SUPPLIER news

CPS Corp., a sister company of INX International, has been recognized for its environmental record and has been accepted into the National Environmental Performance Program, administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Muller Martini has launched a new digital on-demand finishing division. Andrew J. Fetherman was named manager of the new division. Fetherman was formerly product manager for Muller Martini's press division. That post is now held by Donald Geiger.

Kim Graven-Nielsen has been named president and CEO of newly formed Esko-Graphics. The company was created after the merger of Purup-Eskofot and Barco Graphics.

Presstek Inc. announced the qualification of its Anthem thermal CTP plates for use on the Creo Trendsetter Quantum thermal computer-to-plate system. In other news, the company has realigned into two business units—Direct Imaging (DI) and computer-to-plate (CTP). Stan Najmr is general manager of the DI unit. David Ventola is general manager of the CTP unit.

Global Graphics' software division has signed an agreement with Hewlett-Packard to make available a range of printing software technologies for HP digital publishing solutions.

Enfocus Software and Xerox Corp. announced an agreement wherein Enfocus' PitStop solutions will be bundled as part of the new Xerox DigiPath PDF Productivity Suite. The suite consists of tools (for working with Adobe PDF files) that streamline print job submissions for the production print center.

Prime UV has appointed David Samide as advertising and marketing support manager.

The reengineering of INX International has transformed the company from a decentralized geographical oriented company to a centralized company based upon product lines. The company is now organized in three divisions, Offset Ink, Liquid Ink and Metal Deco Ink. Each division consists of dedicated sales and marketing, research and development, technical service and production resources.

Derrick Ayers has been promoted to the new position of technical director for SICPA North America.

Enfocus Software has retained Michael Jahn as its Certified PDF Evangelist. Jahn supports the company's efforts to communicate the benefits and importance of Enfocus Certified PDF workflows to the graphic arts, creative, printing and publishing communities.

The National Council for Skills Standards in Graphic Communications, a member group of GATF, and PrintStaff have agreed to allow certification testing at all PrintStaff offices. PrintStaff offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Santa Clara and San Francisco will now host and procure various exams. The PrintStaff locations are in addition to participating PIA affiliate associations that presently proctor exams.

Ciposa S.A., a Swiss company specializing in the development and manufacture of high-tech machines for the final vision inspection of critical parts, has appointed The Douthitt Corp. as its representative for North America.

Spinks Ink has moved into a brand new, 12,000-square-foot facility in Tampa, FL.

Pantone Inc. has announced the formation of PANTONE Custom Color Services, a new division. It will focus on providing custom color standards for corporate managers and art directors in any industry requiring color accuracy. Pantone Vice President Michael Garin will direct the division.

Xeikon International moved its headquarters from Mortsel to Lier in Belgium. Joost Verbrugge was appointed CEO. The new building comprises 280,000 square feet of production and inventory space and 130,000 square feet of office space.

Recognizing Heidelberg's long-term dedication to the development of new printing industry professionals, Ferris State University presented Heidelberg USA President and CEO Niels Winther with an honorary doctorate degree. Winther received the honor at the university's College of Technology commencement ceremony, where he also gave the keynote address.

Richard M. Connor has joined MAN Roland as the company's new director of corporate accounts and regional sales manager. For the past 13 years, Connor was executive vice president of marketing for Graphic Management Associates (GMA), a subsidiary of Muller Martini.

Enovation Graphic Systems has named John Meyer as the company's director of product development. He previously spent 14 years with the Graphic Systems division of Fujifilm, most recently as director of field sales for the Midwest. The company has also announced that Michael Prutting will serve as director of human resources and administration, and Judith Starkweather has been tabbed as Enovation's marketing communications manager. In other company news, Taylor Impression, a graphic arts dealer based in Nashville, TN, has been acquired by Enovation Graphic Systems.

Ink-jet imaging equipment manufacturer Buskro International has appointed Susan Govea to the position of executive marketing manager with its global marketing organization, Buskro Global.

QTI and Penn Graphics have signed a licensing agreement, conferring exclusive manufacturing and distribution rights for the SMC horizontal stacker and bundler product line to Penn Graphics.

Holger N. Roehrs has been appointed managing director of Zirkon Druckmaschinen. The U.S. representative for Zirkon is Timsons Inc.

Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG) and ECRM announced an agreement making KPG's U.S. and Canada region a primary sales and marketing channel for ECRM's line of DesertCat CTP systems.

Creo Inc. has signed an agreement with Key Equipment Finance (KEF) to offer third-party leasing for customers. The leasing program is now available for printers in North America and Europe and will be expanded to other areas of the world where both Creo and KEF do business. In other Creo news, Stan Coleman has been appointed corporate vice president of printing workflow solutions.

GRAFIX GmbH, based in Stuttgart, Germany, has opened a new branch office in Chicago, which will be in charge of the U.S. market. The company has ended an agreement with former representative GRAFIX North America.

Markzware Software has joined CIP4, The International Cooperation for the Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress, as a full member.

The Court of Commerce of Belfort, France, has accepted an offer from Koonras Digital Printing Systems (KDPS) to acquire the activities and intellectual property of Xeikon France, the maker of high-speed digital black-and-white printing systems. The newly established company has been named Nipson SAS, reviving the name that was in use prior to Xeikon's acquisition of the business in 1999. In the U.S., Nipson America has been formed. Alain Flament assumes the position of president. Nipson America will be headquartered in Chicago, and will maintain a nationwide staff of sales, marketing and customer support.

Flint Ink has appointed Dr. Kenneth Stack as vice president/general manager of the company's digital division. Stack comes to Flint Ink from Eastman Kodak where he held several positions in digital printing, most recently as director, ink-jet printing systems business.

Larry Warter, director of new business development for Fuji Photo Film USA, has been awarded the Leonard Holzinger Award by the IPA.

Colter &Peterson has finalized an agreement to acquire three-knife trimmer vendor Amatco USA.

Weyerhaeuser's Fine Paper business is reorganizing to integrate former Willamette operations and will be led by Mike Jackson, vice president, fine paper. Jackson reports to Mick Onustock, senior vice president, pulp and paper. Other appointments include Bill Koehn, vice president, printing and publishing papers; Dick Thomas, vice president, business and converting papers; Mike Bacon, vice president, communication papers; and Marvin Smith, general manager, sales service. The company's sales, marketing and operations office in Valley Forge, PA, will move over the next year to the former Willamette office in Fort Hill, SC.

Goss International has appointed Robert A. Brown as CEO. Most recently, Brown served as president and CEO of Heidelberg Web Systems.

Screen (USA) has announced the addition of J.E. Halliday Sales, of Huntington Beach, CA, as the newest dealer for Screen's CTP equipment and workflow software.

The PrintTalk industry consortium elected new officers and directors at a meeting in May. Charles Gehman, CTO of Printable Technologies, and Ronald Berg, vice president of Profit Control Systems, were elected to the board. Elected as officers were: James Mekis, consultant, chairman; Carol Andersen, president of Prism USA, vice chairman; Dr. Christian Blumenroehr, software engineer, Heidelberg, technical secretary; and William "Kip" Smythe, vice president of NPES, president. Andersen will also serve as PrintTalk's marketing secretary.

Day International announced it has brought together its three flagship brands of pressroom products to create more value for the customer. VARN pressroom chemicals, dayGraphica offset printing blankets and sleeves and Rotec flexographic products will all be marketed and sold through Day's Image Transfer Group.

The Graphic Arts Marketing Information Service (GAMIS) of the Printing Industries of America (PIA) has elected new officers for the 2002-2003 term. They include: Eric Frank, vice president, digital product management, Heidelberg, president; Steve Skal, director, new business development, RohmNova, vice president; Jacques Denault, marketing coordinator, Transcontinental Printing, secretary/treasurer; and Mike Troy, market development manager, Fuji Photo Film USA, immediate past president.

Yupo Corp. America has appointed Martin Fiorillo as sales manager, commercial papers for the Northcentral and Northeastern regions. Fiorillo joins Yupo after serving as national sales manager for Polyart, covering the U.S. and Canada.