SUPPLIER news

Behind the Scenes R&D on New Line of Eco-Friendly Inks

CARLSTADT, NJ—At Sun Chemical’s Carlstadt Technical Center, a research and development facility, more than 100 scientists and support staff from around the globe test the analysis, surface characterization, interfacial dynamics and synthesis of new inks.

Some new developments at the facility include Earth sheetfed inks, which produce only 2 percent VOCs, and offer sharp lithographic dot fidelity, high-trap efficiency, well-maintained density during press runs and fast color accuracy; and Liberty eco-friendly inks that offer sharp press stability and ultra-fast drying; the WetFlex printing process, which allows converters to print flexible films at high speed with zero VOC emissions, producing a product suitable for food packaging.

Other eco-inks include SmartColour, a suite of products that allows all participants in the package design workflow to view the predicted spot color at every stage of the process; and SunStrato Duratort, a retort lamination ink system that is formulated to be used on either flexo or gravure presses.

Through its Trelleborg Engineered Systems business area, Trelleborg has entered into an agreement to acquire the operations of the U.S. company MacDermid Offset Printing Blankets, which is part of the U.S. group MacDermid Inc. The acquisition is expected to be concluded during the second quarter of 2008. Trelleborg purchased Reeves in 2006.

Gämmerler AG announced that Gunter Gämmerler has left the Gämmerler U.S. Corp. Sales-related questions should be directed to Clay Bruneman.

Continuing a partnership that began as founding members of the Networked Graphic Production Partnership (NGP), Prism Group Holdings and MAN Roland announced the installation and demonstration of the Prism WIN management information system at MAN Roland’s Westmont, IL, Graphic Center. Prism WIN is being used to create job tickets for all jobs in the center and capturing actual material, labor and machine costs through its shop floor data capture module. In other news, QuadTech will resell the Prism QTMS production management system through its direct sales organization as part of a complete offering.

Web Press Corp. has announced four new appointments. Mike Collins is the company’s new national sales manager; Olivia D. Bernabe has joined the company as controller and vice president of finance; and David Skaggs has been promoted to vice president of manufacturing. Rick Guinn has added the title of senior vice president, and will still maintain his current assignment as vice president of operations.

Martin Schoeppler has been appointed as the new CEO and president at Fujifilm Dimatix, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujifilm Corp. Schoeppler joined Fujifilm Dimatix in 2004 as vice president of strategic business development, and was named vice president of marketing and sales in 2007. In addition, Marc Torrey has been promoted to vice president of marketing. At Fujifilm Graphic Systems U.S.A., there are new appointments, including Masahiro Ota, who has been tapped as the company’s new president and CEO. Additionally, the company’s national sales team has been reorganized. Todd Zimmerman has been named vice president of field sales, while Phil Kane has taken on the role of vice president of national equipment sales.

Heidelberg USA has promoted Dan Maurer to vice president of postpress product management. Maurer is now responsible for enhancing Heidelberg’s line of postpress equipment, including folders, cutters, saddlestitchers, adhesive binding equipment, diecutters and folding carton gluers. He has also held industry positions with Kodak and Xerox.

Joel Honea, an 18-year industry veteran, has joined the sales and customer support team at LithoTechnics Inc. He is responsible for Metrix, the company’s automated job planning and imposition system.

The Print Council announced that Mohawk Fine Papers has joined the organization. The council was established to help develop, maintain and expand the market for printed materials.

At Screen (USA), Scott Benson has been promoted to the newly created position of product coordinator for CTP/Workflow. Benson previously served as technical support specialist at the company’s corporate headquarters. Benson is now responsible for helping the company more effectively serve existing and prospective customers for the PlateRite family of thermal CTP platesetters and workflow applications within the Trueflownet business solution.

As a result of its acquisition of Stora Enso North America, NewPage Corp. has integrated its coated No. 5 and uncoated web paper lines. NewPage has also renamed several products that had Stora Enso brand names. In other company news, Barry Nelson has joined NewPage’s leadership team as senior vice president of sales.

Presstek Inc. has appointed Frank D. Steenburgh to its board of directors. Steenburgh, who has more than 25 years of senior management experience in digital printing, currently serves as the chief marketing officer at ColorCentric Corp. As a new board member, Steenburgh is responsible for helping the company expand its role in the growing digital color printing market.

Two personnel additions have been made at Buhrs Americas. Michael Wydro has joined as senior field service engineer/major account site manager. Charles Rittmann, formerly an account executive at Konica Minolta Graphic Imaging USA, has been tapped as Northeast regional sales manager.

The Print Suppliers Group (PSG) has announced the addition of three new members: Bowers Ink, Nashville, TN; Primary Colors, Greensboro, NC; and Strategic Ink Solutions, Chicago. Reflecting the need for modest-sized ink suppliers to combine their sourcing power, the growth of PSG brings member ink suppliers’ revenues to around $70 million—up 40 percent from just a year ago. Additionally, members are also rolling out private label inks under the PSG banner.

QuadTech Inc. has purchased Vigitek, a designer and manufacturer of print inspection technology. The acquisition brings together QuadTech’s register guidance system with Vigitek’s print defect detection technology. Based in Ireland, Vigitek will operate as a subsidiary of QuadTech. PI