UPFRONT
Mail-Well Sells Filing Division
ENGLEWOOD, CO—Mail-Well Inc. has completed the sale of its filing products division to International Filing, a privately held company owned by IFC Filing, of Exton, PA. IFC Filing was formed by former Mail-Well Chairman Gerald Mahoney, along with management and other investors to effect the purchase. "The sale of our filing products division is another important step in the implementation of our strategic plan, narrowing our lines of business and reducing our debt load," states Paul Reilly, Mail-Well chairman, president and CEO. "International Filing Co. represents an exciting opportunity for the customers, management and employees of the filing products division."
TAP Installs Solna Web Press
CROSSVILLE, TN—TAP Publishing has placed an order for a Solna C800 commercial web press. The 12-unit, three-web heatset press, with a price tag of $10.3 million, is configured as two parallel lines: one with eight units stacked four-over-four, and one with four units. The press is equipped with Solna Digital Press Control, C800 shaftless drives, ink-fountain presetting using CTP data, closed-loop color measurement and control, and two F303 high-speed folders. TAP will use the presses to print its own line of publications: Trade-A-Plane, Rock & Dirt and Tradequip International, serving the aviation, construction and oil field/refining industries.
Omaha Print Gains Registration
OMAHA, NE—KPMG Quality Registrar has recommended Omaha Print for certification as an ISO 9002 registered company. The 143-year-old, privately held company is said to be the only ISO 9002 registered printing company in the state of Nebraska.
New Press Bound for Unimac
CARLSTADT, NJ—The distinction of being the first U.S. installation of the new 16-page KBA Compacta 215 commercial web press goes to Unimac Graphics, based here. The company plans to install the press in November, with an early 2003 startup timeframe. The press, with a top rating of 55,000 copies per hour, features automatic plate changing and an automatic, adjustable gripper folder, and is equipped with in-line folding and gluing, and a diecutter.
Arcade Installs Perfect Binder
RIDGEWOOD, NY—Arcade Bookbinding has installed a Muller Martini AmigoPlus perfect binding system. AmigoPlus' digital controls enable faster makereadies, equipping the machine to handle short runs and on-demand orders. It is rated at 1,500 perfect bound books per hour.
Fala Direct Gains Certification
FARMINGDALE, NY—Fala Direct Marketing, a producer of direct mail, announced it has achieved ISO 9002 certification. In getting certified, Fala Direct Marketing has achieved a standardized process for assuring a consistently high quality of service.
Walden Acquires Winson Assets
MONTGOMERY, NY—General commercial printer Walden Printing has acquired—through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Philips-Walden LLC—certain assets of Philips Winson, which specializes in book components. The deal includes general intangibles and accounts receivable. Rampart Associates initiated the opportunity as Walden Printing's advisor and structured the transaction as a secured party sale.
RRD Logistics Publishes Paper
WILLOWBROOK, IL—A white paper titled, "Measurable Change: Harnessing the Power of Six Sigma in a Distribution Environment," has been released by R.R. Donnelley Logistics. The paper details the significant service improvements the company has realized by adopting Six Sigma as the "driving strategy for continuous (operations) improvement." Copies are available by contacting Linda Carlisle via e-mail at Linda.Carlisle@rrd.com or by visiting the company's Website at www.donnelleylogistics.com.
Hutchison Gains Certification
WINSTON-SALEM, NC—Hutchison Allgood Printing announced it has attained a quality management system registered to ISO 9001:2000 standards. The Quality Management Institute, an international management systems registrar, issued Hutchison Allgood a registration certificate this spring.
Perry Judd's Adds Stitcher
SPENCER, IA—Waterloo, WI-based Perry Judd's has installed a Muller Martini Prima SB saddle stitching system at its Heartland Division here. The system automates the production of selectively bound books, designed to enable Perry Judd's customers to reach target audiences quicker and more economically.
Franklin Counterfeiters Nabbed
PHILADELPHIA—See what happens when you skimp on quality printing equipment? A group of nine counterfeiters has been nabbed by federal authorities and $800,000 in bogus $100 bills—printed on a common office photocopier—have been recovered. The ersatz Ben Franklins have been in circulation for three years in several states. According to The Associated Press, quoting Secret Service agents, the counterfeiters used simple techniques to generate the phony money. They bleached portions of real $1 and $5 bills to erase the denominations and presidential portraits, then photocopied sections of a real $100 bill, including the Franklin portrait, onto the bleached paper. The bills were generated on two office copiers in a West Philadelphia apartment. From there, a network of accomplices used the fake bills in area retails stores to purchase inexpensive items, then split up the laundered money.
Sing Tao Daily Installs Stitcher
SAN FRANCISCO—The San Francisco edition of the Sing Tao Daily, one of the nation's leading Chinese-American newspapers, has installed a new Muller Martini Presto saddle stitching system. The Presto system is rated at 9,000 cycles per hour and features digitally driven controls.
