SUPPLIER news
Day International Group has acquired Network Distribution International (NDI). NDI is a national converter of offset blankets and a reseller of ancillary consumable products. In addition to Day's line of offset printing blankets, sleeves and pressroom chemistry, Rockland, MA-based NDI will continue to sell products manufactured by other companies.
Heidelberg hosted its second annual "Brats & Dots" open house recently at its corporate headquarters in Kennesaw, GA. More than 325 attendees were on hand to experience the latest in prepress, press, direct imaging, postpress and digital workflows from Heidelberg, including new systems unveiled at last fall's Graph Expo. The event lets guests inspect and talk to press operators regarding all Heidelberg systems, while being treated to a tour of the entire facility and authentic German cuisine.
After nearly 40 years of service to the graphic arts industry, Ken-Ichi Shimazu, corporate vice president and distinguished scientist at Kodak Polychrome Graphics, has retired. The KPG Leadership Team member exits the industry after earning more than 30 published patents on innovations ranging from lithographic film to no-preheat thermal computer-to-plate technology. The company also announced that Kevin Joyce has been named vice president of sales for the United States and Canada. He succeeds Rick Mazur, who now serves as vice president of marketing.
Al Eddy has taken a new post with Enovation Graphic Systems. Eddy is now responsible for overseeing corporate communications in his new role as national corporate communications manager.
Océ's two largest operating companies have been merged in a move to increase efficiency and improve customer service. Océ Printing Systems USA was joined with Océ-USA into a single legal entity to be known as Océ North America. The president and CEO of the new company is Ronald Daly. It now operates with two divisions, Océ Digital Document Systems and Océ Wide Format Printing Systems, and is headquartered in Chicago. Malkon Baboyian is now president of the Océ Digital Document Systems division. Joseph Marciano was named interim president of the Océ Wide Format Printing Systems division. Also, Michelle Griffin has been named vice president, customer experience.
Creo Inc. has received the Overall Leadership Award for large business at the 10th annual Ethics in Action Awards. Ethics in Action recognizes organizations and individuals who demonstrate ethical decision-making, community involvement, and social and environmental responsibility. The Overall Leadership Award recognizes Creo's commitment to corporate social responsibility by operating in an economically and environmentally sustainable manner.
NELA Ternes has moved to a new, 35,000-square-foot location in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Additionally, Nela Ternes Register Group will now operate under the name of NELA.
PANTONE Hexachrome users can now rely on the color proofing capabilities of the IR thermal digital halftone method. Pantone Inc. approved the Matchprint Digital Halftone Proofing System only weeks after Kodak Polychrome Graphics expanded the system's color gamut with a new HiFi Color Set, CMYKOG.
MaxRyan Enterprises has acquired the assets of PISCES-Print Imaging Sciences. Production will remain at the PISCES facilities in Nashua, NH.
In one of its first voting decisions since Networked Graphic Production (NGP) became an independent, industry-wide organization, the NGP Partners have approved four new partners that will join this strategic initiative. The new NGP Partners include prepress workflow vendors Global Graphics Software and Rampage Systems, digital content management and distribution provider WAM!Net, and management information system developer Tharstern Limited. Networked Graphic Production now includes 33 member companies. These NGP Partners are developing JDF-based, cross-vendor integrated solutions that are designed to automate production processes and enable NGP Partners' solutions to link efficiently with each other.
KBA has taken a majority stake in Metronic, a German manufacturer of ink-jet, hot stamping, laser and thermal transfer ID devices for industrial applications plus UV offset printing systems for CDs, DVDs and plastic cards. In personnel news, Michael Mugavero has been named Eastern region vice president. John Raithel also has been named regional vice president, overseeing the Canadian sales force and will have overall responsibility for used equipment in North America. Dan Quenzer will serve as regional vice president for Western and Southwestern states. Harold Leete is the new sales representative covering the Northwest United States and Southwest Canada.
The Electronic Document Systems Foundation (EDSF), the non-profit organization dedicated to the document communication industry, announced additions to its 2004 board of directors and executive committee leadership. Joining EDSF's board of directors for 2004 are Gilbert Hatch, president, Production Systems Group, Xerox Corp.; Harold Henk, chair of Xplor International; Mike Jackson, vice president, Fine Papers, Weyerhaeuser Co.; and John Mancini, president, AIIM International.
Al Brunner, former president and COO of Autologic Information International, has been named director for Agfa's North American newspaper segment. Brunner has been with Agfa since the Autologic acquisition in 2001. In other news, Agfa has reached an agreement with Barco to acquire the assets and all staff of dotrix NV, a Belgian-based company that develops, manufactures and sells digital color printing solutions for industrial applications. The price of the transaction is around 6 million Euros.
