DIGITAL digest

Vendors Time Release Products for Drupa

DÜSSELDORF—Drupa 2004 will most likely have begun its run by the time this story is in print, yet it technically is still part of the pre-show coverage. Two companies elected to make their announcements embargoed until now.

Presstek previously released information about its next-generation thermal imaging head, ProFire, but details of its application were held back. Formal product launches were being saved for Düsseldorf.

The company is teaming up with Ryobi, KBA (Karat) and Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG) to introduce an entry-level, lower cost digital offset printing platform based on ProFire. An entry-level version of the yet-to-be- named presses are expected to cut costs by 25 percent compared to existing systems. The base printing engine will implement ICC profiles and print waterless with support for 16 micron stochastic and 300 lpi screening.

KPG will distribute the DI (Direct Imaging) press line in North America.

In the CTP arena, Presstek is planning to introduce the DimensionExcel system with ProFire head technology. It will image 20 plates per hour with a 16 micron spot size and support enhanced screening solutions. A modular design will enable field upgrades to full automation utilizing three plate cassettes (to be available in the fall of 2004).

Enfocus Software was planning to use Drupa 04 as a launching pad for Instant PDF 3.0, an upgrade of its PDF file creation utility. CEO David van Driessche says the primary focus of the application remains on helping document creators produce and deliver properly prepared files, but improvements in this version give document receivers tools to define file parameters.

This is chiefly accomplished via the new Enfocus PDF Queue function, which enables file receivers to specify settings and standards required to create a good PDF based on the particulars of their workflows. Queues can be posted to the CertifiedPDF.net service (if the receiver is a subscriber) for automatic distribution to clients who are Instant PDF 3.0 users.

Even though it's now a standalone application rather than an Adobe Acrobat plug-in, version 3.0 still must be used in conjunction with another application capable of creating PDF files. It can interface with the direct PDF export functions of Adobe InDesign CS and QuarkXPress 6, as well as the PDF creation technology embedded in Apple's Mac OS X (Panther and Jaguar).

Value of Digital Output To Reach $50 Billion

HANOVER, MA—By 2007, annual spending on digital color output by businesses and consumers (worldwide) is forecast to hit almost $50 billion, according to I.T. Strategies. That's up significantly from its estimate of more than $30 billion spent in 2002. These estimates represent print-for-pay value and do not include the value of documents and graphics produced in-house, the market research firm says.

For this analysis, documents are defined as products that are generally printed on paper and are meant to be read, while graphics are printed on a wide variety of substrates and are meant to be viewed.

Graphics are forecast to account for 65 percent of market sales in 2007, or $32 billion, which reflects a 10 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR). Document printing is expected to grow at a slightly slower pace, registering a 7 percent CAGR or $17.4 billion in sales.

I.T. Strategies' forecast covers two digital color printing technologies—ink-jet and electrophotography. Over the five-year period, ink-jet technology will generate about 60 percent of the total print-for-pay output value, growing to almost $30 billion by 2007, the research reveals.

"Ink-jet technology will be primarily found in graphics applications because of its substrate flexibility coupled with its width capabilities of up to 16 feet," explains Marco Boer, consulting partner. (www.it-strategies.com)

DIGITAL bytes

METAIRIE, LA—Franklin Southland Group has installed a Xerox DocuColor 6060 digital color printing system, which it acquired from Enovation Graphic Systems under that company's distribution agreement with Xerox. The group consists of three business entities: Franklin Southland Printing, Impact Data & Mail and Cypress Litigation, a legal copy services company. "Variable data printing is a major future growth segment," asserts Richard Lizotte, owner. (www.getitfromtheexperts.com)

GASTONIA, NC—ImageMark Business Services, a printing and marketing company, has installed a NexPress 2100 digital color press from Heidelberg. ImageMark is using the device to develop marketing solution programs using variable data printing and to produce short-run color print jobs. (www.nexpress.com)

CAROL STREAM, IL—Anderson Digital Services, a digital print producer and prepress shop, has installed a KBA 74 Karat digital offset press from KBA North America. "Rush jobs represent 80 percent of our business," says Lee rady, one of the company founders. (www.andersondigital.com/www.karatpress.com)

CHINO, CA—"There is a real market for high-end, short- and medium-run work from customers who need products printed on short notice," observes Bill McGinley, president of Impact Printing & Graphics. To support that business, the shop installed a Screen (USA) PlateRite 4100 platesetter driven by Trueflow workflow. (www.screenusa.com)

SANTA MONICA, CA—Andresen Digital has installed GMG's ColorProof color management solution, making it the first package sold by Left Dakota, a color management software and consulting company based in Los Angeles. The system enables calibrated proofs to be output on ink-jet engines. Left Dakota is part of the Color Management Distribution dealer network, which signed a distribution agreement with GMG USA earlier this year. (www.colormanagementgroup.com)

FERNDALE, MI—Allied Printing has installed a Xerox DocuColor iGen3 digital production press to provide high-quality, personalized color printing and to transition short-run color jobs from offset to digital production for faster turnaround. Allied expects the press to be running one million pages a month by year's end. (www.alliedonline.com)

FRANKLIN, WI—Precision Color Graphics has secured a five-year production agreement with The Lang Companies, a Delafield, WI-based publisher of calendars, greeting cards and gift boxes. A key factor in the decision was said to be Precision's ability to cut press makeready times by 46 percent with the implementation of a digital workflow based on a Creo Trendsetter CTP system. (www.precisioncolor.com)

DALLAS—Harper House teamed up with Enovation Graphic Systems to overhaul its proofing capabilities, which support graphic design, photography, prepress and printing (digital and offset) services. The company has installed two Fujifilm FinalProof digital halftone proofers and a two-page Fujifilm PictroProof. (www.harperhouse.com/www.getitfromtheexperts.com)

CONOVER, NC—Fujifilm has reached another milestone with the production and purchase of the 500th Saber violet-laser (30mW) platesetter. "We chose the Saber because of its violet technology and speed," comments David Sand, president of Carolina Web, which installed the unit as its first CTP system. (www.carolina-web.com/www.fujifilm.com)

PORTLAND—Wright Business Graphics has installed a NexPress 2100 digital color press from Heidelberg to address the demand for short, personalized print runs and faster job turnaround. (www.wrightbg.com)