SUPPLIER news
xpedx Opens New Print Technology CenterLOVELAND, OH—The new, 11,000-square-foot xpedx Technology Center that opened here in suburban Cincinnati on April 6 provides printers with a single location to learn about and test new technologies from various manufacturers, including Ryobi, Kodak, Epson, Mitsubishi Imaging, Morgana, C.P. Bourg, Secap and Lantech. It covers all aspects of offset and digital printing, including creative, prepress/workflow, press and postpress/fulfillment.
In explaining the purpose of the technology center, John Torrey, xpedx Printing Technologies vice president and general manager, said it affords printers across the U.S. the unique ability "to access and test new printing equipment, technology and processes from the world's leading manufacturers in one central location." The ability to test-run and compare more than $5 million worth of products in a working print environment will help visitors determine what works best for their market needs.
The centerpieces of the new center are three Ryobi sheetfed presses, including a five-color, 14x20? Ryobi 525 GX with coater; a six-color, 23x29? Ryobi 756 with coater and in-line UV casting and foiling for special effects; and a five-color, 25x36? Ryobi 920 with coater, which is designed as a low-cost alternative to three-quarter and full-size presses.
Eventually, the center will also house Ryobi's new 42? 1050 Series press, which will be shown at PRINT 09 in a conventional six-color configuration (UV compatible) with fully automatic plate changers, online spectrophotometry, collapsible transfer cylinders and a retractable coater for folding carton production. Capable of speeds to 16,200 sph, it accommodates a 30.71x42.72? maximum sheet size.
Among the host of equipment filling xpedx's 12,000-square-foot booth at PRINT, a 750 Series press will also showcase Ryobi's LED technology.
To help strengthen its sales efforts, xpedx has also brought two press supplier veterans on board. Formerly with Heidelberg, Bill Van Buskirk has been named national sales manager for prepress, small press and postpress. Don Coggswell, most recently with Mitsubishi Lithographic Presses, is now national sales manager for large-format presses.
The company's goal is to host 250 people at the technology center annually (about eight customers/prospects per month).
An agreement has been made between IMC America and Quebec-based Feuiltault Solutions, wherein IMC will now handle Feuiltault's product line of hopper loaders for perfect binders and saddlestitchers. It will complement IMC's automatic and semiautomatic log-making equipment. Feuiltault has also unveiled its high-speed, XYZ signature gatherer/collator.
H.S. Boyd Co. has launched a Website (www.offset-diecutting.com) with information specifically on its new In-line Offset Cutting (IOC) system.
The National Association for Printing Leadership (NAPL) has named Gerald Nathe, chairman of Baldwin Technology, as its 2009 Vanguard Award recipient. Honoring distinguished leadership, it was presented to him during a ceremony in Tucson, AZ.
OutputLinks named Mary Ann Bennett as its 2009 Women of Distinction Award recipient. Bennett, president and CEO of The Bennett Group, has more than 30 years of experience in the direct marketing industry, and is nationally recognized as an expert on U.S. postal automation.
At Presstek Inc., Daniel Victory has been tapped as the new global technical director for digital plates, responsible for overseeing customer and sales team technical support (pre- and post-sale) for Presstek digital plate products.
Don Michelucci has been named vice president of direct sales at RISO Inc. Michelucci comes to RISO from Ricoh Corp., where he served most recently.
InsideUp has announced the commercial launch of its online lead generation platform (www.insideup.com) for business services that integrates a next-generation business matching platform with interactive media tools and category-specific communities. It is designed to assist small businesses in searching, interacting with and requesting quotes from business service vendors, including print providers.
Two appointments have been made at Harris & Bruno International. Crystal Flutur has been named Eastern regional sales manager, covering the Eastern United States and Canada. Kevin Meier is the company's new marketing director.
The new pressroom application of the Taskero Universe suite of performance analysis tools was shown in action by Fujifilm Graphic Systems U.S.A. during a series of Technology Demo Days recently hosted by Komori America.
Western States Envelope & Label has launched a new online stock ordering site (www.westernstatesenvelope.com), which allows customers to order products, check order status, or browse through its expansive selection of stock envelope products.
LithoTechnics Inc. has signed a distribution agreement with Royce Photo/Graphics Supply, a full-line dealer and authorized service center. Under the agreement, Royce will sell and service LithoTechnics' Metrix automated job planning and imposition software, available for Windows and Mac OS X.
New York-based NAK Integrated Marketing and Pottier Marketing and Communications, of Frankfurt, Germany, have entered into a joint venture agreement to share resources and expertise. The strategic alliance will also enable both companies to efficiently expand their operations into new market sectors and increase market reach on both sides of the Atlantic.
At Muller Martini, Rudolph Müller has been named chairman of the board. He succeeds Hans Moor, who will remain vice chairman of the board. Bruno Müller has been selected as the company's new CEO.
Dan Quenzer has been appointed Mitsubishi Lithographic Presses' new sheetfed sales director for the company's Western region. He is now responsible for overseeing district sales managers that cover 13 Western and Southwestern states.
Bobst Group North America has installed a Commercial 106 E Autoplaten diecutter and Visionfold 110-A2 CS folder-gluer at its West Coast Training and Demonstration Center, located in Advanced Die Supplies' Santa Fe Springs, CA facility. Also, Martial Duperrut is now responsible for managing Bobst's field service activities in the West Coast region.
Baldwin Technology has signed an agreement with the German ink supply specialist Betz Technologies to represent Betz in the United States. PI
