BINDERY matters

Stitcher Makes Debut at Steffy

BROWNSTOWN, PA—Steffy Printing, a full-service commercial printer, recently installed a Vijuk 321-T saddlestitcher to keep up with its customers’ quicker turnaround needs.

Bindery Upgrade Made in Northwest

KENT, WA—ESP Printing updated its bindery equipment with the addition of a Bravo-T saddlestitcher from Muller Martini.

Bobst Group USA Plans Open House

ROSELAND, NJ—Bobst Group USA has set September 21-26 for its Direction ’06 folding carton open house, conference, seminars and trade fair.

“This will be our biggest Direction event yet,” promises Chris Raney, Bobst vice president for folding carton. “We’ve added a number of new features including some very topical breakout session seminars. We believe that it’s a chance for folding carton converters, trade finishers and commercial printers to see more and learn more—in one place—than ever before.”

New attractions include classroom-style, executive seminars specifically formulated to address the interests of owners and senior managers. Additionally, there will be breakout sessions for operators, supervisors and their managers and mini-versions of many of Bobst’s training courses available for sampling.

A major focus will be on working demonstrations of the latest technologies for diecutting, folding-gluing, embossing and foil stamping, all designed to show new ways to improve plant efficiency and profitability. Direction ’06 will also feature an exposition area filled with more than 25 industry suppliers offering supporting products.

To register or for more information, call (888) 226-8800, ext. 5246, or e-mail Michelle.Duganier@BobstGroup.com.

MFSA Seminars at GRAPH EXPO

RESTON, VA—The Mailing & Fulfillment Service Association (MFSA) will present six seminar sessions on the specialty’s key business opportunities and technical challenges at this year’s GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO, at the McCormick Place complex in Chicago from
October 15-18.

MFSA will also stage its annual Leaders Conference in conjunction with the trade show, bringing to Chicago more than 100 of the most influential leaders of the mailing and fulfillment business.

The show, the largest in the Americas this year, has steadily expanded its coverage of this important market segment in recent years, and the Graphic Arts Show Co. (GASC) expects the Mailing & Fulfillment Center at this year’s show to be the biggest yet.

The center, dedicated to mailing and fulfillment exhibits, is expected to feature more than 40 exhibitors, occupying more than 30,000 net square feet.

MFSA will work with GASC to organize and present six seminars as part of the show’s program of more than 60 sessions. The MFSA seminars are:

Mailing Services: The Final Frontier—the Business Proposition for Offering Mailing Services

Talking Postal—The Basics of Dealing with the Postal Service

Moving Your Eggs into More Baskets—Diversification with Mailing and Fulfillment Services

Avoiding Design Disaster—Using Mailpiece Design to Maximize Postage Discounts

Printing Smart—The Blueprint of a Winning VDP Strategy

How to Get Started in Fulfillment

In addition, the Mailing & Fulfillment Center will offer full agendas of free presentations by vendors exhibiting in the center in its own theater on the show floor.
quick cuts

MBO America has delivered a B26/444 buckle folder with continuous feeder and A-76 mobile delivery to Chapman Printing’s plant in Parkersburg, WV.

Josef Fuchs, retired senior vice president of Bobst Group USA, passed away on June 12 in Boynton Beach, FL. Mr. Fuchs was 67 years old.

Former long-time Kolbus employee Volker Petzold has started Print Finishing Sales & Service (PFS&S) in Sarasota, FL, a consulting practice.

MOR Printing, based in Tamarac, FL, recently installed a Stitchmaster ST 400 saddlestitcher from Heidelberg to increase automation and speed in its bindery.

Hayward, CA-based trade bindery Gluers Post Press Services has implemented CRC Information Systems’ THE System business management software.

Jonco Die Co., a manufacturer of steel rule cutting dies in Mounds View, MN, has purchased the first Blanking Systems Inc. (BSI) auto bender for inner blanking grids sold in North America by Bobst Group USA.

In Pittsburgh, Hart Printing has installed a Perfecta 115 TVC cutter and 6.5 P stacklift.

Sekan Printing added a TTSB plastic coil book binding machine to its operation in Fort Scott, KS.

New to NU E-Z Custom Bindery, Hackensack, NJ, is a Muller Martini Bravo-T saddlestitcher.

Chicago’s Rickard Bindery has expanded its services to include string tying for piggyback advertising.

Precision Paper Products, in Marion, IN, is now operating a Perfecta 132 TVC paper cutter.

O’Neil Printing, based in Phoenix, has installed a Heidelberg Stitchmaster ST 400 saddlestitcher and a Polar 137 X cutter. Founded in 1908, O’Neil Printing is an employee-owned and operated company with 90 employees.