Reader's "Die"-gest

Affirmatively, 66 percent of converters report there will be no change in their current diemaking set-up in the coming year. Just 9 percent plan to bring diemaking operations in-house, while 14 percent plan to look beyond current in-house operations for diemaking services.

Stability will also rule supplier selection in 2001, with 71 percent of converters revealing no plans to change die suppliers this year. Those using outside diemaking services report using a range of one to five suppliers. One-third look to two suppliers. One in five use just one.