DIGITAL Digest
On Demand Show to Feature Allied Events
NEW YORK CITY—Slated to run April 7-9 at the Jacob K. Javits Center, the 2003 edition of the On Demand Digital Printing and Publishing Conference & Exposition is being held in conjunction with two other events—the AIIM 2003 Conference & Exposition and TeleCon Collaborate 2003 Conference & Exposition.
AIIM International is an association for the global enterprise content management (ECDM) industry and focuses on the technologies used to create, capture, customize, deliver and manage enterprise content to support business processes. TeleCon Collaborate showcases solutions that enhance productivity and performance within the enterprise, including videoconferencing, Web conferencing and project management tools.
The combined event will feature several marquee names in conference sessions that should be of interest to the commercial printing community.
Monday's keynote will be headlined by Arthur Sulzberger Jr., chairman and publisher of the New York Times. Sulzberger is to receive the 2003 Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Isaiah Thomas Award in Publishing. RIT's School of Print Media presents this honor (sponsored by Xerox) annually for outstanding contributions to the publishing industry. The award is named in tribute to Isaiah Thomas, a pioneer of the American printing industry.
Following the day's keynote, Charlie Pesko Jr., managing director of CAP Ventures, will present "Strategies for Survival and Growth: Re-Defining the Business of Print." This annual industry update will examine how print-on-demand drives growth in the market and enables adopters to offer solutions that will ensure their survival. Next up on the schedule is the U.S. Public Printer, Bruce R. James, who will explore "The Changing Nature of Print Communications."
Among the panel discussions geared to commercial printers is Tuesday's "Beyond Print: The Value-added Services Opportunity." The session will explore the value-added service opportunities for print service providers, recipes for success and barriers to implementation. On Wednesday, "An Economic Forecast for the Print Industry" will feature a panel of experts offering relevant information about the current market and the economic climate moving forward. (www.ondemandexpo.com)
Creo to Offer Remanufactured Prepress Solutions
BOSTON—Creo Inc. has launched a line of certified, remanufactured prepress systems. Branded as Creo Remanufactured Solutions, product offerings are to include Brisque and Prinergy workflow management systems, Trendsetter and Lotem platesetters, Dolev imagesetters, EverSmart scanners and Iris proofers.
These trade-in systems are remanufactured on the production line in the factory where they were originally built. The same Acceptance Test Procedure used for new equipment reportedly is employed to verify that a remanufactured system meets the current specifications for the original product. The products carry a warranty and receive Creo service. (www.creo.com)
DIGITAL bytes
WEST PORT, WI—Kramer Printing has made the move to CTP-based production by installing a four-up Fujifilm Dart Luxel T-6000 thermal platesetter. "We don't invest in new technology until we're sure it works," notes Todd Tiefenthaler, president and owner. "Once the bugs were worked out of computer-to-plate, we went with a Fuji system because we've been a Fujifilm consumables customer for 15 years." (www.kramerprinting.com/www.fujifilm.com)
WHITE PLAINS, MD—Automated Graphic Systems (AGS) has enhanced its digital printing capabilities with the installation of a Canon ImageRunner 110 digital printing system. The black-and-white device, purchased from IKON Office Solutions, outputs 110 pages-per-minute at 600 dpi resolution and has an in-line stitching option for producing saddle-stitched booklets. AGS is owned by Consolidated Graphics.(www.ags.com)
HUDSON, NH—Presstek Inc. reports it has launched the beta testing program for its previously announced Applause process-free thermal printing plate. The manufacturer claims the wet offset plate will be a unique product in the marketplace because it requires no intermediate steps between imaging and printing.
"The beta program will be conducted in the first half of 2003, and we anticipate a commercial launch of Applause for approximately mid-year," notes David Ventola, Presstek's general manager, off-press products. "Beyond aluminum sheeted plates, Applause technology can easily be adapted to polyester sheets and spool formats, creating future opportunities in other DI and CTP applications." (www.presstek.com)
KENNETT SQUARE, PA—Tech Services International (TSI) has entered into an agreement with Presstek Inc. that designates TSI as the only authorized service and support provider in North America for the latter's Dimension 200/4400/800 CTP systems. The company will handle installation, spare parts distribution and ongoing support for the products. (www.tsiyes.com)
CHICAGO—Upgrading to an A.B.Dick DPM2404 digital platemaker has given The Ink Well the added benefits of integrated punching and the ScanMaster digital scanning solution for handling film. Part of a national, 40-unit chain based in Houston, the shop previously used a DPM2000 to produce the silver-based polyester plates it uses for its predominantly short-run, one- and two-color jobs. (www.inkwellchicago.com/www.abdick.com)
PITTSBURGH—The Graphic Arts Technical Foundation has received a donation of a DocuColor 2060 sheetfed digital color press from Xerox Corp. The unit replaced the DocuColor 40 the foundation had been running. "As the demand grows for shorter runs and variable data printing or personalized marketing, it is important that the industry's technical association have proper equipment and training to help educate the rest of the industry," says John Hamm, vice president of marketing in Xerox's Graphic Arts Business Unit. (www.xerox.com)
MCLEAN, VA—Two more Gannett Co. divisions have purchased Creo's computer-to-plate newspaper solution. Gannett Printing and Publishing in Pensacola, FL, purchased a Trendsetter NEWS 70 CTP system and Prinergy workflow management system to support production of two local publications and commercial work. The Clarion-Ledger of Jackson, MS, purchased two Trendsetter NEWS 100 CTP systems to support production of the daily newspaper with a circulation of more than 100,000. (www.gannett.com/www.creo.com)
AUSTIN, TX—Business Ink has installed a Xeikon DCP 32 D webfed digital color press. The communications management company provides design, offset printing, finishing, fulfillment and mailing services. (www.businessink.com/www.xeikon.com)
PITTSBURGH—To better reflect its purpose, The Electronic Prepress Section (EPS) of Printing Industries of America (PIA) has changed its name to "EPS—the Digital Workflow Group, a special section of GATF/PIA." (www.gain.net/programs/eps.html)
RESTON, VA—The International Organization for Standardization's Technical Committee 130 (Graphic Technology) has announced the formation of a new task force to develop an international standard for the exchange of variable printing data. The standard is to be based on the CGATS.20-2002 (Graphic technology-Variable printing data exchange using PPML and PDF) data format, which was developed by a subcommittee of the American National Standards Institute. ISO Task Force 3 will be chaired by Tim Donahue, senior software engineer at NexPress Solutions (www.npes.org/standards/workroom.html)
BURLINGTON, MA—Epsilon, a full-service marketing solutions provider with a substantial print production operation, has added a Nipson 8000 digital printing system at its Irving, TX, location. (www.epsilon.com/www.nipson.com)
ASHLAND, OH—BookMasters Inc. has established a digital book printing division to handle short-run and print-on-demand applications. Digital production services will be integrated with the organization's fulfillment services division to manage archiving backlists and out-of-print titles. (www.bookmasters.com)
INDIANAPOLIS—Hilltop Press has followed up its move to a larger facility with the installation of a Fujifilm Saber Luxel P-9600 CTP platesetter. The company doubled its plate production capacity and is now 90 percent CTP on new jobs, reports Julie Turner, vice president of production, prepress. (www.hilltoppress.com/www.fujifilm.com)
FLORENCE, KY—The Barco Graphics Users Association (BGUA) has adopted an expanded focus and new name, the Association of Esko-Graphics Users (AEG), in keeping with the merger of Barco Graphics and Purup-Eskofot to form the new Esko-Graphics organization. The 2003 AEG annual user group meeting will be held May 1-3 in Saint Louis. (www.aeg.esko-graphics.com)
LINDON, UT—Craig Brady, president of Printing Resource, says he expected his shop to save money by installing a Fujifilm Saber Luxel P-9600 CTP platesetter, but he has been surprised by the productivity gains in the prepress department. The company was able to cut one full-time position as part of its move to 100 percent CTP-based production, Brady reveals. (www.printingresource.com/www.fujifilm.com)
CLEVELAND—Marketing Communication Resource (MCR), which offers creative database management, printing and distribution services, has expanded its printing capabilities with the installation of a Xerox DocuPrint 115 MICR laser printer. The system is being used for high-volume, monochrome printing applications, including live checks. (www.mcr-inc.com)
SAUGUS, MA—Bob Quinlan, president of UniGraphic Inc., asserts the company has renewed its commitment to being a leader in prepress, printing and large-format printing services with the addition of a six-color HP Indigo UltraStream 2000 digital press. (www.unigraphic.com)
