Industry News

Jun 1, 2006 12:00 AM, By AP staff

News from: Sappi Fine Paper, Midland Communications, Prepress Training Solution, Dosatron, Heidelberg, Print Planet, PagePath Technologies, Foxfire Printing, Roland DGA, Punch Graphix, Kodak GCG, Quad/Graphics, BERTL, ECRM, Boise Paper, Fedex Kinko's, FLEXcon, and Transcontinental.

Hot Topics, Management Tips and Newsmakers

TIDBITS…
» Sappi Fine Paper practices safe sheeting. Its Allentown, PA sheeting site has won four Global Safety Awards.

» Midland Communications Packaging has merged with EAC Industries and is now Compton Presentation Systems.

» Prepress Training Solution has re-engineered and expanded its Web site, www.prepresstraining.com. New visitors get individualized ROI calculations and returning visitors will get real-time response with the 40+ graphic arts application courses available.

» Happy 20th anniversary to Dosatron Intl., a leader in water-powered dosing technology.

» Heidelberg’s Speedmaster XL 105 sheetfed offset press has won the Silver Design Award from the Federal Republic of Germany.

» Print Planet, Inc., a new green printer, offers customers 100 percent post-consumer recycled stock and soy-based inks. It also is experimenting with vegetable ink.

» The millionth time is a charm for PagePath Technologies, whose MyOrderDesk online orderflow system has delivered more than one million jobs to print shops.

» Corporate Express Document and Print Management Co. has awarded a Level 3 ISS certification to Foxfire Printing. Foxfire was one of two, among more than 150 eligible companies, to win the award.

Get your motor running
Roland DGA Corp. (Irvine, CA) has announced the company’s first-ever Roland Wrap Vehicle Graphics Contest, which is open to sign makers, screen printers and vehicle graphics professionals in the United States and Canada. Roland inkjet printers and integrated printer/cutters are used for vehicle graphics applications including custom wraps, partial wraps, pinstriping and window film.

Designs will be evaluated for their creativity, effectiveness and technical quality. The grand prize is a Roland VersaCAMM 30-inch integrated printer/cutter, and cash prizes of up to $1,000 will be awarded to the finalists.

Brian McLeod, managing director for Roland’s Color Products Division, says, “As part of our 25th anniversary celebration, the Roland Wrap Contest presents an exciting opportunity for these professionals to showcase their best design work and compete for valuable prizes including Roland’s popular VersaCAMM integrated printer/cutter. We look forward to this opportunity to view the industry’s most creative designs and we encourage everyone to participate.”

In addition to receiving a new VersaCAMM, the grand prize winner will be awarded an expenses-paid trip to the SGIA 06 conference September 26-29 in Las Vegas. At SGIA, Roland will display contest finalists’ designs, with the winning design printed and displayed on a Scion xB.

To enter, Roland users can submit their best Scion xB designs to Roland’s Web site at www.rolanddga.com/wrap. Contest details and the required template can be downloaded free of charge. Entries must be received by July 31 and contest winners will be announced September 6, 2006.

Punch Graphix has a new CEO
Punch Graphix (Itasca, IL) has appointed Patrick Canavan president and CEO of its North American operations. He succeeds Kristof Vereenooghe, who has decided to move back to Europe.

“I am impressed by the entrepreneurial spirit, technology and market focus of Punch Graphix,” says Canavan. “There is a clear potential for our company to grow substantially.”

Ben C. Van Assche, Punch Graphix Worldwide CEO, says, “Under the leadership of Kristof, our company has achieved very strong revenue growth and a sound reputation for the Punch Graphix brands. Building on this success, I am pleased to welcome Patrick to the Punch Graphix team. We are looking forward to further strengthening our market position in the high-volume digital color printing and CTP market space in North America through our Xeikon and basysPrint brands.”

Kodak GCG names Hayzlett CMO and VP
Eastman Kodak Co. (Rochester, NY) has named Jeffrey Hayzlett chief marketing officer and vice president for its Graphic Communications Group (GCG). He has nearly 25 years of international marketing, sales and customer relations management experience in the graphic communications industry. Hayzlett replaces Barbara A. Pellow, who left Kodak for personal reasons in February 2006.

At Kodak, Hayzlett will lead all marketing activities for GCG, including product positioning, segment marketing, branding, marketing communications and customer development. Additionally, he will lead business research, marketing strategy and business development activity for the group. He will report to Jim Langley, GCG president and senior vice president for Eastman Kodak Co.

Hazylett says his two immediate priorities are to help the GCG present one face to the customer and to effectively commercialize products. Hayzlett most recently served as president and CEO of the Hayzlett Companies, Inc., a group of companies in the technology and communications industries. His primary business was Hayzlett & Associates, Inc., a business development and public relations firm specializing in the graphic arts, technology and communications industries, with offices in Sioux Falls, SD, and San Francisco.

Joel Quadracci takes the helm
Quad/Graphics (Sussex, WI) has appointed J. Joel Quadracci president and CEO, effective July 1, 2006, in anticipation of current chairman and CEO Thomas A. Quadracci’s year-end retirement. Currently, Joel serves as Quad/Graphics’ president and chief operating officer responsible for the operations of the company’s core printing business and related activities. Joel is Harry V. Quadracci’s son and has been employed with the company for nearly 15 years.

Tom will remain involved in the business as executive chairman of the board of directors and will fully retire from the company on December 31, 2006. A co-founder of the company, Tom chose his retirement date to coincide with the company’s and his 35th employment anniversary.

“It’s been tremendously satisfying to be apart of this company’s success from the very beginning and, more recently, to lead a team of such exceptional people,” says Tom. He helped his eldest brother and company founder, the late Harry V. Quadracci, start up Quad/Graphics in an abandoned factory in Pewaukee, WI, in 1971.

“Tom has been instrumental in building our company from the ground up, and we are eternally grateful for his contributions,” says Joel. “Not only has Tom played a key role in our company’s success, but he is a recognized leader in the printing industry as a whole.” Joel’s position as COO will not be replaced.

BERTL names On Demand ‘Best of Show’ winners
BERTL (Manalapan, NJ), an independent research firm focused on digital imaging, partnered with the On Demand 2006 conference and exposition (www.ondemandexpo.com) to produce a “Best of Show” awards program. The awards were presented during the show, May 17 at the Philadelphia Convention Center.

The judges were BERTL’s Dave Sweetnam, vice president of research and content development; Karl Rudisill, director of the Digital Production division; and Rich McAllister, senior solutions and market analyst.

To participate, ON DEMAND Conference and Expo exhibiting companies were allowed to submit two products that were introduced after June 1, 2005, and generally available at the time of the event.

One award was presented in each of six categories:

Bindery and Finishing Equipment: Standard Finishing Systems, Standard Horizon BQ-470 fully automated perfect binder.
Content and Document Management: Metavante Corp., DesignerWeb.
Design Prepress: Enfocus Software Inc., PitStop Professional 7.
Digital Publishing: Pageflex, a division of Bitstream Inc., Storefront 3.0.
Print Production Workflow Systems: XMPie Inc., uImage.
Printing Equipment: Océ North America Inc., VarioPrint 6250 Duplex cut-sheet printer.

“This year’s winners demonstrated the rapid advances the digital printing community is making and are truly deserving of recognition,” said Sweetnam.

On Demand is moving to Boston for the 2007 show. AIIM and On Demand will take place April 17-19, 2007, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.

ECRM to acquire Esko poly CTP line
ECRM Inc. (Tewksbury, MA) has closed its agreement to acquire the polyester CTP product line of Esko Production A/S. Under the terms of the agreement, ECRM has acquired the assets, including intangible assets and intellectual property, of its polyester plate equipment business. This includes the manufacture and sale of DPX 4, DPX System, DPX Lite, WorkMates, and all associated software products, consumables, spare parts and related products.

For more information, visit www.ecrm.com.

Boise debuts recycled paper for U.S. government
Boise Paper (Boise, Idaho) has introduced the first 50 percent post-consumer fiber copy paper that complies with a U.S. Department of Defense mandate: ASPEN 50.

After receiving and processing the initial customer request from the Department of Defense, Boise Paper team members, including marketing, logistics and manufacturing, worked collaboratively from the point of product concept to deliver the product in weeks. “Boise Paper takes great pride in listening to customers’ needs and wants,” says Christopher Forthaus, Boise’s director of product management. “The development and delivery of Boise ASPEN 50 in such a short time shows our ability to be incredibly responsive.”

FedEx Kinko’s enhances remote printing service
FedEx Kinko’s (Dallas) is making it easier for customers to submit print orders with upgraded software. File, Print FedEx Kinko’s enables customers to print from their computers directly to any FedEx Kinko’s center nationwide.

The software’s new features include the ability to print multiple files per order and automatically preview orders. Customers can store credit card and billing information securely, to streamline future orders. The new enhancements also include a wider selection of paper, including card stock, pastel, bright, résumé and executive papers.

Expanded FedEx delivery service features have been added as well, including the option to select FedEx Ground services in addition to FedEx Express and the ability to pay for shipping using FedEx account numbers. Package tracking numbers are provided to customers who ship their documents, allowing them to track the status of their order online at www.fedex.com.

FLEXcon tapping windows of opportunity
A four-panel see-through window graphic recently installed inside FLEXcon’s Spencer, MA, headquarters builds awareness of the company’s product capabilities while offering practical benefits. The use of FLEXcon’s seeTHRU-sign perforated vinyl film enhances privacy for presentations in the conference room, yet allows attendees to see out to the main lobby.

The display was designed, printed and installed by Philadelphia-based Burton Imaging Group using an HP Turbojet solvent inkjet printer.

See www.FLEXcon.com.

Transcontinental study reveals catalogers’ priorities
Transcontinental (Montreal, Quebec), Canada’s largest printer and the seventh largest in North America, has revealed the results of its annual “Catalog Insights” survey.

The March 2006 survey examined the attitudes of 158 catalogers in the United States. Key findings reportedly reveal catalogers are turning to their printers to get flexible printing solutions and innovations for their business development.

When asked what the most important factors were for selecting a printing partner, 68 percent cited “flexible printing capabilities” as one of the most important factors. Top responses from participants also included “highest printing quality” and “turnaround time.”

Sixty-one percent of respondents revealed they turn to their printer for the latest press and prepress technologies. Another 20 percent look to their printer for the latest innovations in premedia solutions.

In 2005, Transcontinental invested $157 million in plant upgrades, technologies and its employees. The company purchased three Goss Sunday 4000 presses (the first to be installed in North America), which can run at 90,000 sph and incorporate closed-loop color.

Guy Manuel, president of the Marketing Products and Services sector, explains: “While Transcontinental is outperforming in other printing niches, our commercial printing operations in Ontario required further consolidation to realize similar economies of scale and efficiencies.”

See www.transcontinental.com.

Company combines two plants
Transcontinental announced plans in May to combine its commercial printing and direct marketing facilities in the Toronto area. The equipment at Transcontinental O’Keefe Toronto, where the lease was set to expire, will be transferred to the Transcontinental National Posters to run world’s largest KBA press KBA North America (Williston, VT) has announced plans to install the world’s largest litho press at National Posters, Inc., the flagship company of National Print Group, Inc., headquartered in Chattanooga, TN. The KBA Rapida 205 81-inch, seven-color-plus-coater, sheetfed press with hybrid UV capabilities weighs in at almost 600,000 lbs. Following a mid-July ribbon-cutting ceremony, it is scheduled for startup in August 2006.

“This press will enable our company to present our customers with more print opportunities and options than ever before,” says George Diamantis, chairman of National Print Group. The new press will enable National Posters to print on a wider variety of substrates, at a faster cycle time, with enhanced quality and cost efficiencies. Diamantis adds, “There will be no single competitor that will be able to do what we can with this press or have the ability to offer the variety of printing we offer, from digital to screen to litho.”

National Posters has been readying its Chattanooga plant for the press with a new, glass-enclosed pressroom. Surrounding the pressroom is a new customer lounge and viewing area. To accommodate the larger sheet size, National Posters has upgraded its prepress department, adding two new larger-format platesetters from Kodak.

“The installation of this press will be a significant step forward for our company,” says GM Joel Stuart. “We’ve been hoping for the last 10 years that a press this size would be available, and KBA has done it. The new KBA Rapida 205 will help to increase our capacity and give us faster turnaround using the UV capability to dry jobs and send them immediately to the finishing department. Key components on the press are its automatic plate loading and its integrated production workflow via the KBA Logotronics Professional management system. All of these systems will significantly reduce makeready and increase our productivity.”

100 WORDS OR LESS:
What is a good strategy for responding to requests for quotes (RFQs)?
“An RFQ is an effort to reduce the ‘total cost’ of procuring print. The final cut is influenced by many factors: Reputation, quality, service, speed to market and ease of doing business all rank ahead of price. Don’t look at it as a ‘win or lose’ proposition, but as one step in a process of elimination starting with an RFI and ending with face-to-face negotiations. Approach each step with the goal of getting to the next. Up-front research about your prospect will improve your chances in this long and arduous process. It can and should be a positive experience.”
—Tom Arnold, business development manager, PBM Graphics, Inc. (Durham, NC)

PEOPLE
Chris Madison, CEO of ColorGraphics (Los Angeles), has been selected as Printing Industries Assn. (PIASC) 2006 Executive of the Year.

Punch Graphix (York, England) has appointed Ben C. Van Assche as its CEO.

Screen USA (Rolling Meadows, IL) has promoted Mike Fox to president and appointed Robert Prah as vice president of sales.

KBA North America (Wiliston, VT) has named Carsten Ruebel product manager.

Tim Donnelly has been appointed Eastern regional sales manager for Arjobex America (Charlotte, NC).

St. Ives Creative (Miami) has appointed David Neumann as director of creative sales.

Roger Spitzig has become president of BOWE Bell + Howell’s (Wheeling, IL) Software Business Solutions (SBS) division.

At Southeastern Printing (Stuart, FL), Robert Scott and Kris Phillips have been promoted to pressroom manager and account executive, respectively. Robert Louis joins the company as controller.

Ralph Pace has retired as owner of ADJ Group (Norwood, MA). His son, Tony, succeeds him.

IWCO Direct (Chanhassen, MN) has appointed Joseph F. Morrison as its CFO.

Chesley Powell, Jeffrey Fox and Debora Jeske have joined Wausau Paper’s (Wausau, WI) Printing and Writing segment as director of marketing, director of sales and product development manager, respectively.