Industry News

Oct 1, 2005 12:00 AM, By AP staff

News from: SMART Papers, International Paper, NELA, PRIMIR, Bernadette Forms, American Printing, Sandy Alexander, Stora Enso, Research Inc., Hennegan Co., Fox River Paper, Mohawk Fine Papers, Cenveo, Kodak, KBA, Komori, PIAS, Esko-Graphics, Firstlogic, Arandell Corp., Repacorp Label Products, MAN Roland, KBA, Williamson Printing Corp., Presstek, Cary Printing, Gans Ink & Supply, Home Mountain Publishing, Consolidated Reprographics, Harris & Bruno, Victor Graphics, Goss, Dickinson Press, Vertis, Dalim, Printers' Financial Serivces, American Screen Art and Wisconsin Web Offset.

Hot Topics, Management Tips, Newsmakers

TIDBITS
» “Today’s Digital Imaging 5.0,” a free digital printing primer, is available from SMART Papers. See www.smartpapers.com.

» How do you determine which digital paper is right for you? International Paper has created a reference—Digital Imaging Papers Source Guide. See www.primir.org, visitors will find a complete list of its members and descriptions of studies scheduled for implementation.

» Bernadette Business Forms, Inc., celebrates its 50th anniversary.

» Corporate Express Document & Print Management’s (CEDPM) Data Laser div. and Omaha manufacturing plant have become ISO 9001:2000 certified.

» American Printing, a division of Branch Graphics, received 10 Gallery of Printing Excellence awards from the Graphic Communications Industry of Rhode Island.

» Sandy Alexander has updated its prepress workflow with Artwork Systems’ Nexus workflow system.

» Stora Enso North America’s Duluth, MN, mill was among seven organizations that received the Minnesota Quality Award for 2004, receiving recognition at the Advancement Level.

» Research, Inc., has acquired Online Energy. The company will remain in existence as a wholly owned subsidiary.

» The Hennegan Co. has won a cumulative total of 81 awards from PIA/GATF’s 2005 Premier Print Awards.

» Fox River Paper received Forest Stewardship Council certification for the 100 percent PCW and 50 percent PCW/50 percent Bamboo offerings in the EverGreen grade line. The certification applies to all nine colors in the EverGreen 100PC and EverGreen 50/50 offerings.

Mohawk refines moniker
Mohawk Paper Mills (Cohoes, NY) is now Mohawk Fine Papers Inc.

The company’s recent acquisition of International Paper’s Fine Papers business has transformed Mohawk’s offering, which now includes a diverse range of fine paper products.

“The name change … marks an important milestone in our company history,” says chairman and CEO Thomas D. O’Connor, Jr. Mohawk’s flagship grades include Strathmore, Mohawk Superfine, Beckett, BriteHue, Via, Mohawk Color Copy and patented Inxwell products. The company produces papers for sheetfed, web and digital printing.

Mohawk is the first large-scale production facility in the United States to use non-polluting wind energy to manufacture paper. Many of Mohawk’s recycled products are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or Green Seal.

For more information, see www.mohawkpaper.com.

Digital print, Internet drive decline in litho plates
PRIMIR, the Print Industries Market Information and Research Organization (Reston, VA), has published a study titled “Life Cycle of Analog and Digital Lithographic Printing Plates.” The study, conducted by State Street Consultants (Boston, MA), projects the total market for lithographic plates in North America will decline about 11 percent in volume from 2005 to 2010. The study probes the details of these changing dynamics by plate type, technology and market segment.

According to State Street, the key factors influencing this decline are the adoption of digital printing and the continuing impact of Internet publishing.

While the overall market declines, the continued adoption of computer-to-plate (CTP) technology drives a rapid growth of digital plates and a steep decline in traditional analog plates. The findings indicate the installed base of CTP devices in North America was close to 12,000 at the end of 2004 for metal and nonmetal systems. This installed base is forecast to grow to over 17,000 by the end of 2010. Additionally, a significant replacement market will emerge for metal CTP over that same period. By 2010, the replacement market is expected to account for about 80 percent of annual metal CTP shipments. The continuing adoption of CTP will shift the mix from analog to digital plates in both metal and nonmetal categories. By 2010, PRIMIR expects digital plates to account for close to 80 percent of total lithographic plate shipments.

For more information, contact Jackie Bland at (703) 264-7200 ext. 287 or visit www.primir.org.

Cenveo ends ownership tussle
Cenveo Inc. (Englewood, CO), Burton Capital Management LLC, and Goodwood Inc. have reached an agreement to end their proxy contest.

The Cenveo board of directors has approved a board of directors consisting of the nominees proposed by Burton Capital Management and Goodwood Inc. Additionally, Robert Burton, Sr., has been named chairman and CEO of Cenveo, while former chairman and CEO James Malone has stepped down. In light of this resolution, Cenveo’s September 14, 2005 special meeting of shareholders was not held. According to the company, the transaction will not constitute a change of control for purposes of Cenveo’s debt agreements.

Kodak produces digital annual report
At PRINT 05, Kodak (Rochester, NY) collaborated with George Eastman House, the world’s largest museum of photography and film located on the Rochester, NY, estate of the Eastman Kodak founder, to produce an example of digital color printing at its finest. The “George Eastman House 2004 Annual Report” was designed to represent best practices in designing for digital output, open up new creative avenues and showcase the technology’s strengths.

Produced on the Kodak NexPress 2100 and Digimaster E125, the resulting document is a high-impact piece containing a variety of paper stocks. It was produced in multiple versions for different audiences: photographers; filmmakers; the local and regional community; and general audiences. Pages feature special spot colors and coatings, as well as a high-gloss finish produced with the Kodak NexGlosser coating unit.

“George Eastman House is the world’s premier museum of imaging, embracing the very highest standards of both the classic and contemporary,” says Venkat Purushotham, GM and vice president, Digital Printing Solutions, Eastman Kodak Co. “[The annual report] is a true reflection of the legacy of innovation begun by George Eastman.”

Nappi to lead NPES, GASC, GAERF
NPES—The Assn. for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies, the Graphic Arts Show Co. and the Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation (Reston, VA) have announced Ralph J. Nappi will succeed Regis J. Delmontagne as president on January 1, 2006.

Nappi joins the three organizations as president-elect this month. He currently is president of the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Assn. (Rockville, MD).

NPES/GASC Board Chair Kathryn Marx says, “He is an innovative leader who is well versed in industry trends and drivers, and he looks forward to guiding our industry through the challenges that currently face us.”

Press manufacturers aid disaster relief effort
In response to one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history, KBA North America (Willison, VT) has formed an initiative to aid flood victims ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.

KBA service and support staff is on alert to help printers and print shops in the Gulf region. Additionally, the company is forming a network of printers across the U.S. willing to assist with print jobs for shops in the devastated region. Working with its parent company in Germany, KBA has made available extra 74 Karat presses with integrated direct imaging for flooded print businesses, and to provide special programs to help get their shops back up and running.

At PRINT 05, Komori Corp. (Tokyo) announced it would donate $10,000 to the American Red Cross to aid in disaster relief. Stephan Carter, Komori America’s (Rolling Meadows, IL) president and CEO, added that Komori America will match employee donations to disaster relief. The executive said the company is working closely with customers impacted by Hurricane Katrina to help them get back into operation.

At the show, Komori teamed with Enovation to produce a special New Orleans poster featuring Red Cross contact information.

PIAS creates fund
Printing Industries of the South (PIAS) offers another way to help Gulf Coast printers with its Disaster Relief Fund and a temporary placement employment service. To contribute to the PIAS Disaster Relief Fund, send a check to: PIAS Disaster Relief Fund, P.O. Box 290249, Nashville, TN 37229. See www.pias.org.

Axcel acquires Esko-Graphics packaging business
Esko-Graphics (Gent, Belgium) shareholder Kirkbi A/S has entered into an agreement to transfer the ownership and all packaging related activities of Esko-Graphics to Danish private equity company Axcel. Kirkbi retains the ownership of Esko-Graphics’ DPX product line (two- and four-up, violet-laser polyester platesetters), which Mitsubishi Imaging (MPM) distributes in the United States. Kirkbi continues to support these operations while actively looking for an industry partner to further develop this business.

Esko-Graphics stresses that sales and development of the Scope workflow software for commercial printing applications will remain an important part of Esko-Graphics’ ongoing business.

Kodak to close WV plate plant
Eastman Kodak Co. (Rochester, NY) has announced plans to close its Middleway, WV, printing plate manufacturing plant by the end of first quarter 2006. The plant was part of Kodak’s Creo, Inc., acquisition earlier this year.

Kodak cites product rationalization among the reasons for the plant closing, following the company’s recent acquisitions in the graphic communications market. In addition to its purchase of Creo, Inc., in mid-June, Kodak also acquired Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG) in April. KPG and Creo both manufacture and sell thermal and conventional plate products.

Kodak will discontinue the primary products manufactured at the plant, MIRUS and FORTIS thermal plates, ETERNUS conventional plates and all associated chemistry. These products will not be available after production and inventory are depleted. The company plans to honor all existing customer contracts and does not anticipate any interruption in supply to customers. The plant closing will impact approximately 108 employees.

Mail merger announced
Pitney Bowes Inc. (Stamford, CT) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire all of the remaining outstanding shares of mailing software provider Firstlogic (La Crosse, WI) for approximately $50.3 million, adding to Pitney Bowes’ current 10 percent equity ownership of the company. Firstlogic will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Pitney Bowes within its Document Messaging Technologies division. Subject to regulatory approval and completion of other customary conditions, the transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2005.

According to Michael J. Critelli, chairman and CEO of Pitney Bowes, “Firstlogic’s extensive relationships with top tier system integrators and enterprise software vendors enhance our distribution network and accelerate our global expansion. Like Group 1 before it, this acquisition supports key areas of our growth strategy: mail stream expansion, global penetration and cross-selling.”

100 WORDS OR LESS:
What postal concern or priority currently tops the list for U.S. printers?
“Today, the major postal concern facing printers is the unknown. The media and industry leaders have mentioned briefly that the next rate case could be ‘the mother of all rate cases.’ What exactly does this mean for the owners of mail and partnering printers? And with the Flats Sequencing System (FSS) becoming reality in 2008, which will mean mail make-up plus drop shipping changes, one wonders what types of major changes or capital investments printers should be ready for. Capital investments and major changes require years of planning and implementation and, right now, we really don’t know what to expect.”
—Don Landis, VP of Postal Affairs for Arandell Corp. (Menomonee Falls, WI)

PEOPLE

Repacorp Label Products (Tipp City, OH) has named Brandyn Zanow marketing manager and Dennis Ryan director of RFID business development.
Marc Cupp has joined MAN Roland (Westmont, IL) as the sheetfed district sales manager for Texas, Oklahoma and Lousiana.
KBA North America (Williston, VT) has named Walter Chmura as its Midwest regional vice president.
Williamson Printing Corp. (Dallas) has appointed Tim Hamilton and Mark D. Sewall as national account managers.
Presstek (Hudson, NH) has promoted Peter Bouchard to vice president and Cathleen Cavanna to vice president, corporate human resources. Also, Rick Mangold has been appointed ABDick’s national sales director for digital systems in North America.
Mohawk Paper Mills (Cohoes, NY) announces the following promotions: Richard R. LaBonge, senior vice president, sales; Elizabeth A. Worthington, vice president, organizational development; Ronald B. Raley, vice president and GM, Ohio operations; Robert W. Scammell, vice president, manufacturing; Paul J. Stamas, vice president, information technology; and Barry Shapiro, Northeast regional sales manager.
Carol Dawson has joined Cary Printing (Cary, NC) as customer service manager.
Aaron Sures has been appointed pressroom supplies technical manager at Gans Ink & Supply Co. (Los Angeles).
Home Mountain Publishing Co. (Valparaiso, IN) has changed its name to Home Mountain Printing.
Keath Lauderdale is the new president of Consolidated Reprographics (Costa Mesa, CA).
Harris & Bruno Intl. (Roseville, CA) has appointed Greg J. Nyberg as inside sales manager.
Randy Mitzelfelt has joined Victor Graphics (Baltimore) as customer service and planning manager. The company also has hired bindery managers Bob Goad and Jerry Singuefield for the day and night shifts, respectively.
Goss Intl. (Dover, NH) has appointed Bill Rogers as vice president of information systems and chief information officer.
Jim Pentecost has joined Dickinson Press (Grand Rapids, MI) as president and CEO. He also has been elected to the board of directors.
Vertis (Baltimore) has promoted Michael Kalman to vice president, premedia operations. Jim Litwin joins the company as vice president of marketing research.
Dalim Software (Kehl, Germany) has appointed Graham Blanks as head of North American strategic operations.
Stephen Atha has joined Printers’ Financial Serices’ (Overland Park, KS) the consulting, valuation and M&A business operations.
American Screen Art (Knoxville, TN) has promoted Chris Matheny to business development manager.
James R. Blessington has been named GM of Wisconsin Web Offset LLC (Brookfield, WI).