Offset Paperback Manufacturers Adding Kodak Prosper Press

ROCHESTER, NY—Feb. 8, 2010—Recognizing the value of Kodak Stream inkjet technology in maximizing productivity and efficiency in book production, Offset Paperback Manufacturers (OPM), a Bertelsmann company, chose the Kodak Prosper Press Platform with an integrated Muller Martini Sigmaline in-line finishing system for its book printing operation in Laflin, PA. A Prosper Press market pioneer, Offset Paperback Manufacturers is one of the earliest users of Kodak’s revolutionary continuous inkjet technology.

OPM is one of the largest manufacturers of mass-market paperback books in the world. Its clients include many of the most recognized brands in publishing, such as Random House, Pearson Education, Penguin and McGraw-Hill.

“We are always looking for ways to improve production and enhance the bottom line of our operation,” noted Mitch Weiss, Vice President of Sales, Offset Paperback Manufacturers. “We investigated a lot of options, and feel confident that the Prosper 1000 Press will give us the advantage we need to add value to our clients and position our business to capture more revenue in the changing book publishing environment. In addition, we look forward to upgrading to the color capabilities of the Kodak Prosper 5000XL Press in the near future.”

Book printers and publishers constantly seek more efficient and economical ways to produce short-run book titles and streamline the supply chain. By printing digitally with the Kodak PROSPER Press Platform, the need for inventory is reduced, waste can be eliminated, and the number of available titles increases. Furthermore, the Muller Martini Sigmaline system interconnects prepress with digital printing and finishing in a unique total system. This fully automated production line will provide OPM with a complete solution—from PDF to finished book in a single operation, managed by the end-to-end workflow system CONNEX.

“The Prosper Press Platform is revolutionary for book production. It significantly increases the quantity of books that can be produced digitally at a lower cost than offset,” said Kevin Joyce, Worldwide Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Digital Printing Solutions, Kodak. “What’s more, the Prosper Press helps to maximize supply chain efficiency and delivers offset class quality and speed.”

Designed to efficiently handle book printing runs up to 7,000 copies, the Prosper 1000 Press offers improved operational and supply chain efficiencies. This is important as the expectations for paperbacks, reference books, textbooks, and other products change and consumers expect the latest versions on demand.

The Prosper 1000 Press is a monochrome press delivering speeds up to 650 feet per minute, offset class image quality, and a monthly duty cycle of 120 million A4 pages per month. It supports coated, lightweight coated, uncoated and glossy substrates from 45-175 gsm.

This sale of a Prosper 1000 Press—with a planned upgrade to the Prosper 5000XL Press—closely follows the news of Consolidated Graphics’ purchase of a Kodak Prosper 5000XL Press last month.

For more on Kodak Prosper Solutions, visit http://www.prosper.kodak.com. For more information on Kodak Solutions for the publishing market, visit http://www.kodak.com/go/connect.

Kodak Products are backed by Kodak Service and Support. Kodak Service and Support is made up of more than 3,000 professionals reaching more than 120 countries. It is a leading multi-vendor integrated services provider, delivering consulting, installation, maintenance and support services for the commercial printing, graphic communications, document imaging and data storage industries. Kodak Service and Support professionals are uniquely qualified to provide services that control costs, maximize productivity, and minimize business risk.

About Muller Martini
Muller Martini is the world’s largest producer of print finishing solutions for commercial and book printers, trade binderies, newspapers, and digital book manufacturers. They are also the world’s leading manufacturer of variable size web offset presses. Muller’s innovative workflow solutions optimize processing efficiencies, while helping to build new revenue streams. With U.S. headquarters in Hauppauge, New York, Muller’s sales and support team provides training and responsive service to printers and binderies nationwide. Their state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities are located in Newport News, Virginia, and in Allentown, Pennsylvania, home to Muller Martini Mailroom Systems, Inc.

About Kodak Prosper Solutions
Based on innovative Kodak Stream Inkjet Technology, Kodak Prosper Solutions deliver digital without compromise, enabling print service providers to produce offset class output in terms of quality, productivity, and cost for their clients.

The Kodak Prosper Platform includes the Kodak Prosper S10 Imprinting System, for direct mail, catalogs, magazines, newspapers, inserts, and transactional documents; Kodak Prosper 1000 Press for books; and Kodak Prosper 5000XL Press for books, direct mail and catalogs/inserts.

For more information, visit www.prosper.kodak.com.

About Kodak
As the world’s foremost imaging innovator, Kodak helps consumers, businesses, and creative professionals unleash the power of pictures and printing to enrich their lives.
To learn more, visit http://www.kodak.com and follow our blogs and more at http://www.kodak.com/go/followus.

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