DIGITAL bytes 4-01

CAMBRIDGE, MA—Pageflex Inc. and Xerox Corp. have entered into an agreement that gives Xerox the right to resell Pageflex's Mpower and Persona variable-data software on a non-exclusive, worldwide basis. Pageflex software also will be incorporated into a soon-to-be-announced solution from Xerox for the personalized and customized printing market. (www.pageflexinc.com and www.xerox.com)

FAYETTEVILLE, AR—University of Arkansas Printing Services has added a new digital Xerox 6180 Book Factory system to its facility. Consisting of a digital printer and several binding units, the system was chosen by Rich Bundsgaard, director of printing services, after he researched a variety of alternatives.

The university is using the Book Factory to produce original books in small quantities and to handle reorders as required, thereby reducing the need to inventory copies. The system also is being used to produce longer runs of specialty pieces, such as sorority/fraternity directories. (www.xerox.com)

DORTMUND, GERMANY—The response rates for customized direct mail programs are nearly three times higher than standard mailings, suggests a study conducted by the International School of Management and sponsored by NexPress Solutions. The study compared two direct marketing approaches used to support a service program offered by a municipal utility in Düsseldorf. The program offered customers price advantages on gas and electricity in exchange for signing a one-year contract to purchase from the utility.

About half of the target group received a digitally printed personalized brochure that incorporated the power-usage statistics of individual prospects, and the corresponding savings they could expect to realize. The other half of the test group received a conventional color brochure describing the program, with a cover letter that was personalized with the recipient's name and address.

More than 15 percent of the prospects who received a personalized brochure reportedly signed a contract within seven weeks—a success rate 2.9 times greater than the 5.4 percent response rate for recipients of the standard brochure. (www.iiw.de/Schwerpunkte/VIP/vip.html)

HUDSON, NH—Presstek Inc. has expanded its customer service organization by opening a new demonstration and training center for its direct imaging (DI) products. The center features Presstek-enabled Xerox DI presses, Dimension CTP systems and a conventional press utilizing Anthem thermal plates. The new 50,000-square-foot facility also houses the company's executive offices. (www.presstek.com)

ROCHESTER, NY—NexPress Solutions has joined PrintTalk, the industry consortium formed to help link e-commerce applications with business management systems for the graphic arts industry. The PrintTalk communications interface uses the Job Definition Format (JDF), the proposed standard for a digital job ticket that can direct prepress, press and postpress operations. The NexPress 2100 digital production color press supports the JDF job-ticket standard. (www.printtalk.org)

ITASCA, IL—Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. has logged two more installations for its FinalProof digital color halftone proofer. Photo Effects, a high-end prepress and printing company in Bethesda, MD, wanted to upgrade to a more predictable proof from the ink-jet-based system it had been using. "The big difference with this proofer is that we can give clients a doubled, folded proof, rather than just a flat sheet of paper," says Tony Abunassar, president.

After conducting a head-to-head test, Rohrich Corp. in Akron, OH, choose the proofer for the quality of its dot and the reliability of the machine, says Butch Rohrich, vice president. (www.fujifilm.com)

ROCHESTER, NY—Monroe Graphics has completed its adoption of a fully digital workflow by installing a PlateRite 8000 thermal plate recorder from Screen (USA). The company previously had moved up to outputting eight-page, imposed film on a Screen Tanto 5120 imagesetter. It also has a Screen TrueRite TCP-1080 digital proofer.

According to Tom Gruber, president, Monroe already is running more than 50 percent of its work through the PT-R8000. He adds that the automated system has decreased the department's labor requirements by 50 percent. (www.monroegraphics.com and www.screenusa.com)

NORWALK, CT—Kodak Polychrome Graphics and ECRM Imaging Systems have mutually announced certification of Kodak Approval Type 2 digital proofing media for use on the ECRM DesertCat 88 digital proofer and platesetter. (www.ecrm.com and www.kpgraphics.com)

DALLAS—Padgett Printing has purchased two TrendSetter Spectrum 3244 plate, film and proof recorders from CreoScitex. The devices are driven by the Prinergy PDF-based workflow system. "This system allows us to be more efficient on smaller run sizes, plus have quicker setup and makeready operations," says David Torok, president and CEO. (www.padgett.com)

CHICAGO—Que-Net Media, a member of the Quebecor World Group, has opened a Technology Solutions Center in New York City. The site reportedly is the first of four such centers scheduled to come online in 2001. Each will offer on-site training to both clients and staff in the latest technology and systems for content management and automated publishing.

The New York City location is a 10,000-square-foot facility and includes a 1,200-square-foot digital photography studio. (www.quebecorworld.com)

VALLEY FORGE, PA—IKON Office Solutions has unveiled a brand strategy for its e-business unit, which has been given the name "Sysinct." Sysinct's service offerings currently include e-business consulting and strategy development, solution architecture and design, information security, infrastructure design and deployment, project management and managed network services. The solutions suite is based on offerings from IKON's business partners and primary vendors, including IBM, Microsoft and Cisco. (www.ikon.com)

TROY, MI—Oakland Printing is said to be the first shop in Michigan to install the PlateRite 8000 thermal computer-to-plate device from Screen (USA). The company reports it currently is producing 80 percent of the plates for its mostly four- and six-color work on the platesetter. (www.screenusa.com)

ROCHESTER, NY—Heidelberg Digital reports shipping its 2,000th Digimaster 9110 network imaging system. The black-and-white, on-demand printer has been in production for 20 months. It outputs 110 pages per minute at resolutions to 600 dpi. (www.heidelberg.com)

SANTA ANA, CA—Markzware's MarkzNet has been selected by Future Publishing as its solution for processing submitted digital ad files. Across its 83 titles, the U.K.-based publisher reportedly receives 2,000 files every month. (www.markzware.com)

OVERLAND PARK, KS—On Demand Technologies, a supplier of digital document production and management services, has upgraded its color production resources by adding personnel and equipment. According to the company, this is just the first of four planned phases in its 12-week expansion program. (www.odt-inc.com)

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA—California Polytechnic State University now can give is students training on the Indigo TurboStream six-color digital offset press, thanks to a donation from

Indigo N.V. Dr. Harvey Levenson, head of the school's Graphic Communication Department, commended the manufacturer for officially joining Cal Poly as a "Partner in Education." (www.indigonet.com)

SPARTANBURG, SC—Altman Printing has been designated a Certified Microsoft Publisher 2002 Service Bureau. The certification process required the company to develop a specialty in outputting and printing electronic document files from the software program. (www.altmanprint.com)

PITTSBURGH—With the help of industry manufacturers, the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (GATF) has significantly expanded its digital capabilities. Presstek is helping the foundation to renew its commitment to being a premier resource to the graphic arts community on "pre" processes through its Center for Imaging Excellence (CIE). In return, GATF has rededicated the center in the name of Robert Howard. Howard founded Presstek and is associated with the development of the dot matrix and laser printers, as well as on-press direct imaging (DI) technology.

To help update the center, Presstek will be installing its Dimension CTP system and has contributed "significant funds" towards updating the facility with the latest prepress technologies.

In addition, Xerox and C.P. Bourg have installed a DocuTech Book Factory system in GATF's training facility. The system features the DocuTech 2000 series digital printer teamed with the C.P. Bourg BBF 2005 perfect binder and BDFX automated bookletmaker. (www.gain.net)

FAIRFIELD, ME—Graphic Color Service (GCS) has installed an Indigo UltraStream 2000 digital offset color press at its headquarters. The new press will expand the shop's digital printing services, which it added five years ago. The company also reports that its Digital Color Service division has opened a third digital photography studio, this one in Portland, ME. In addition, GCS has launched a Website development division called TeamWeb. (www.gcolor.com)

ITASCA, IL—Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. has sold its 400th PictroProof two-page digital color proofer in the U.S. market. The device is based on the manufacturer's proprietary thermal development and transfer technology, which uses CMYK donor material and receiver paper to simulate commercial printing ink and stock. (www.fujifilm.com)