ACROSS the nation
Prepress Upgrades Enhance Workflow
DETROIT—First came the press, then came the upgrade to new prepress and platesetting technology. Crystal Clear Images runs a Heidelberg GTO press and wanted to update its workflow. Crystal and Anthony Mitchell, the husband and wife owners of the unionized shop, chose Heidelberg’s Prinect Printready prepress system and Suprasetter A52 platesetter.
“When people heard that we were installing Heidelberg (prepress equipment), the amount of business influx was incredible,” reports Crystal Mitchell, who began her career as a school teacher in graphic design, before starting her own business from the basement of her house in 1995.
The company, which has been operating out of its own building since 2000, produces banners, menus, business cards, UV-coated billboards and a variety of other business materials. It also prints various jobs for the city of Detroit and surrounding counties.
Stitcher Makes Shop More Competitive
OREM, UT—McNeil Printing, a full-service offset printer specializing in smaller print runs and bindery services to the graphic arts industry, recently installed a Vijuk-321-T saddlestitcher from Vijuk Equipment.
“We purchased the new stitcher because it had all the features of the very high-end machines, including a heavy-weight frame,” reports Alan McNeil, president. “It has already opened doors to new customers.”
CALIFORNIA
BERKELEY—Internet-enabled printing is now being offered at Krishna Digital, supported by its recent installation of a four-color, 20x28˝ Mitsubishi Diamond 1000LS press with aqueous coater.
REDDING—Record Searchlight, a Scripts newspaper, purchased two Kodak Trendsetter News 50 platesetters, a Prinergy Evo workflow system, PREPS imposition software and Staccato screening.
COLORADO
ENGLEWOOD—A major investment has been made by Unique Litho in a new six-color Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 74 perfector with aqueous coater, a pair of two-color Printmaster QM 46 presses, a Suprasetter A74 platesetter and Prinect Printready prepress workflow with MetaDimension RIP, and a Stahlfolder TA 52 folder with knife-fold unit. A new Polar 92 X cutter is also scheduled for delivery.
FLORIDA
LAKEWORTH—A Kodak Trendsetter News 50 thermal platesetter, Prinergy Evo workflow system, PREPS imposition software and Staccato screening have been purchased by Lake Worth Herald Press.
MIAMI—Original Impressions recently celebrated its 25th anniversary with four of the original 12 employees on hand for the celebration. The firm, which now employs 160-plus, is consistently recognized by Hispanic Business magazine as one of the Top 500 Hispanic Companies in the United States.
ORLANDO—Charles Baker, president of The Baker Press, is thrilled with his new Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 74 press, in part, because it handles 31-pt. boxboard, which enabled the commercial printer to land its first packaging job.
GEORGIA
ATLANTA—Standard Press has purchased its second Komori sheetfed press, a six-color, 40˝ Lithrone S40 (LS640) with aqueous coater, fully automated makeready system, automatic ink key setting and CIP4 compatibility.
COLUMBUS—A four-color Heidelberg Printmaster PM 52 perfector press and Suprasetter A52 thermal platesetter with MetaDimension RIP have been delivered to Wynnton Express (XPress) Printing.
ILLINOIS
SYCAMORE—Family owned and operated Genoa Business Forms recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. The company has grown from printing business cards and letterhead to manufacturing business forms, checks and flat sheet printed material.
INDIANA
FORT WAYNE—The first U.S. installation of a Kodak NexPress S3000 digital color press with in-line roll feeder took place at Craftline Printing, where it is being used for variable data printing applications.
KANSAS
MERRIAM—A Kluge Omnifold automatic folder gluer with left and right registration, new in-line scoring feature, flip gate (for high-speed cross-folds) and automatic tape head has been installed at Creative Printing.
MASSACHUSETTS
BOSTON—The AlphaGraphics location here is handling nearly 300 proofs per month since implementing Proof-It-Online’s proof approval system.
MICHIGAN
ANN ARBOR—A P-DAQ press management/press counting system from NASTech Inc. was selected to replace the aging counting systems in use at Malloy Inc., a book printer.
BELMONT—DVD packaging production has increased significantly at Wynalda Litho since its installation of a six-color, 64˝ MAN Roland 900 XXL press with coater. This is the second MAN Roland press installed at the company in recent months: The first was a seven-color, 40˝ Roland 700 with in-line coating and roll-to-sheet capabilities.
DEXTER—Hardcover and softcover book manufacturer Thomson-Shore has increased output by installing its second two-color, 51˝ KBA Rapida 130a convertible perfecting press from KBA North America.
LANSING—BRD Printing has added a 20x28˝ Sakurai Oliver 472 ED II sheetfed press and is expanding its staff to keep up with sales growth.
MINNESOTA
STILLWATER—After successfully beta testing a six-color HP Scitex TURBOjet printer, Modernistic Inc. purchased the system to produce point-of-purchase displays.
NEW YORK
NEW YORK—A new Studio Services division has been introduced at Hudson-Yards to prepare electronic mechanicals for its customers, one of which is fragrance giant Coty Inc.
ORISKANY—Seifert Graphics has acquired its second VUTEk superwide-format ink-jet printer in less than a year to expand its digital display- graphics business.
NORTH CAROLINA
CHARLOTTE—“Unprecedented stability and quality” are two of the top benefits Allegra Print & Imaging is deriving from its new Heidelberg MetaDimension RIP, which is based on Adobe PDF Print Engine technology, according to Tim Jones, owner/partner of the Allegra Network company.
OHIO
CINCINNATI—Ten thousand square feet of manufacturing space have been added at Specialty Lithographing, along with a new six-color Heidelberg Speedmaster 102 sheetfed press with coater.
TENNESSEE
MT. PLEASANT—Arthur Blank & Co., part of the American Banknote Group, has expanded into the secure bank card market with the recent MasterCard and VISA certifications of its 50,000-square-foot manufacturing facility here. The plant, which has an annual production capacity of more than 100 million cards, will also produce secure contactless payment cards.
TEXAS
DALLAS—The “marketing implementation toolbox” at Cross Media has been expanded with the addition of a new six-color, 40˝ Mitsubishi Diamond 3000R perfector press, which features auto plate changing, closed loop color control, Mitsubishi JobLink and ColorLink systems, and X-Rite IntelliTrax auto-scanning unit.
WISCONSIN
GREEN BAY—The 11th Heidelberg printing unit has arrived at Mary Morgan Printing and Direct Mail as part of a new six-color Speedmaster with coater and extended delivery. The company is also installing PrintStar job management software.
MADISON—Embossing, diecutting, perforating and scoring capabilities have been expanded at Madison Bindery with the addition of a rebuilt Kluge EHD Series press, which is running alongside existing EHD and EHE Series presses.
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