Training and Education

Finishing Touches Play Pivotal Role
October 1, 2007

In the years since the last Drupa, demand for increasingly diverse finishing work has gone hand-in-hand with the trend toward mostly small run sizes. Along with this, trends toward greater use of color and a general demand for higher quality products have gained momentum. Novel finishing solutions introduced back in 2004 have since become integral elements in the printing process. Techniques such as coatings, gold and silver inks, diecutting, embossing and foil application are now routinely used to add value to high-quality print materials. Machine and material manufacturers at Drupa 2008 will be introducing products and services in line with this market trend. Both

GE07: Consumables and Substrates — Sustainability: Here to Stay
October 1, 2007

BUZZ WORDS come and go, especially at Graph Expo, where they’re here one year and gone the next. “Sustainability” is not a buzz word. It’s a commitment—and it’s here to stay. While printers and vendors alike were talking all things “green” at the show, much of the excitement was coming from paper and ink manufacturers, who have been at the head of the eco movement, having spent the past several years investing heavily in R&D on new lines of environmentally friendly products. Now, many of these suppliers have become pioneers and leaders in the ever-growing sustainability campaign. The following is a sampling of some

Variable Data Printing: From A to Z
October 1, 2007

THIS SPECIAL editorial section was produced to tie in with the upcoming sixth annual PIA/GATF Variable Data and Personalization Conference, to be held November 3 to 6 in Phoenix. The event will feature two dozen sessions to help companies leverage variable data for success. Attendees will hear riveting case studies and participate in sessions selected directly by prospective attendees during online voting earlier this year. As one attendee said last year, “This is the type of conference that puts all the variables of variable printing into one comprehensive program. I learned more at this conference than I ever expected.” Sessions for decision makers include

Franklin Event Sets Record
October 1, 2007

NEW YORK—Ben Franklin himself would have jumped with joy over the large turnout at his namesake 2007 Franklin Event. Nearly 600 people filled the banquet hall at Pier Sixty on September 18, a record attendance, while marking the first time the annual awards and networking gala was held under the Printing Industries Alliance (PIA) banner. Following welcome remarks by Tim Freeman, association president, HudsonYards President and COO Diane Romano presented the Franklin Award for Distinguished Service to Martha Stewart, founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. An author of dozens of best-selling books, Stewart’s multimedia enterprise bearing her name also consists of numerous magazine titles, radio

GE07: Sheetfed/Web Offset Presses — Windy City Wonders
October 1, 2007

WITH THE massive Drupa exhibition in Germany just seven months away, Graph Expo 2007 held in Chicago last month won’t go down in graphic arts history as a watershed event from a jaw-dropping new product standpoint. But that didn’t stop more than 20,000 upbeat attendees from filling the aisles at what was the largest Graph Expo event since 2000, and the second largest ever. Despite the Drupa effect, from a traditional offset printing standpoint there were a few new presses introduced, several automation and makeready advancements on display and, of course, a sprinkling of press sale announcements. An emphasis on environmental sustainability and improved

Graph Expo Delivers —Michelson
October 1, 2007

HYPE RARELY lives up to reality. But, in the case of Graph Expo in Chicago last month, the trade show met—and, in many cases, surpassed—the expectations of exhibitors and visitors alike. More than 650 exhibitors filling more than 460,000 square feet of exhibit space made Graph Expo 2007 the largest one since 2000, and the second largest ever. It wasn’t just the sheer size of the event that delivered on its advance billing, though. Most impressive was the upbeat mood that permeated the four-day event. Despite the sub-prime mortgage crisis and an erratic stock market capturing national headlines, Graph Expo hit on all cylinders

Associations Forge Green Printing Partnership
September 24, 2007

PITTSBURGH—The PIA/GATF has joined forces with the Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA) and the Flexographic Technical Association (FTA) to form a central location for information on sustainable green printing activities.The associations have created the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP Partnership) in an effort to assist the printing community in the trend toward sustainability. According to…

Graph Expo Receives Rave Reviews from Vendors
September 17, 2007

CHICAGO—Although official attendance figures won’t be available for about two weeks, this year’s Graph Expo—which concluded on Wednesday—appears to have been a big success based on vendor feedback. While cautioning that the figures are still being calculated, Graphic Arts Show Co. (GASC) Vice President Chris Price said he believes attendance was up slightly over last…

Kodak and IGAEA to Print Poster Celebrating 2008 Graphic Communications Week
September 5, 2007

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Sept. 5—Kodak and the International Graphic Arts Education Association (IGAEA) are joining together to produce a color poster promoting careers in the graphic arts and printing industry. The poster will be printed on a KODAK NEXPRESS S3000 Digital Production Color Press at Graph Expo 2007 in Chicago and distributed to visitors to Kodak’s Booth 1246. The 12” x 18” poster (trim size 11” X 17”) features an inspiring quote from Benjamin Franklin as it might have been written by the hand of America’s “Father of Printing.” The quote, “Genius without education is like silver in a mine,” is shown on parchment next

Q&A with Werner Dornscheidt, Messe Düsseldorf board chairman
September 1, 2007

As the countdown to the world’s largest printing exposition begins, Messe Düsseldorf Chairman Werner Dornscheidt provides his thoughts on what visitors should expect for Drupa 2008. There are already indications that Drupa 2008 will surpass the record-breaking Drupa event back in 2000. In what respects? WERNER DORNSCHEIDT: Drupa’s history goes back over 50 years, but it has become clear that Drupa 2008 will be the largest yet. The exhibition grounds are totally booked up, with some 170,000 square meters of show space and 1,800 exhibitors. There isn’t even one square meter of space left in the newly built Hall 8b, next to Hall 8a