Training and Education

LONDON—Although Komori announced several innovations that will be highlighted under its “Five Solutions” banner in Hall 15 at Drupa 2008 next month, the spotlight will shine most brightly on the brand-new Lithrone SX40 (LSX40) sheetfed press platform. During a recent pre-Drupa press event held here, Komori America officials revealed that the LSX40 will become commercially available in January 2009. Capable of speeds to 18,000 sph and accommodating a 41˝ sheet size, the six-color LSX40 press with coater enables a 50 percent reduction in job changeover times, making it highly efficient for short runs. This is due, in part, to new KHS-AI “advanced intelligence” sheetfed

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL—HP began its pre-Drupa Press and Analyst Summit here March 9-12, hosting more than 100 journalists, analysts, partners and customers to an unveiling of several new technologies and products. In HP’s most extensive graphic arts push to date, the pre-Drupa rollout included the introduction of the HP Ink-jet Web Press, Latex Inks, SmartStream Digital Workflow Portfolio and three new Indigo digital presses. These latest offerings—which span high-speed ink-jet production and liquid electrophotographic printing, as well as wide-format printing—will debut (excluding the web press) at Drupa in HP’s mega booth in Hall 8A. Causing quite a stir among the debuted products was

HEIDELBERG, GERMANY—The big, heavy curtain has finally been lifted. With much anticipation surrounding the Drupa 2008 launch of its new 56˝ Speedmaster XL 145 and 64˝ Speedmaster XL 162 large-format sheetfed presses, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen CEO Bernhard Schreier welcomed the international trade press to the Wiesloch-Walldorf manufacturing facility in early March to officially unveil both models, as well as the new Hall 11 where they are being assembled. Geared toward the packaging and industrial printing segments, the 15,000 sph, “peak performance” presses will headline Heidelberg’s presentation based around “HEI Performance” and “HEI Value” slogans within its two exhibition halls at Drupa. Corresponding large-format Suprasetter

MIAMI BEACH, FL—Traditionally a show that caters to U.S. and Latin American printers, Graphics of the Americas (GOA) took on a more international flavor as 13,000 people from 78 countries gathered at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The 33rd edition of the show, held February 27 to March 1, drew printers, graphic professionals and print buyers to the 250,000-plus square feet of convention space that housed 940 booths and 450 unique vendors. “We turned up the volume this year and made some very positive noise in virtually all areas of the event,” notes George Ryan, president and CEO of the Printing Association of Florida,

THIS BEING a Drupa year has been exciting from a new technology standpoint and good for earning frequent flyer miles. But a recent string of attending three separate pre-Drupa press events overseas—three weeks in a row—has done havoc to my biological clock and sleep patterns. Hosted by key industry suppliers to preview their Drupa product introductions, I made separate, week-long trips to Japan, England and Germany. I even could have gone to another event in Israel the fourth week, but that would have really been over the top. I’m not whining, mind you. One of the best perks about my job over these

ALEXANDRIA, VA—March 24, 2008—The Print Solutions Conference & Expo, hosted by the Print Services & Distribution Association (PSDA), is regarded as the only national show exclusively for companies buying and selling through the trade. PSDA announced today an exciting line-up of educational sessions for the show which is being held in the Baltimore Convention Center in Maryland on October 23-25, 2008. The Print Solutions Conference & Expo training has been designed to assist sales representatives, executives and company owners with hot button issues like managing the bottom line, building brand awareness, beefing up sales and customer retention, and adopting new technology, among other

MIAMI BEACH, FL—March 18, 2008—Nearly 13,000 attendees from 78 countries converged under the sun to share in the excitement of Graphics of the Americas 2008, held from February 27 through March 1 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. “We turned up the volume this year and made some very positive noise in virtually all areas of the event,” says George Ryan, President and CEO of PAF, host of Graphics of the Americas. “We worked hard to bring a sharpened experience for attendees and exhibitors alike. From enhanced support to dynamic conference sessions, there was an exciting energy that pulsed throughout the show.

March, 2008—As processing direct mail becomes increasingly high-tech and complex in terms of design, printing, converting, logistics and shipping, Manuel Mataré, drupa’s project manager, explains why a visit to the world’s largest print media trade fair is so important for direct marketing professionals! Why is drupa 2008 so important for direct mail companies? Manuel Mataré: Direct mail activities serve a billion-dollar industry that is more technology-driven than any other printing segment. In the past, technical innovations were developed using dialog marketing concepts. But this situation forced lettershops and mail houses to constantly offer highly innovative solutions and cutting-edge technologies. Fortunately, drupa

TEGERNSEE, GERMANY—More than 50 worldwide journalists and 10 major manufacturers, all representing the graphic arts industry, teamed up to attend the PrintCity Alliance 2008 pre-Drupa Media Event held February 13-14. PrintCity members—MAN Roland, Océ Printing Systems, Sun Chemical, Sappi, UPM-Kymmene Corp., Procemex, MEGTEC Systems, M-real Corp., MacDermid Printing Solutions and Leonhard Kurz—announced the alliance’s “Connection of Competence” theme for Drupa, which will be held May 29 to June 11 in Düsseldorf, Germany. It was also announced that seven new Competence Centers will be featured in the PrintCity exhibition, located in Hall 6, where visitors can see the latest technologies explained and get comprehensive information

I HAVE written quite often in this space about the role of “product” in the overall marketing strategy for any company; that is, the physical product or service offered to the customer. There are many exciting new products and services that printers are offering to their customers these days that go beyond print to address a broader swath of the business objectives their customers are trying to achieve. This includes multi-channel communications—incorporating e-mail, PDF distribution, Web, personalized URLs/Web microsites and other communications alternatives along with a print campaign; variable data solutions; transpromotional communications or the use of what is being called “onserts” in place