Offset Printing - Sheet-Fed

THE WORLD is full of people who grouse about the company they work for, bemoaning the manner in which operations are conducted, and placated by the notion that if they were in charge, things would be done differently. Manny and Jorge Hernandez, who began their respective careers working for other printing companies, could have chosen the grouser tact. But these brothers didn’t just want to be in charge.

IT’S HARD not to automatically view everything through the frame of the current economic climate. In most cases, however, the business challenges companies are struggling with were preexisting conditions that have now been greatly amplified. The trend toward print buyers, at every level, cutting back their order quantities is a case in point.

BIG PICTURE perspective is the ultimate goal of the Web Offset Association’s (WOA) Offset and Beyond Printer-to-Printer Business & Technology Conference. After all, attendees of the printer-driven conference, which takes place May 4-6, 2009, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, don’t benefit just from talking about web offset, sheetfed offset or even digital printing.

When it comes to forecasting the current sheetfed and web offset markets, the biggest threat isn’t just digital technology, it’s the state of the economy. There are some pretty exciting developments going on in the lithographic printing market this year, but that’s the problem. It’s 2009.

WURZBURG, GERMANY—Albrecht Bolza-Schünemann, president and CEO of press manufacturer KBA, resigned from the company during its supervisory board annual audit meeting in the wake of poor financial results. Helge Hansen, who was named CFO in February, now steps into the role of president.

NILES, IL—The Garvey Group is installing its second six-color, 81˝ KBA Rapida 205 sheetfed press at its facility here. This second Rapida 205, being installed nearly 24 months after the first, is specially configured with in-line UV capabilities manufactured by Air Motion Systems (AMS), which will provide both production and environmental bonuses. Its features include a fully automatic plate changer with lifting facility, automatic blanket and impression cylinder washing systems, an in-line anilox coating system, and IR, UV or hybrid drying options.

MECHANICSBURG, PA—Fry Communications has begun installing a customized Komori Lithrone sheetfed press. The new acquisition is equipped with multiple in-line finishing units, including cold foil, multiple UV coaters, emboss/deboss units and a diecut unit. The press will allow Fry to add the aforementioned accoutrements to printed products, covers, inserts and direct mail pieces.

During printing, “ghosting” occurs when printing form elements other than the desired positive or negative ones duplicate themselves onto the printed surface. An optimal balance between ink and dampening solution helps prevent ghosting.

Komori America Corp., a premier manufacturer of sheetfed and web offset printing presses, today announced that SpringDot has recently installed a six-color, Lithrone S40 (LS640) with coating capabilities at its facility in Cincinnati, OH. SpringDot, a fourth generation family owned business established in 1904, specializes in high quality general commercial printing.

KBA North America, a global press manufacturer, announces that All Out Print Communications, a general commercial printer located in Woodridge, IL, has begun production on its new KBA Genius 52 UV press the first week of February 2009. The firm is already equipped with a five-color 56? KBA Rapida with coater, a second 56? KBA Rapida with interdeck UV curing and coater.