Agfa Graphics

ARE YOU going to Drupa 2008? In its 14th edition (the first Drupa was in 1951, 57 years ago!), it will be the largest ever, with more than 1,800 exhibitors from 50 countries and more than 1.8 million square feet of exhibit space. More than 400,000 visitors are expected during its two-week run, beginning May 29th. Why do I bring that up in a column about marketing? Classic marketing texts talk about the “4Ps” of marketing: Product, Price, Promotion and Place. • Product: This is the physical product or service offered to the customer. It also refers to any services or conveniences that are

Donnelley Lobbies Washington CHICAGO—RR Donnelley plunked down $485,044 during 2007 to lobby the federal government on environmental policy issues, according to an Associated Press report. The information was posted online by the U.S. Senate’s public records office. Under federal law, lobbyists are required to disclose activities that could influence members of the executive and legislative branches. Tech Valley Closes Its Doors WATERVLIET, NY—Citing economic difficulties, Tech Valley Printing notified the New York State Department of Labor that it was laying off 50 workers, then closed its doors on February 8. According to the Schenectdady (NY) Daily Gazette, the printer had been active in the

JDF User Group Formed, Awards Program Expanded PITTSBURGH—To facilitate implementation of the Job Definition Format (JDF) in automated workflows, a new JDF User Group is being formed by Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/GATF) and the International Cooperation for the Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress (CIP4). Plans call for the group to meet three times a year in locations across the country, with the first meeting having already been scheduled to run here March 24 and 25. The group is to convene March 24 at PIA/GATF’s headquarters for a hands-on look at JDF implementations within the facility and a

MORTSEL, BELGIUM—January 29, 2008—Agfa Graphics announced today that it plans to stop the development and production of computer-to-plate equipment in Wilmington, MA. “This decision is part of our strategy to substantially improve our operational efficiency and competitive position in the highly competitive market of prepress equipment” says Stefaan Vanhooren, President of Agfa Graphics. Agfa Graphics will continue to distribute total solutions to its customers (including a new range of printing plates, equipment, software and service) and has therefore extended its OEM relationship with one of the main manufacturers of commercial Computer-to-Plate equipment. The new wider range of innovative platesetters, replacing Agfa’s high-end

DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY—January 22, 2008—Visitors to drupa 2008, print media trade fair, can look forward to a first-class ancillary program. Seminars, workshops, talks, individual tours of the trade fair as well as special presentations such as the “drupa innovation parc presented by HP” and “drupacube” add up to unparalleled knowledge transfer for international experts. “The ancillary programme is a key building block in the overall drupa concept and the ideal complement to the exhibitors’ technology offerings,” said drupa Project Director Manuel Mataré. The program’s individual building blocks are modular, allowing them to be freely combined according to visitors’ interests. “Our priority is achieving a target-group-specific

MISSISSAUGA, ONT—January 02, 2008—Gandinnovations has launched a new range of Jeti Premium UV-curable Inks. These specially formulated inks have been developed and manufactured by Gandinnovations, in collaboration with its OEM partners worldwide, for use in our Jeti Flatbed Series Printers. The new UV-curable inks exhibit excellent flexibility and superior adhesion to polymeric substrates like acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), coroplast, polycarbonate, polystyrene, different grades of PVC, polyolefins, polyesters and many others. These new UV inks will guarantee the customer’s finished printed product, whether it is on roll stock or rigid substrate, does not peel, flake or chip when cut on any automated dye cutter or router machine.

Eco-Friendly Printers Honored For Their ‘Green’ Printing Initiatives BRANCHBURG, NJ—Agfa Graphics recently selected H&S Graphics of Lodi, NJ, and Accell Graphics of London, Ontario, as the inaugural honorees for its Environmental Recognition Awards program. The award recognizes Agfa customers that use “green” printing technologies, promote environmental awareness to their customers using those technologies, and whose environmental efforts go beyond using Agfa’s ThermoFuse plate products. Additional steps taken by H&S and Accell include recycling 99 percent of production materials, printing on FSC- certified stocks, using green energy and cutting VOCs from their inks. INDUSTRY NEWS Corey B. Brinkema has been appointed

THE PRINTING industry is bulging with new and improved process technology, but implementation of what is available proceeds at a faltering snail’s pace. With Drupa 2008—the global printing big box superstore—opening its showroom in late May, the technology bulge is about to turn into a confusing avalanche of competing technologies and products. Suppliers have started to hold their pre-Drupa show briefings for analysts and the trade press. Clearly, the technology race is on. While the announcements of new print software to the introduction of heavy pressroom iron and automated, fault tolerant postpress equipment accelerates, what leads the differentiating innovation pack with the promise of

Kodak Fills Its Plate in China XIAMEN, CHINA—More than 300 people, including Eastman Kodak executives, customers, distributors, industry leaders and government representatives, recently gathered to celebrate the grand opening of Kodak’s newest printing plate manufacturing facility, located here. The plant, a $50 million investment, will produce both digital and conventional printing plates. Along with the new manufacturing facility, Kodak is creating a dedicated China Technical Applications Group (TAG) to provide technical support to customers in the Asia Pacific region. Branding Rises at VDP Conference PHOENIX—“Everyone is still learning,” is how one panelist summarized the state of the market at the recent PIA/GATF

Agfa Invests in Plate, Ink-Jet Resources BRANCHBURG, NJ—Rural New Jersey isn’t usually thought of as a hotbed of activity, but it’s becoming one for Agfa Graphics. The company recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Agfa Competence Center that was added to its local plate manufacturing facility. It also announced plans for a significant retooling of one of the plant’s plate lines to boost capacity and enable local production of products based on ThermoFuse technology, including Azura and Amigo digital plates. The competence center currently features two large-format ink-jet printers—an Anapurna XL, which prints up to a 981⁄2˝ width, and Anapurna M, which handles a