Supplier news 11-01

MAN Roland Technicians Get Golden Tools
OFFENBACH, GERMANY—Two American technicians were honored recently for completing the 1,000th MAN Roland mechanical systems course at the company's training center here. As a result of the hands-on coursework, the technicians, Warren Collins and Greg Voigt, received their gold wrenches and are certified to install and get U.S. customers up-and-running on Roland 700 presses.

Heidelberg USA has realigned its operations into four business segments: Digital, Postpress, Sheetfed and Web. Niels M. Winther, a 34-year veteran with the organization, has assumed responsibility as head of Heidelberg's Market Center North America (U.S. and Canada). Appointed to head the four U.S. groups were: Digital, Bill Blair; Postpress, Larry Tanowitz; Sheetfed, Soren Larsen; and Web, Mark Levin. Also reporting to Winther are James Martin, marketing, and Donn Goldstick, sales and service.

Fujifilm Graphic Systems, a division of Fuji Photo Film USA, has named Al Eddy marketing development manager, programs and promotions. Eddy joined the Graphic Systems Div. nearly 17 years ago and has held various positions. Pierce Shannon has been promoted to sales support manager. He had been a Fuji account representative for 12 years. Also, Mike Troy has been appointed to the position of marketing development manager, strategic planning.

Printing industry supplier Day International has announced the creation of the Image Transfer Group. The new business umbrella is designed to provide customers with more diverse pressroom products and services. The Image Transfer Group is made up of three divisions: Transfer Media Div./dayGraphica; Flexographic Products Div./Rotec; and Chemical Products Div./Varn. The company has also established the Advanced Development Center, an R&D operation focused on developing digital image transfer products. In other news, a new leadership team has been appointed. Key appointments include Stephen Noe, senior vice president and general manager, Transfer Media Div.; and Steven Wilson, president, Chemical Products Div. Day also announced the appointment of a new leadership team to head up its Image Transfer Group in North America. Reporting to Noe, they include: Bob Andrew, director, OEM marketing; Archie Doyle, vice president of sales, transfer media and chemical products; E.G. Mills, marketing director, news printer segment; Michael Neroni, vice president, marketing; Jeffrey Pieper, marketing manager, chemical products; and Michael Treadway, marketing director, offset blanket products.

Baldwin Technology has signed a non-binding letter of intent to acquire the Kompac business of Varn International. According to Gerald Nathe, Baldwin chairman and CEO, Kompac's dampening system business and reputation in the small- and medium-size press marketplace will extend Baldwin's product and market coverage.

Enron Industrial Markets has named Ivan Boileau as general manager of Garden State Paper, its recycled newsprint mill in Garfield, NJ. Boileau was formerly the assistant general manager of Enron's Papiers Stadacona paper mill in Quebec City.

Joseph M. Lynch has acquired the outstanding stock of Richfield, OH-based J.E. Doyle Co. from previous owners Robert and Ellen Gutermuth. The purchase includes two affiliated companies: J.E. Doyle Company Ltd., a UK subsidiary, and Statikil Inc. Lynch now serves as company president. Mark Gibis has been named vice president of sales. Craig Cox has joined the company as regional sales manager for the Midwest and Western regions. Bill Riddle continues as regional manager for the Eastern and Southern regions.

David Poulos has joined the Graphic Arts Show Co. (GASC) as director of communications. Poulos comes to GASC from Granite Partners, where he acted as a senior marketing and communications consultant.

Honle UV America has hired Brad Lehman as its new national accounts manager. He has more than 17 years of sales experience with an emphasis in the electronic and electrical componentry industries.

Printing ink manufacturer Sun Chemical and Eltromat, a manufacturer of press control systems, have established a global marketing alliance in the area of on-press color management systems. As part of the agreement, Eltromat will purchase the business and assets of Colour Valid Group in England, of which Sun is majority shareholder.

Van Son Holland Ink has announced several personnel moves. David Wallach has been appointed to the new position of Western traditional dealer manager. Jeremy Nicodemus has been hired as an inside sales representative. Also, Jeff Stone has been named Midwest sales manager of the flexo division.

Gary Kirchner has joined Mitsubishi Lithographic Presses as district sales representative, sheetfed presses, for the Midwestern region. Based out of Frankfurt, IL, he is responsible for press sales in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri.

Direct digital imaging provider Presstek Inc. has appointed Bernard Walik to the newly created position of COO of its Tucson, AZ-based subsidiary, Lasertel Inc. In other company news, Presstek has named Robert Barry as director of pre-production engineering.

basysPrint and DALiM Software announced the formation of a new strategic partnership for automated digital workflows for the entire range of basysPrint's computer-to-conventional plate (CTcP) output devices. Under the partnership agreement, basysPrint will offer a tailor-made, high-speed CTcP production workflow front end for the basysPrint UV-Setter, based around DALiM's latest workflow automation application, SWiNG.

Riso Inc. has opened the doors at its new Western division headquarters in Agoura Hills, CA. The new location includes executive and administrative offices, a sales and technical training center, and a state-of-the-art showroom.

IKON Office Solutions has named Cathy L. Lewis as senior vice president of marketing. Prior to joining IKON, Lewis spent more than 10 years at Xerox in a variety of senior marketing management positions, most recently serving as vice president of worldwide marketing for the Xerox Color Solutions business unit.

Amvest Financial Group, a national merger and acquisition firm specializing in the printing industry, is celebrating its 25th year in business.

IST America has named Joseph Ooten director of sales and marketing, responsible for curing applications in the web and label markets. Ooten was previously sales office manager for the company.

GPA, America's Label Expert, has moved its corporate headquarters to a larger facility located at 1151 West 40th St. in Chicago. The new headquarters includes a customer service center for advanced technical support and a distribution center.

Gerber Innovations has formed an exclusive material development agreement with Day International to provide the blanket sheets for the new Gerber Sector blanket production system. Called SectorCoat, this new strippable coating blanket material and the Gerber Sector system will be distributed by the Pitman Co.

Hamada of America and Screen (USA) announced an agreement where Hamada and its dealers will market Screen products with Hamada's B452 series digital color printing solution. This marketing agreement includes the PlateRite 4000 thermal CTP platesetter and Trueflow workflow solution.

Océ-USA has added three new independent dealers to its Document Printing Systems (DPS) dealer network. These dealers are the first additions to the new independent dealer network Océ DPS is establishing in North America. The dealers include: CSU L.L.C. of Overland Park, KS; Informatique Comtel of Quebec City, Quebec; and Minneapolis-based Metro Sales.

Citing the economic downturn in North America, X-Rite Inc. announced it will eliminate 60 jobs throughout its business. The company, which employs about 720 people, expects to save $3.5 million a year on the reductions. In other company news, X-Rite has named John E. Utley chairman of the board. Utley has served as a director since November 2000 and replaces Ted Thompson, one of the company's founders, who is retiring after more than 45 years with the company.

Busch Inc. has appointed Terry McMahon as director of marketing. McMahon comes to Busch from Goulds Pumps, where he held the position of global market manager of PRO services.

Paul Brooks has been hired to manage the Colter & Peterson parts department. Brooks brings 29 years of experience as parts manager for Grunfoss Hydraulics.

Paragon Corporate Holdings, the parent company of A.B.Dick, has completed its Exchange Offer and Consent Solicitation in respect to its outstanding 95⁄8 percent Series B senior notes that were due in 2008. It helps to reduce outstanding debt and will help improve the balance sheet for A.B.Dick. It amounts to an overall expense reduction of $11 million annually, according to company officials.

Printware Inc. has announced the execution of a definitive purchase agreement to sell substantially all of its operating assets to Printware Acquisition, an investment unit of Renaissance Equity Partners. The transaction is valued at approximately $2.8 million and includes the sale of inventory, accounts receivable, fixed assets and intellectual property.

Richard McKrell, vice president of research and development for Heidelberg's Web Systems Solution Center in Dover, NH, has been named the recipient of the 2001 Robert F. Reed Technology Medal, presented by the Society of Fellows of the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation. McKrell played an instrumental role in the development of the company's Sunday Technology web presses featuring gapless blankets.

Madison Paper Industries has promoted three of its corporate executives to newly established corporate-level posts. E. Russell Drechsel will serve as executive vice president and COO. Francis X. Flood has been elevated to the position of executive vice president and CFO. Christopher C. Bean has been named vice president of engineering, maintenance and utilities.

Potlatch Corp. recently announced the winners of its 2001 Annual Report Competition. In the Print Production category, annual reports singled out for recognition included Siebel Systems', printed by Lithographix Inc.; Quick-silver's, produced by Direct-Color; EMC Corp.'s; printed by Quebecor World Acme Printing; and Inktomi Corp.'s, produced by Anderson Lithograph.

MacDermid Inc. has formed its new Printing Solutions organization. Focused on three printing markets—Publications, Packaging and Commercial—this new structure will join together all the resources currently under the discrete businesses of MacDermid Graphic Arts. The formation of MacDermid Printing Solutions brings together all photopolymer printing plate, offset blanket, and flexo and offset sleeve products under one management structure.

Bobst Group has named John Kowalski district sales manager, folding carton equipment, Mid-Atlantic territory. He has been with the company for 25 years.