000 Americans conducted by the nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center and Fellowes, Inc., the leading shredder manufacturer, 81 percent of Americans are aware that identity theft can happen at any time and 65 percent are using tools to protect themselves. Despite this awareness, Americans do not feel secure. Consistent misperceptions about identity theft crimes and victims cause 50 percent of Americans to feel vulnerable.

The biggest misperception is that Americans believe technology makes them more vulnerable to identity fraud, as nearly 40 percent of respondents said identity theft is most likely to occur through online exchanges. In reality, online exchanges only represent 9 percent of the crime, whereas the majority of identity fraud occurs through paper documents and stolen information 1. Experts are concerned about the ongoing confusion.

"The fact that consumers are taking precautions is a good sign, but awareness does not mean much if consumers are confused about how to protect themselves," said Jay Foley, executive director of the Identity Theft Resource Center. "It's alarming to see so much confusion surrounding the crime, especially disposal of personal information. The first thing I always say is that the easiest way to protect yourself is to shred all personal documents with a confetti-cut shredder, including information you don't believe can be used to steal your identity."

The Myths and Facts:
In addition to the misperception of technology's role in identity theft crimes, respondents also are confused about protection from the crime, those at risk, and how often the crime occurs:
- Americans vastly overestimate the risk to the elderly and vastly underestimate the risk to the young, as respondents believe that those 60 years and older are most vulnerable to the crime. In reality, 8 percent of the crime involves senior citizens, and the most vulnerable group is actually 18-29 year olds 2.

- Less than one-fifth of Americans believe identity theft is most likely to occur through stolen personal items such as credit cards or wallets that contain personal financial information, when it is actually the most common form of identity fraud nationwide 1.

- Less than half of Americans order a current credit report at least once every two years, despite the fact that this is one of the most effective ways to ensure that no one is misusing your credit.

- Nearly half of respondents believe there are fewer than 10,000 cases of identity theft reported each day in the U.S. The fact: there are more than 24,000 reports of identity fraud every day 1.

www.IDconfidence.org Provides Personalized Tips
Everyday, simple actions from throwing away "garbage" to carrying personal information in a wallet can have a profound impact on how vulnerable you may be making yourself to identity theft. Similarly, misperceptions of the crime or one's level of vulnerability only add to the threat, making self-education an important crime fighting component.

A new Web site, www.IDconfidence.org, offers a unique quiz that tallies a vulnerability score and personalizes protection tips based on the user's responses. For each answer, a tip will be provided on why respondents are vulnerable and tailored suggestions on how to change their habits. Additionally, users will see how they match up against the national average of vulnerability scores, and find information on the myths and realities of identity theft, what to shred or keep, and links to key identity theft organizations. There are also opportunities to win personal shredders from Fellowes, Inc.

Identity Confidence Index: A Barometer on Americans' Identity Theft Concerns
The new identity theft research and survey begin a long-term awareness initiative called Americans' Identity Confidence Index. The index is developed to regularly gauge Americans' perceptions of identity theft and determine if collective opinions of the crime change over time. Fellowes and the ITRC will regularly survey respondents on five questions pertaining to vulnerability, and report on changes to the scale.

Based on the inaugural data, future research surveys will determine if the public's general awareness of the crime and specific preemptive behaviors change over time.

"Currently, information doesn't exist to regularly monitor Americans' perception of identity theft compared to the rise or decline of the crime," said Jude Rake, president of Fellowes, Inc., the leading shredder manufacturer. "Identity theft is not going away, so it will be important to continue to educate consumers on how to protect themselves in the years to come."

About Identity Theft Resource Center
The Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) is a national nonprofit organization that focuses exclusively on identity theft. ITRC was founded in December 1999 by Linda and Jay Foley. The seed of ITRC was planted in 1997 when Linda's then employer used the information on her tax forms to get credit cards and a cell phone. At that time, there was little information for victims to use and no network of people with whom to talk. At first, Linda volunteered with another program that had done some work in victim assistance for this crime. Very quickly, however, it became apparent that a specialized program was needed, focusing on victim assistance and serving as a clearinghouse of information.

The ITRC has received numerous accolades for its work by victims, law enforcement, businesses, legislators and governmental officials, and is a major player in the war against this crime. The national office is based in San Diego, Calif., with ITRC representatives working throughout the United States.

About Fellowes
Headquartered in Itasca, Ill., Fellowes, Inc. offers an impressive range of products to equip the workspace, including paper shredders, binders and laminators, desktop accessories and record storage solutions. Fellowes, Inc. owns and operates subsidiaries in Canada, United Kingdom, Benelux, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Singapore, Japan, Korea, China and Australia. The company employs more than 1,200 people throughout the world and expects global sales in excess of $700 million this year. For more information, visit www.fellowes.com.

Sources
1. Source: Javelin Strategy and Research, 2006 Identity Fraud Survey Report
2. Source: Federal Trade Commissions Top 10 Consumer Fraud Complaint Report

Corporations and businesses face challenges on several fronts today, from demanding consumers to increasingly complex rules and regulations. No one needs another problem, and yet, corporate document theft is a real threat. Fortunately, you can do something about it.

Espionage vs. Identity Theft
There are two kinds of corporate document theft-corporate espionage and identity theft. Each involves the procurement of information that is not properly protected or disposed of securely.

Corporate espionage is a serious issue. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the problem costs U.S. shareholders at least $25 billion a year in intellectual property losses alone. While there are sophisticated Internet schemes worthy of James Bond, some of the most serious espionage resulted from thieves going through a company's wastepaper baskets and trash receptacles.

Identity theft can also result from a company not protecting or improperly disposing of consumers' financial information. Now companies can be held responsible for a security breach. It's easy to see why it's crucial to take every precaution to safeguard all the important information at hand.

Don't Take Chances-Take Three Steps to Security
Companies that don't have a plan in place for secure information disposal can be at risk for legal complications. There are things you can and should do to limit your risk and help make security everyone's business.

1. Create awareness of the issue. Heightened awareness helps remind people to use discretion when handling sensitive information.
   
2. Put a policy in place. It's essential to set up and implement good practices. The risks and penalties are too severe to ignore.
   
3. Use shredders. Experts agree that shredders are the best defense against document theft of all kinds. Make shredding part of your company's policy.

Paper Shredders

First-of-its-Kind Office System Revolutionizes the Previously Laborious Manual Binding Process

For some companies, the art of creating business presentations involves countless hours of research, strategizing and brainstorming, which is almost always followed by a frantic, last-second, mad-dash to actually assemble the document hard-copies and shove them out the door. The scenario is so common, it's almost like an office ritual.

But GBC, the leader in document finishing for more than 50 years, has a revolutionary new solution to help eliminate those late nights of harried document assembly with the introduction of a new product – the ProClick® Pronto™ P3000. The ProClick Pronto P3000 is the world's first desktop automatic binding machine that punches, measures and fits documents with a professional binder spine that gives presentations a professional finish never before offered.

"In developing the ProClick Pronto P3000, GBC has created a totally unique solution to an age-old problem – how to quickly produce bound presentations that stand out from the rest of the business world clutter," said Jim Brodecki, senior category manager, ACCO Brands. "The ProClick Pronto does all of those things, and it makes them simple to do, which has never been the case with other types of binding equipment."

At roughly the size of a fax machine or color printer, the ProClick Pronto P3000 can be incorporated into nearly any workspace, and it's simple enough to operate that anyone can begin using it to help assemble their next project immediately, without any training.

For the first time, creating a professionally bound document is as easy as pushing a button. The ProClick Pronto P3000 automatically punches holes in the paper and then automatically secures it with a contemporary-looking ProClick zip spine.

The unique ProClick spines do more than enhance the look and feel of your presentations over standard comb or wire spines, they also improve the readability of documents by allowing pages to rotate a full 360 degrees and lay flat when opened.

But, how many times have you created a bound presentation only to find an error on "page 17" that had to be fixed. With a standard lever-operated document binder, you would have to completely tear open the presentation, discard the spine, find a replacement and then laboriously re-install it, wasting precious time and resources to make a single edit to your presentation.

Now, with the ProClick zip spine, presentations may be re-opened at any point within the document with a simple swipe of the ProClick zip tool. Once the spine has been opened, the appropriate page may be removed and replaced. Then a final swipe of the ProClick zip tool completely re-seals the document spine. For the first time, the process of editing a bound document literally takes just a few seconds.

With the ProClick Pronto P3000 the entire document binding process takes just a fraction of the time and effort previously required, saving office employees valuable time and resources the next time a large batch of business presentations is called for.

For more information about the ProClick Pronto P3000, go to www.gbcoffice.com/pronto.

About GBC and ACCO Brands Corporation

GBC has been the market leader in binding and lamination for over fifty years. With a complete line of binding and laminating machines and supplies, GBC helps consumers present, protect and preserve. To learn more, visit www.factory-express.com.

ACCO Brands Corporation one of the world leaders in branded office products, with annual revenues of nearly $2 billion, took the prestigious 'Product Launch' Award at the 2006 OPI Industry Awards ceremony held at the PaperWorld Exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany.

The award for the Product Launch Category is perceived to be one of the most coveted and difficult to win because it covers not just the level of product innovation or range breadth itself but the whole launch process and the positive effect on the entire global OP industry.

Janne Hansen, the ACCO Brands Category Manager responsible for many of the Product initiatives that brought the two new brands to the attention of the industry commented as follows, "....to be able to come into a new product category with a range of such innovative products; catch the attention of the entire industry; and then deliver the product to the appropriate industry logistics and quality standards is a great achievement. The award is a testimony to the entire team: sales; product engineers; marketing communications; logistics and of course, our customers in having faith in us and our products."

Brian Dent, Vice President of Workspace Tools Europe, the ACCO Business Unit that includes the Trimmer & Guillotine Category added as follows, "...it's great to receive the acknowledgement of the industry in this way, however, even more important is the phenomenal sales success of this new range. We have taken significant market share in 2005 and this will continue to grow rapidly in 2006."

For more information on the GBC ClassicCut® and AccuCut® Guillotine and Trimmer ranges visit www.factory-express.com or contact your local ACCO Brands subsidiary or Distributor.

This Press release may include forward-looking statements involving uncertainties and there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ from the Companies expectations. The words 'should', 'believe', 'anticipates', 'plans', 'may', 'expects' and other expressions that indicate future events and trends identify forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause materially-different results include, among other things, competition within the Office products and lamination film products markets, effects of general economic conditions, the restructuring activities associated with the integration and go-to-market strategies of the Companies business units, the ability of the Company's distributors to successfully market the Company's products and other risks described in the Companies filings with the SEC in the US. The Company assumes no obligations to update its forward-looking statements.

Invention Competition Honoring Pulitzer Prize Winner Seeks A New Way To Shred Paper

Fellowes, Inc., the nation's leading shredder company, announced today that it will sponsor the 23rd annual Rube Goldberg Machine Contest on April 1 at Indiana's Purdue University. This year's design challenge is to create a machine or shredder that cuts or shreds five sheets of 8 1/2-by-11-inch, 20 pound paper into strips, in a minimum of 20 steps.

Fellowes, Inc., the category leader and innovator for shredders, today unveiled a new national advertising campaign featuring a new icon - a bulldog - as the ultimate protector of one's identity. The campaign's creative direction relies on a theme of "powerful protection," as the bulldog embodies Fellowes' positioning as the watchdog of a consumer's good name and good credit. The campaign's tagline is "Fellowes: The World's Toughest Shredders."

The competition is organized by the Phi Chapter of Theta Tau, the National Student Engineering Organization, and will host college and university teams from across the U.S. Regional winners will be determined during competitions on March 4 with winners competing at the national contest on April 1.

Inspired by Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist Reuben Lucius Goldberg, the contest is designed to pull students out of the conventional problem-solving mind set and compel them to use creativity to solve a problem. Instead of just "solving" the problem, participants will have to use convoluted and complicated steps to get the task done. For example, last year's winners took 125 steps to change the batteries in a flashlight and turn it on. Past challenges include shutting off an alarm clock, toasting a slice of bread, and putting toothpaste on a toothbrush.

"The Rube Goldberg design challenges often coincide with world and cultural events; for example, the election ballot machines contest in 2004. Today's news often involves identity theft and the need to shred documents, so sponsoring this year's shredder contest is a perfect fit, as well as a great opportunity, for Fellowes," said Jude Rake, an engineering graduate of Purdue University and president and chief operating officer for Fellowes, Inc. "As the leading shredder manufacturer, we have a strong interest not only in the contest's challenge, but also in the future engineers that will be displaying their talents at Purdue's College of Engineering."

About Fellowes
Headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, Fellowes, Inc. offers an impressive range of products to equip the workspace, including paper shredders, binders and laminators, desktop accessories and record storage solutions. Fellowes, Inc. owns and operates subsidiaries in Canada, United Kingdom, Benelux, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Singapore, Japan, Korea and Australia. The company employs more than 1,200 people throughout the world and expects global sales in excess of $700 million this year.

GBC, a market leader in the manufacturing and distribution of laminating and binding products, announces the new GBC Orca 4064WF laminator designed for laminating and mounting large format prints up to 64” wide. Offering the latest in efficient lamination technology, including a new patented safety system, the Orca 4064WF is the premier model offered by GBC for professional print providers. It utilizes pneumatic controls and provides bi-directional capabilities to maximize workflow.

The Advanced Electrical Safety System encompasses three components – fiber optic detection, dynamic braking, and dual processing – working together to detect encroachment at the nip and immediately stop the rollers if fingers get too close. The design provides optimum operator safety while allowing superior control during lamination.

The Orca 4064WF features eight unwind and rewind shafts to provide maximum versatility for bi-directional and roll-to-roll operation. Bi-directional features permit hot and cold laminates to run consecutively without waiting for heated rollers to cool down. A full-functioning control panel can swivel to either side of the unit for added flexibility during operation. The foot pedal is also repositionable and offers variable speeds for finer control when mounting graphics.

The GBC 4064WF laminator is designed to create a full range of rigid and flexible applications including trade show graphics, backlit images, and POP displays.

For more information about GBC’s Orca 4064WF, visit www.factory-express.com or call 1-800-399-2564.

GBC, an ACCO Brands Company, is a world leader with over 50 years’ experience in products that bind, laminate and display information. The GBC Commercial Products Group is an innovative technology leader in providing thermal and pressure-sensitive laminating films and equipment and professional-grade binding solutions for the commercial and digital printing markets. For corporate and print-for-pay markets, GBC offers a full range of products and services, from custom presentation solutions and technical service to high-end binding and laminating systems and supplies. ACCO Brands Corporation, (NYSE: ABD) is a world leader in branded office products with annual revenues of nearly $2 billion. Its industry-leading brands include Swingline, Kensington, Wilson Jones, Quartet, GBC and Day-Timer, among others.

©2005 ACCO Brands Corporation

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According to a survey of small business owners by zTelligence and Fellowes, most small business owners don't know anything about FACTA legislation, let alone what it means for their business. When asked what acts or legislation were familiar to them, only 13.1% of respondents recognized FACTA. In fact, FACTA was the least recognized response in the grouping of recently passed privacy legislation!

Originally enacted in 2003 with the new disposal provision effective June 1, 2005, FACTA (Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act) gives more rights to victims of identity theft and places more responsibility on large and small business owners to destroy personal information that could be used by identity thieves. Personal information means everything from names and phone numbers to social security numbers, credit reports, addresses and employee history.

With FACTA, Congress is attempting to curb the financial losses and emotional distress associated with identity theft. The new provision also sends a message to business owners nationwide that if someone's identity is stolen and the company is found liable, the company can be sued by an individual, embroiled in a class action law suit or fined up to $1,000 by the state, and up to $2,500 per infraction by the federal government. Those may not sound like excessive fines, but most identity thieves don't steal just one name, they steal as many as they can.

More on FACTA

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ACCO Brands Corporation (NYSE: ABD) announced today that Peter Munk has been named President, European Office Products Group, effective February 1, 2006.

Munk, 42, has spent ten years at Black & Decker, a global marketer and manufacturer of consumer and commercial products. At Black & Decker, Munk progressed through the organization in several different marketing and general management roles, most recently as Vice President, European Consumer Business, which includes power tools, garden, and home products. Munk played a leadership role in the transformation of Black & Decker from a country-driven to a pan-European strategic business unit-based business model. Earlier in his career, Peter spent eight years with Colgate-Palmolive in various marketing roles.

“Peter’s extensive experience with strong consumer brands, and his demonstrated management expertise, will serve us well as we continue to bring our former ACCO World and GBC businesses together and become an even more formidable competitor in the European office products marketplace,” said Dennis L. Chandler, President and Chief Operating Officer, Office Products Group.

Munk holds a degree in Business and Economics from Aarhus University in Denmark.

Peter will be based at the ACCO Europe headquarters in Aylesbury, England and will report to Chandler.

About ACCO Brands Corporation

ACCO Brands Corporation is a world leader in branded office products, with annual revenues of nearly $2 billion. Its industry-leading brands include Day-Timer, Swingline, Kensington, Quartet, GBC, Rexel, and Wilson Jones, among others. Under the GBC brand, the company is also a leader in the professional print finishing market.

ACCO Brands Corporation one of the world leaders in branded office products, with annual revenues of nearly $2 billion, took the prestigious 'Product Launch' Award at the 2006 OPI Industry Awards ceremony held at the PaperWorld Exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany.

The award for the Product Launch Category is perceived to be one of the most coveted and difficult to win because it covers not just the level of product innovation or range breadth itself but the whole launch process and the positive effect on the entire global OP industry.

Janne Hansen, the ACCO Brands Category Manager responsible for many of the Product initiatives that brought the two new brands to the attention of the industry commented as follows, "....to be able to come into a new product category with a range of such innovative products; catch the attention of the entire industry; and then deliver the product to the appropriate industry logistics and quality standards is a great achievement. The award is a testimony to the entire team: sales; product engineers; marketing communications; logistics and of course, our customers in having faith in us and our products."

Brian Dent, Vice President of Workspace Tools Europe, the ACCO Business Unit that includes the Trimmer & Guillotine Category added as follows, "...it's great to receive the acknowledgement of the industry in this way, however, even more important is the phenomenal sales success of this new range. We have taken significant market share in 2005 and this will continue to grow rapidly in 2006."

For more information on the GBC ClassicCut® and AccuCut® Guillotine and Trimmer ranges visit www.factory-express.com.

This Press release may include forward-looking statements involving uncertainties and there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ from the Companies expectations. The words 'should', 'believe', 'anticipates', 'plans', 'may', 'expects' and other expressions that indicate future events and trends identify forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause materially-different results include, among other things, competition within the Office products and lamination film products markets, effects of general economic conditions, the restructuring activities associated with the integration and go-to-market strategies of the Companies business units, the ability of the Company's distributors to successfully market the Company's products and other risks described in the Companies filings with the SEC in the US. The Company assumes no obligations to update its forward-looking statements.

Organization and Records Storage

In today's competitive market, nobody can afford to waste time and effort at work. We're all looking for ways to be more efficient and effective, decrease stress, streamline a process or just make life easier.

Organization is a smart way to accomplish all of that and more. Look around your workspace. Do you feel and look like you're in control? If not, it's time to start getting it together. The benefits pay dividends every single day when you can find things easily, save time and prevent important information from getting lost.

Feel in Control
Find out if organization affects how you feel and deal at work. Just answer true or false to the following statements:

1. A messy office stresses me out.
2. I'm exhausted at the end of the day.
3. Clutter makes me feel overwhelmed by my work.
4. There are so many piles in my office—it looks like a mountain range.
5. I often say: "Wait, I know I put it somewhere."
6. I haven't seen the surface of my desk in months.

If you answered true to three or more of these statements, you're going to benefit from some office re-organization. Clutter makes you feel out of control. When your office is in order, your workplace stress is more manageable.

Look Professional
A messy office inspires no one. Everyone knows someone who claims they can "find anything" in their messy office. But how long does it really take? Do you feel confident depending on that person when your project is on a deadline? There's an old joke about how little work gets done in clean offices, but it's more likely that person accomplishes more by being organized and efficient.

The Cost of Clutter
Ever wonder just how much money a disorganized, cluttered office can cost a company? Experts estimate that an employee wastes an hour a day looking for misplaced items. Let's estimate the cost based on a company with 100 employees, an average annual salary of $60,000, a 40-hour work week and 2 weeks of vacation. The wasted time adds up to:

• $15,000 per week
• $65,000 per month
• $780,000 per year

Below are results for a recent poll of more than 500 small businesses by zTelligence© and Fellowes®. The majority (90%) consisted of nine or fewer employees, and 85.5 percent of the respondents are small business owners.

• When asked what acts or regulations they had heard of, the fewest (13.1%) knew about FACTA.

Of the 13.1 percent who had knowledge of FACTA.

• 53% had little or no knowledge of FACTA's general principles, and 64% had little or no knowledge of penalties for non-compliance.
• 56.4% were unfamiliar with the types of documents that need to be shredded.
• 58.9% said they didn't know when the legislation went into effect.
• More than one-third said they never dispose of personal information, and those who do don't properly destroy the information before throwing it away.
• Now that FACTA is in effect, nearly 60% said they will shred documents.
• 43.1% said it would be helpful to have more information about the legislation and compliance.
• 34.7% will turn to the Internet for FACTA information.
• Nearly 60% said they would benefit most from having general information on what the legislation entails (28%), and details on what and what not to shred (30%).
• For those who currently dispose of their documents, 58.5% shred, 11.1% burn, 8.3% tear up, and 1.4% pulverize.
• 23% said their company's document destruction policy had recently changed due to either FACTA or the increase in identity theft.

Six Steps to Safeguard Your Computer
If you use the Internet and store personal information such as your Social Security number, bank account numbers or financial records on your computer, here are steps to keep it safe from spying eyes:

1. Update virus protection software regularly, including patches for your operating system.
2. Use a firewall program to stop hackers from taking over your computer, especially if you use a broadband Internet connection.
3. Don't open files, download programs or click on links sent to you by strangers. Confirm strange emails from friends and family before opening them or clicking on included links.
4. Use a secure browser that encrypts or scrambles information you send during online transactions. Update your browser when a new version is released to make sure you have the latest security protection.
5. Use a complex combination of letters and numbers as a password to access financial information stored on your laptop.
6. Before disposing of your computer, use a 'wipe' utility program or shredding software to overwrite the hard drive or remove it and physically destroy it. Even erased or deleted files can be retrieved.

Gone Phishing
Phishing is a high-tech scam that uses email or pop-up messages that appear to be from businesses and organizations you deal with, like banks, online merchants and Internet Service Providers. They request that you verify or update your account information in order to steal sensitive data. They may even direct you to websites that look legitimate, but are not. One recent scam involved fake mortgage lenders with super low mortgage rates and an online application that victims willingly filled out.

Avoid phishing scams by verifying the emails before responding to them. Call the business or organization to confirm that the email is legitimate and to report suspicious activity. Check the company's website to get information on the known scams that have been identified. Forward a copy of the message, if possible, to help the company keep track of the illegal correspondence being delivered in their name.

More Ways to Keep Your Electronic Information Safe
In addition to the safeguards above:

1. Don't email personal or financial information. Email is not secure.
2. Review credit card and bank account statements promptly for unauthorized charges.
3. Shred any CDs or DVDs that contain personal information before disposing of them (be sure your shredder can handle the material first!).

The Importance of Putting Security First
Whether you're protecting your company from spying eyes or protecting people's privacy, creating an action plan for handling and disposing of important information is key to security. Businesses and organizations that don't have a plan in place are at risk. The government has put into law many regulations that affect most businesses today.

As with any plan, creating awareness is essential to its success. Make it company policy to ensure people take records storage and disposal seriously.

Your plan can start with:

1. Establishing a system for your record keeping, including how long key paperwork is kept.
2. Designating who will be responsible for handling and disposing of important information.
3. Disposing of all sensitive paperwork through a shredder.

The Best Way to Protect Your Business
One word: shredders. Experts agree that shredding sensitive information before throwing it out is the key to preventing it from falling into the wrong hands. For the greatest level of security, use a cross-cut shredder to ensure that the scraps cannot be reassembled.

Protect Yourself from Scams

Prevent Offenses—Be Defensive
As information has become more central to our daily lives, thieves have developed more ways of committing crimes. Remaining vigilant and increasing your awareness of how thieves operate can help keep your information secure.

Calling All Scams
The phone rings. The caller congratulates you on winning a prize - a free trip or new car! She just has a couple of questions to verify that you are the winner. This is one of many false pretenses that identity thieves use to get you to reveal sensitive information. They could be taking a survey, asking for charity donations or posing as representatives of banks, businesses or government agencies. There have even been reports of telemarketers offering free credit reports that require you to fill out a form with your personal information. Naturally, they use it to commit fraud against you.

Don't give out personal information on the phone unless you are sure you know whom you're dealing with. Be sure to tell other family members, including children, never to give out or confirm any personal information during calls initiated by other people.

More Scams and Spams
While many scams have colorful names, they can leave a real black mark on your finances or your identity. Remaining alert is always your best defense. If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. If something sounds suspicious, don't overrule your intuition. There will always be new scams, but your best approach is usually good old common sense.

Phishing—Thieves send you an email that appears to be from your bank or Internet service provider linking you to a phony website which asks that you verify personal information or input your password. Don't respond in any way; financial service companies, banks and Internet service providers never ask you for information in this manner. Instead call the company to verify the email is genuine.

Skimming—Thieves bribe waiters or clerks who ring up credit card sales to run the credit cards through a skimmer, a small device which captures personal information. Try to keep your credit card in sight at all times.

Dumpster Diving—Thieves literally go through your garbage looking for papers that haven't been shredded, such as credit card statements or applications, or papers that contain personal information such as names, Social Security numbers, bank account numbers and credit card numbers. Shred this information before putting it into the garbage.

Shoulder Surfing—Thieves look over your shoulder as you enter personal identification numbers into ATM machines or calling card numbers into phones. Be sure to conceal the keys that you are punching.

Unfortunately, document theft has become a growing problem for businesses. To protect your privacy, the government has passed laws for handling information, and more are on the way. Awareness of the problem and its ramifications and solutions is just smart business.

It's the Law
Improper disposal of important information can result in a security breach like the theft of intellectual property. In addition, there is a growing list of regulations that address information security, privacy and document retention that must be understood by businesses. Non-compliance can result in serious legal problems from violations of:

• FACTA [Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act]
  New law requiring anyone retaining consumer information for business purposes to destroy the personal information before discarding it.
• GLBA [The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act]
  Requires banking and financial institutions across the United States to describe how they will protect the confidentiality and security of consumer information.
• HIPAA [Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act]
  Requires healthcare providers and hospitals to protect patients' privacy and to ensure the security of patient/client health data.

Who Must Comply
These laws affect virtually all businesses. Your business is held responsible for protecting information if:

• You employ one or more people
• Your business keeps personal information on file for customers or employees
• Your business accepts credit cards for payment
• You buy or sell products on the Internet
• You do a credit check on an employee or potential customer

The National Library of Scotland will be the setting for the new display of the world's largest book, which measures 1.5 metres by 2.1 metres when open. The book, Bhutan: A Visual Odyssey Across the Last Himalayan Kingdom was published in 2003 by a team of photographers.

Given its huge size, a special stand will have to be designed and built to display the 114-page tome, which weighs 60kg. Its arrival in the Capital will see it join another previously record-breaking book in the NLS collection. Measuring just 1mm by 1mm, the Renfrewshire-published copy of the nursery rhyme Old King Cole was until very recently the tiniest book in the world. But its place in the record books has been snatched by an even smaller book, which measures only 0.1mm less in size.

The Bhutan book, published by Friendly Planet, is made up of breathtaking photographs taken during trips through the Himalayan country. In a series of four expeditions, the group took more than 40,000 photographs...

Read Full Story

Fellowes Introduces Compact, Safe Personal Laminator

The new baby's photo, the work holiday calendar, the soccer schedule, the office phone directory - there are hundreds of items to laminate in the office and at home. Laminators help us preserve the memories and documents we reference and celebrate, but it hasn't always been convenient or safe to protect these items - until now. Today, Fellowes, Inc. introduces its new Multi-Purpose Laminator, a product that delivers superior safety and design solutions, in addition to "all-in-one" hot and cold lamination technology.

Unlike any other conventional laminator currently on the market, the Multi-Purpose Laminator features a state-of-the-art temperature management system called HeatGuard TechnologyT. While in use, HeatGuard traps heat inside the laminator through a double wall of insulation to keep the exterior from becoming too hot to touch - a common safety concern in other models.
"Fellowes spent numerous hours researching how people use laminators, what they think about laminating and what they want improved," said Jennifer Kenoian, marketing manager at Fellowes, Inc. "The result is a new, easy-to-use personal laminator suited for both home and office use that incorporates a consumer-driven design and superior features."

The Fellowes Multi-Purpose Laminator also allows people to perform both hot and cold lamination. While hot lamination is more widely used, cold lamination is needed for items printed on thermal paper, such as ultrasounds and concert or sports tickets. Instead of purchasing two different laminators, one for hot application and one for cold, the Multi-Purpose Laminator provides the easy answer for lamination needs in one machine.

The Multi-Purpose Laminator also delivers consistent, high-quality lamination through stable temperature management. The ready light turns on when the ideal lamination temperature is reached and the temperature remains constant for perfect results.

Form and Function
"Many of the consumers we heard from complained about the bulkiness of machines and how difficult they were to store and carry, due to the power cords and overall size," Kenoian added. "The Multi-Purpose Laminator is designed for optimal storage, travel and style."

The bottom of the machine is shaped to allow the cord to be wrapped and stored neatly. The innovative design also allows the laminator to stand upright when not in use for space-saving vertical storage on desks, kitchen counters or worktables and features a handle for portable ease. The consumer-inspired, slim-line design boasts white coloring with blue accents and an arched shape that is perfect for any home or office décor.

Additional features on the Multi-Purpose Laminator include a dual-purpose tray that serves as a paper guide for letter size or smaller documents as well as a protective dust cover when the laminator is not in use. It is also equipped with a release lever to easily reposition or remove documents.

The Fellowes Multi-Purpose Laminator comes with a starter kit of eight pouches in five key sizes and will be available for $79.95 at major office products retailers nationwide in October 2005.

Small business owners still need information and education to comply with the act

More than three months after the latest provision of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) went into effect, a survey by zTelligence and Fellowes Inc. showed that small business owners are still unfamiliar with FACTA and the significant impact it can have on their business.

The results from an online poll taken in July of 2005 of over 500 small businesses found very few businesses are aware of FACTA. When asked what acts or regulations they had heard of, FACTA was recognized by only 13.1% of respondents.

Enacted in 2003 with the final provision taking effect on June 1, 2005, FACTA requires all business owners to properly dispose of personal information that is derived from consumer reports. Anyone that does not comply could be subject to penalties if found liable.

Familiar with FACTA?
Of those respondents who recognized FACTA, over half (53 percent) had little or no knowledge of the legislation's general principles and 64 percent had little or no knowledge of penalties for non-compliance. Respondents who recognized FACTA were also unfamiliar with the types of documents that need to be destroyed (56.4 percent) and when the legislation went into effect (58.9 percent).

FACTA's Effect?
Before FACTA, more than one-third of small business owners surveyed who heard of FACTA never disposed of personal information, and of those who did dispose of personal information, (one-fourth) threw the documents in the trash without destroying them. Now that FACTA is in effect, nearly 60 percent said they would shred documents.

The Upside with FACTA Aficionados
While there is a disconnect between what FACTA is and how the provision will be enforced, 43.1 percent of respondents knowledgeable about FACTA said it would be helpful to have more information about the legislation and its standard of compliance, with 34.7 percent indicating that they would turn to the Internet for FACTA information.

Among the same group, shredding is the most popular method of destruction (58.5 percent) followed by burning (11.1 percent), tearing up (8.3 percent) and pulverizing (1.4 percent). There are still a number of businesses (8.3 percent) who throw the documents away and another 11.1 percent who dispose of documents by "other" means.

"Based on the survey results, it's clear there is a need in the business community for more education on the provision and how it helps combat identity theft," said John Fellowes, Shredder Marketing Manager, Fellowes Inc. "Identity theft affects everyone it touches. Victims not only suffer financial damage, but emotional distress as well."

FACTA, Gramm-Leach-Bliley, the Identity Theft Act and Privacy State Laws are some of the recent legislation enacted by the government to combat identity theft. Generally, the Federal Trade Commission recommends destroying records containing consumer information, and one of the more convenient and cost effective ways to comply with FACTA is shredding.

"While shredders are an important part of properly destroying personal information to curb identity theft, we feel it is just as important to educate businesses on new legislation like FACTA," said John Fellowes. "That's why we want to not only provide information on our shredders, but get our customers the facts on FACTA."

Small business owners can find out everything they need to know about FACTA by visiting www.factory-express.com.