ACROSS the nation

Printer's Event Draws a Crowd

ATLANTA—For the second year in a row, "Color Talk," presented by The EPI Companies, created a stir in the marketing community, drawing more than 400 corporate communications executives, marketing coordinators and print procurement specialists. The program featured a presentation by Leatrice Eiseman, a renowned color specialist who also serves as executive director of the Pantone Color Institute.

EPI sponsored the event as an educational opportunity for clients and prospects, and to build awareness of the company's single-source array of marketing services. "Color Talk" was preceded by a reception featuring 29 exhibits.

arizona

TEMPE—Company officials from Ben Franklin Press announced the purchase of the company's first Mitsubishi Diamond Series sheetfed press. The four-color, 40˝ Diamond 3000R convertible perfector is now in full production.

california

OXNARD—Custom Printing has entered into a long-term agreement with Allen Recycling. The printer has been recycling in excess of 30,000 pounds of trimout each week. It has also installed a four-color, 40˝ Mitsubishi Diamond 3000 press. In other news, the company has purchased a new 30,000-square-foot building in the Northfield Business Park to which it plans to relocate later in the year.

florida

LARGO—BBF Printing Solutions recently held an open house to introduce its Direct Mail Solutions division and its newest addition—an eight-color Sanden 1500XP web offset press.

SARASOTA—Spotlight Graphics has switched from a film-based workflow to a chemistry-free CTP one, with Agfa :Azura no-bake plates now being imaged on its new eight-up Agfa :Xcalibur 45E thermal platesetter.

georgia

ATLANTA—Heidelberg recently installed a four-color Printmaster PM 52 press and a Prosetter 52 computer-to-metal plate violet platesetting system at Collins Digital Imaging, a full-service commercial print shop and digital photography studio.

idaho

NAMPA—Böwe Bell + Howell has reached an agreement with Pioneer Newspapers to install a second Action Notes labeling machine here. The first Pioneer facility to commit to this front page, "sticky note" advertising vehicle was the regional printing facility, Bear River Publishing, in Preston, ID.

illinois

DECATUR—Huston Patterson Printers, a package printer, has installed its second 64˝ KBA Rapida 162A sheetfed press with inline aqueous coating tower. The new press is a six-color; its sister press, installed in October 2001, is a seven-color with UV and aqueous coating capability.

DES PLAINES, IL—Des Plaines Publishing, a web printer of newspapers, newsletters and publications, recently installed a Vijuk 321-T saddle stitcher, distributed by Vijuk Equipment.

ROCKFORD—The Rockford Register Star purchased an Elettra automatic blanket wash system from IMC America at the recent NEXPO show.

SCHILLER PARK—Sunrise Printing is now running a new five-color, 20x28˝ Komori Lithrone L528 press.

kentucky

PRESTONSBURG—Williams Printing, an on-demand book printer, has installed an ODM Casemaking system from On Demand Machinery.

louisiana

BATON ROUGE—A new Heidelberg Prosetter 74 platesetter with single cassette loader has been purchased by Baton Rouge Printing in order to increase automation within its prepress department. The shop houses nearly 45 employees and services local and national hospitals and home health agencies.

maryland

BALTIMORE—PrintManage, a print integration company, has contracted with Maxim Healthcare Services, a national recruiting company, for a two-year contract to produce up to 6 million variable data, direct mail pieces annually. Print Manage will print and mail post cards with targeted variable data from an automated system that allows Maxim's 300 offices nationwide to design, approve and order from the Web.

michigan

LIVONIA—Saturn Printing & Mailing has installed a Heidelberg Prosetter 52 computer-to-plate system. The privately owned quick commercial printer is using the new equipment to produce plates for four-color jobs.

minnesota

Burnsville—Cornerstone Copy Center has installed its first Heidelberg press, a Quickmaster DI-46 ProSpot. The family owned and operated shop was established in 1981.

montana

LEWISTOWN—A two-color Ryobi sheetfed press has been purchased by News-Argus Printing, an independently owned firm that has been in business for more than 100 years.

new jersey

WAYNE—Metro Packaging and Imaging, a folding carton printer, has installed a seven-color, 64˝ KBA Rapida 162 sheetfed press plus aqueous coater.

new york

AMHERST—The Printing and Imaging Association of New York State reports that its Workers' Compensation Safety Group will share in a dividend payout of $1 million for the 2003-2004 policy year. The average dividend issued was approximately $7,000.

BINGHAMTON—An Elettra automatic blanket wash system, available from IMC America, is now in use at The Binghamton Sun-Bulletin.

Mamaroneck—Printcraft has added a four-color Printmaster PM 52 in order to improve efficiencies within the shop. Printcraft is a family owned and operated general commercial printer that specializes in the production of newsletters and brochures.

ohio

CINCINNATI—Stevenson, The Color Company, announced the addition of a new 40˝ Mitsubishi Diamond 3000 UV press, a Mimaki JV3-160SP ink-jet plotter, as well as gluing and mounting equipment.

MINSTER—Globus Printing has signed an agreement with CRC Information Systems to implement THE System business management software.

Yellow Springs—The Antioch Co. has replaced two sheetfed presses with a six-color MAN Roland 700 perfector equipped with in-line coating at its production facility here. The new press is producing products for the company's scrapbook division, Creative Memories.

oregon

PORTLAND—Steven's Printing recently added Heidelberg's Prinect Prinance management information system in order to upgrade its estimating package. Since the installation, the shop reportedly has streamlined its production management system and is able to compete with larger shops for jobs.

pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH—Express KCS Media Backoffice has established a U.S. client service center here to provide offshore prepress and software development services in India. James Anderson, formerly of EFI, has been recruited to manage the new client service center. Express KCS claims to be processing up to 2,000 jobs per day at its facilities in India.

TELFORD—Tiger Printing Group has added a six-color, 40˝ Mitsubishi Diamond 3000S with coater to its fleet. Formed in 2002, Tiger Printing specializes in high-end printing of marketing materials, magazines, brochures and direct mail pieces. The company's new press is now fully operational with more than 5 million impressions already completed.

south carolina

BEAUFORT—LowCounty Newspapers, publisher of The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette, has purchased an Elettra automatic blanket wash system from IMC America.

texas

DALLAS—TS Printing, a family owned printing firm, has purchased a new Mitsubishi Diamond 3000LX sheetfed press. The six-color, 40˝ press boasts UV coating capabilities and skeleton transfer cylinders with air management that can handle a wider stock range.

Industry News

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Send information about new equipment and software installations, plant expansions and renovations, major printing contracts won, the signing of acquisition and marketing alliance agreements, as well as other newsworthy items to:

Across the Nation Editor,

c/o Printing Impressions,

401 N. Broad St.,

Philadelphia, PA 19108.

Fax: (215) 238-5484

E-mail: mmichelson@napco.com