DIGITAL digest
More Than 700 Get Connected At EFI Event
LAS VEGAS—The plush MGM Grand Hotel and Casino was the mecca for approximately 700 worldwide customers as EFI/Connect 2004, Printcafe's fifth annual user's conference, paid a visit to Sin City June 27-30. The conference resembled a mini Graph Expo, with 22 exhibitors showcasing complementary equipment, and 162 educational seminars for users of EFI workflow solutions.
The conference opened with a state-of-the-industry report by Andrew Paparozzi, the NAPL's chief economist, titled, "Success Factors of the Profit Leaders." Paparozzi pointed out that the recession has been much more severe for the industry than it has for the rest of the economy, and that the printing industry is changing both structurally and cyclically.
"The structural change has nothing to do with the economy," Paparozzi noted. "It's redefining how people communicate and print's role in that."
Among the structural changes he cited were the Internet, clients shortening press runs, just-in-time purchasing to minimize client inventory, more color/variable content, and clients merging, relocating and forming purchasing organizations.
Paparozzi projects the industry will lose 4,000 printers by 2008. About 2,600 printers went away between 1998 and 2000—before the recession hit—further proof that structural changes are behind the printing industry downturn.
The next morning's general session was "The EFI Report" with CEO Guy Gecht. He noted that the company has $750 million in the bank and plans on making some acquisitions, believing there are "too many technology providers out there."
Road Show Helps Unlock Digital Profits
VALHALLA, NY—Enovation Graphic Systems is inviting printers to attend a new road show that will reveal how digital printing can help revitalize their businesses.
The program, put together in cooperation with Xerox and EFI, will feature a Xerox DocuColor 6060 driven by EFI's Fiery EXP6000 RIP. Morning and afternoon presentations are slated for each day of the two-day event.
The 12-city road tour is scheduled to include stops in: Dallas (August 24-25); Washington, DC (August 26-27); Milwaukee (September 28-29); Orlando, FL (September 30 to October 1); Philadelphia (November 2-3); San Francisco (November 4-5); Los Angeles (November 16-17); Salt Lake City (December 14-15); and Atlanta (January 25-26, 2005).
Attendee registration and additional information can be found at www.digitalprofitcenter.com.
Von Hoffmann Launches Anthology Premedia Center
ST. LOUIS—Anthology is the name Von Hoffmann Corp. is giving to a new organization that will combine the skills and capabilities from three of its current businesses—Preface, H&S Graphics and Lehigh Digital. Providing creative through premedia services, the integrated operation will be moving into a new facility in Arlington Heights, IL, that will house more than 150 employees.
"Our customers are looking for single-source solution providers," says Robert Mathews, president and CEO of Von Hoffmann. "Some of the greatest opportunities for Von Hoffmann to serve our customers are in the creation and premedia phases of the product development cycle, where new complexities associated with versioning and multimedia production allow our customers to achieve market differentiation."
"We have truly created a new model to better serve the industry," adds Paul Campion, vice president of sales for Anthology. (www.vonhoffmann.com)
DIGITAL bytes
RESTON, VA—The International Color Consortium (ICC) has published its second "Progress Report" covering the activities and accomplishments of the group during 2003 and early 2004. Highlights include the approval and publication of Profile Specification 4.1, the development of new tools to facilitate implementation of color management by users and a campaign to persuade color management vendors to eliminate restrictive licensing language. A PDF version of the report can be downloaded from the ICC Website. (www.color.org)
BAY CITY, MI—The F.P. Horak Co. has added an HP Indigo 3000 digital color press to its Digital Imaging Center. The company is using the device to support its ColorTurn II digital printing service, which provides cost-effective production of short-run static or variable data projects. (www.fphorak.com/www.hp.com)
HONEY BROOK, PA—Digital Direct expects the installation of a Xerox iGen3 digital press to double its full-color, variable information print business. The firm is the largest digital print and fulfillment operation within Consolidated Graphics. (www.digdirect.com/www.xerox.com)
PORTLAND, OR—Online digital printing company Expresscopy.com reports being the first printer in the U.S. to sign a deal with Xeikon America for a Xeikon 5000 digital web press. It is actually buying three systems. (www.expresscopy.com/ www.xeikon.com)
SHARON, PA—Victor Printing has added a four-color KPG DirectPress 5034 DI waterless digital offset press from Kodak Polychrome Graphics. "Direct image printing allows us to offer more competitive pricing on short- to medium-run four-color jobs," comments Bill Richards, partner. (www.victorprinting.com/www.kpgraphics.com)
CANOGA PARK, CA—Mailmark, a direct marketing firm serving the automotive segment, has installed a Xerox iGen3 digital production press to improve customer response rates and expand into new revenue-generating markets, such as insurance and financial services. (www.mailmark.com/www.xerox.com)
SOUTH BEND, IN—Rink Printing recently completed its move to a digital workflow with the installation of an eight-page Fujifilm Javelin Luxel T-9000 thermal CTP device from Enovation Graphic Systems. According to Michael Rink, owner and president, the platesetter has increased plant production by at least 30 percent and enabled the shop to eliminate two positions. (www.rinkprinting.com/ www.enovationgraphics.com)
ORANGE, CA—K&D Graphics has installed a Prinect Printready prepress workflow system and automated Topsetter PF-102 thermal plate imager from Heidelberg. (www.kdgpp.com/www.heidelberg.com)
MIAMI—On the first day of Drupa 2004, Color K Graphics signed a deal with KBA North America for a 74 Karat digital offset press. Owner Daniel Korzeniewski says the firm chose to configure its press with the optional board package for running thicker substrates to enable expansion into the short-run packaging market. (www.colorkgraphics.com/www.karatpress.com)
SUSSEX, WI—Color Ink recently opened a Digital Printing Center at its corporate headquarters. The 800-square-foot facility is equipped with an HP Indigo 3050 digital press and a Xerox DocuTech 120 monochrome copier/printer. (www.colorink.com)
CHESAPEAKE, VA—To increase the capability of its cut-sheet printing operation, AmeriComm has added an IBM InfoPrint 4000 monochrome, duplex printing system. (www.americomm.net/www.ibm.com)
CHICAGO—Through its RealTimeProof Partner program, Kodak Polychrome Graphics is working with printers to implement soft proofing solutions. RR Donnelley, based here, has incorporated the Web-based image streaming and proofing engine into its new ShareStream solution for collaborative workflows. Baltimore-based Vertis Inc. is using the technology to add online proofing capability to its Visionbank TDW/Project Management solution for creation, production and distribution of complex marketing campaigns. (www.rrdonnelley.com/ www.vertisinc.com/www.kpgraphics.com)
VANCOUVER—Creo Inc.'s Veris ink-jet proofer has received SWOP (Specifications for Web Offset Publications) certification. SWOP was initiated as a response to the printing industry's need for uniform specifications and tolerances to ensure the consistency and quality of material in publications. (www.creo.com/ www.swop.org)
HOOKSETT, NH—Polaris Direct has installed an arsenal of Nipson 7000 continuous-feed, monochrome digital presses. The direct mail company, which officially opened in June 2003, operates a combination of simplex (six unit) and duplex (three unit) machines. (www.polarisdirect.net/www.nipson.com)
LONGWOOD, FL—Elegant Printing & Graphics recently installed a new Presstek Dimension CTP system for imaging chemistry-free plates. According to management, eliminating chemical waste is a big step in keeping with the company's ideals of being environmentally responsible. (www.elegantprinting.net/www.presstek.com)
BOISE, ID—In its first move into computer-to-plate production, Alexander Clark Printing has installed a PlateRite 4300 thermal platesetter from Screen (USA). The combination web and sheetfed offset shop became an employee-owned company earlier this year. (www.alexanderclark.com/ www.screenusa.com)
WILLISTON, VT—Press manufacturer KBA North America reports that Pantone Inc. is approving the KBA 74 Karat digital offset press to produce simulations of PANTONE Matching System colors. The approval process required development of customized color look-up tables for use with the digital press. (www.karatpress.com/www.pantone.com)
