Well let me start off by saying it's been another exciting and fruitful year for us at SPEC. Throughout 2008, our business has grown in numorous ways and we look forward to even more growth in 2009.
This past year, we have seen an increase in sales despite the condition of the economy and it being an election year. So much so, we added to our sales force by hiring another technical sales representative in John Bojko. Being a veteran of the industry, John was able to hit the ground running. He has provided another perspective to help us continue to improve our product line-up and service methods, as well as being a well-qualified technical sales rep.
2008 also brought about the mass release of our RTP3000 paste dispensing system for offset and UV/EB inks. We have seen an increase in demand from this area for an efficient, yet cost effective method for dispensing these types of inks. The re-designed RTP3000 has answered this calling and the feedback from our customers has been amazing. The system was demonstrated at our booth during the Graph Expo in October and we've already had a huge response from those we spoke with at the show. Looking ahead to 2009, we see great promise for this dispenser as a major part of our extensive product line.
This year has also seen us expand our custom powder dispensing capabilities. A large North American cable manufacturer has partnered with us to supply them with custom, high accuracy powder dispensing equipment to integrate into their production lines. What started as a small project has evolved into even larger, more intricate systems. With our experience using vibratory feeders for high accuracy dispensing and our ability to custom manufacture systems, we were able to develop a system and fits perfectly into their application.
Finally, the last thing for 2008 was the launch of our new website. We want to provide our customers with the best online experience possible. We want our site to be easy to navigate, visually appealing, and most of all, informative. We've added a few new features, including this blog, that we feel will keep you, our customers, up to date on the latest things happening within our company. Dickson, John, and myself will post news events and anything related to our business here where registered users and comment and discuss topics. Even though we have updated the site, we still have things that many of you have grown to enjoy, like the live chat support, a new stream-lined proposal request form, and our detailed online system datasheets.
We are looking forward to even greater success in 2009 and we look forward to working with you! On behalf of everyone here at SPEC, we would like to wish all of our customers a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!