Adobe Systems

Ford Printing Opts For New DI Press CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA—Ford Printing & Mailing has installed a Presstek 52DI digital offset press to bolster its ability to efficiently produce quality color printing in runs from 250 to 20,000 impressions. The shop’s goal is to better service its existing customer base as a trade printer, while also distinguishing its capabilities to support a drive into new markets. Océ Sees ‘Solid’ Future for Ink-Jet TRUMBULL, CT—Océ has launched a new digital printing platform, called Océ CrystalPoint, which it says combines the benefits of ink-jet and toner-based printing. It uses dry toner contained within solid,

‘Green Printer’ Criteria Determined INDIANAPOLIS—The Sustainable Green Printing (SGP) Partnership revealed at the recent National Environmental Health and Safety (NEHS) conference the criteria on how to become a sustainable, green printer. Printers that meet these requirements and are verified will be listed on the SGP Partnership Registry Website. There are two categories of SGP registration. The first is Candidate Pending Verification (CPV), which will give a facility a 12-month timeframe in which to meet all criteria for becoming an SGP Printer. Facilities that already meet the crieria can bypass the CPV category and apply for recognition under the SGP Printer category. Among other requirements,

ONE OF the biggest selling points of the annual Web Offset Association (WOA) conference is that it hasn’t turned into a statue that’s firmly cemented and unmoving. The venerable conference’s year-old name, Offset and Beyond, suggests that its participants view technology favorably and don’t consider themselves forever locked into the past. Not that we’re turning our backs on offset lithography, mind you. It’s not being thrown under the technological bus. But it stands to reason that web and sheetfed offset printers need as many guns in their arsenal as possible to remain competitive in a congested marketplace, and the good folks who bring you

PITTSBURGH—PIA/GATF will explain how graphic communications companies can take advantage of two of the industry’s hottest trends, lean manufacturing and green printing, when its National Seminar Tour resumes this spring. The one-day Lean and Green seminar, being held at eight locations across the country will help companies trim manufacturing waste and time. It will also focus on sustainable manufacturing practices that can have the dual benefit of meeting customer demands and reducing costs. Ken Rizzo, PIA/GATF’s director of consulting and head of its Center for Lean Practices, and Gary Jones, PIA/GATF’s director of environmental, health, and safety, will co-present the program. The

ROCHESTER, NY—January 29, 2008—PODi, the Digital Printing Initiative, announced the 2008 winners of the annual PODi Best Practices Awards on January 29th at the AppForum digital print conference in Las Vegas. These highly anticipated awards recognize outstanding examples of digital print and variable data strategies. “Every year, the awards process gets more competitive as marketers and service providers become more proficient, creative and successful with digital print and personalization. The variety of the winning campaigns reflects new directions and opportunities for our market,” said Rab Govil, President of PODi. “It’s no surprise that the Best Practices awards presentations are a highlight of the AppForum.

PITTSBURGH—January 29, 2008--PIA/GATF will explain how graphic communications companies can take advantage of two of the industry’s hottest trends, lean manufacturing and green printing, when its National Seminar Tour resumes this spring. The one-day Lean and Green seminar, being held at eight locations across the country will help companies trim manufacturing waste and time. It will also focus on sustainable manufacturing practices that can have the dual benefit of meeting customer demands and reducing costs. Ken Rizzo, PIA/GATF’s director of consulting and head of its Center for Lean Practices, and Gary Jones, PIA/GATF’s director of environmental, health, and safety, will co-present the program.

Bowne Buys Alliance Affiliate NEW YORK—Bowne & Co. has pulled the trigger on a deal to acquire Alliance Data Mail Services (ADS MB), an affiliate of Alliance Data Systems. Terms of the deal were not revealed. ADS MB, which posts annual revenues of $36 million, provides personalized customer communications and intelligent inserting and commingling capabilities for the financial services, healthcare, retail, government and utilities sectors. Taylor Brands Three Entities MANKATO, MN—Taylor Corp. has merged its three independent entities—Carlson Craft Business Solutions, Regency and Label Works—under one unified brand called Navitor. Tom Ninneman, vice president of operations, said the merged entity would better serve customers

SAN JOSE, CA—Bruce Chizen has stepped down as CEO of Adobe Systems, months after the embattled leader was sharply criticized for the company’s decision to implement a “Send to FedEx/Kinko’s” button in its Acrobat and Reader products. President and COO Shantanu Narayen will replace Chizen, who led Adobe for seven years, on December 1. While the “Send to...” button was eventually taken out of all versions that did not go to FedEx/Kinko’s customers, Adobe still suffered a black eye from what some customers in the printing industry viewed as a lack of loyalty. Still, Chizen told the Associated Press that he wasn’t “leaving under any

PARAMUS, NJ—10/22/2007—NAPL (www.napl.org), trade association for excellence in graphic communications management, the National Association of Quick Printers (NAQP), a member of the NAPL Network, and The Graphic Communications Coalition for Open Competition have been notified by Adobe Systems that the latest releases of the company’s Acrobat and Reader programs (Version 8.1.1) no longer contain a “Send to FedEx/Kinko’s” link. The updated software is now available for manual download from the Adobe website at www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html The automatic update manager portion, which will notify current users of update availability, will not, however, be operational until early November. “We are happy

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