Agfa Graphics

Agfa Talks Tech With Printers NORTH BERGEN, NJ—Agfa recently held a one-day "Technology Showcase" for area printers, featuring its chemistry-free CTP solutions and Sublima XM screening. Deborah Hutcheson, Agfa's senior marketing manager, Digital Solutions, gave attendees an overview in a formal presentation and then two of the company's customers shared their first-hand experiences. John Santangelo, executive vice president of H&S Graphics in Lodi, NJ, conducted demonstrations of Azura aluminum plates being imaged by an Acento thermal platesetter for chemistry-free CTP production. The family owned, 10-person general commercial shop made the move to that system after trying a competitive technology. According to Tom Santangelo, president,

Midwestern Printer Garners High Honor WASHINGTON, DC—The International Cooperation for the Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress (CIP4) announced the first winner of the CIP4 International Print Production Innovation (CIPPI) award. In the category of "best cost/benefit realization as a result of process automation implementation," the application of Action Printing of Fond du Lac, WI, was selected by the CIP4's advisory board. california BURBANK—Merisel Inc., a graphic solutions provider, has acquired Los Angeles-based Crush Creative, a provider of digital imaging solutions. The acquisition partners Crush with ColorEdge Visual, a New York City-based commercial graphics and imaging center, and Comp24, a comp production

BY MARK SMITH Technology Editor Printers in growing numbers are having second thoughts about their computer-to-plate (CTP) systems. First-time buyers are still the dominant force in the market today, but the aging installed base is rapidly driving up the percentage of shops looking to invest in a second, or even third, generation of technology. By the end of 2004, the installed base of CTP devices in North America had reached nearly 12,000 units, including metal and non-metal systems, according to a new plate market study recently published by PRIMIR (the Print Industries Market Information and Research Organization). Completed by State Street Consultants in

Quark Inc. announced a strategic alliance with Enfocus Software aimed at improving the overall PDF experience within QuarkXPress and to provide bundled solutions that streamline Certified PDF-based workflows. Agfa's Graphic Systems business group has added an industry specialist to support the company's recent entries into the wide-format printing market. Steve Cutler has joined Agfa's team as marketing manager for the newly formed Sign, Screen and Display segment. Brandtjen & Kluge reports that four employees have reached their 25-year anniversaries with the company. They are Deb Mitchell, accountant; Dave Peterson, journeyman machinist; Kathy Soul, computer technical officer; and Kevin Robbins, sales and service manager. In keeping

arizona MESA—Hogue Printing Solutions is the new home for a seven-color, 40˝ Mitsubishi Diamond 3000TP tandem perfector. california GLENDALE—An eight-color Komori Lithrone S40 perfector with coater has been installed at 4-Over Inc. Irwindale—The Processors recently added a five-color Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 74 with perfector and coater to its pressroom. Founded in 1974, the shop houses 19 employees and services advertising agencies and network-based companies. SAN DIEGO—Printing Industries Association of San Diego held its annual membership meeting at PetCo Park, home of the San Diego Padres baseball team, in June. Among those enjoying the game were the new 2005-06 PIA/SD board of directors: Richard

Printer's Event Draws a Crowd ATLANTA—For the second year in a row, "Color Talk," presented by The EPI Companies, created a stir in the marketing community, drawing more than 400 corporate communications executives, marketing coordinators and print procurement specialists. The program featured a presentation by Leatrice Eiseman, a renowned color specialist who also serves as executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. EPI sponsored the event as an educational opportunity for clients and prospects, and to build awareness of the company's single-source array of marketing services. "Color Talk" was preceded by a reception featuring 29 exhibits. arizona TEMPE—Company officials from Ben Franklin Press

BY MARK SMITH Technology Editor Given all the debate about the technology of coatings in recent years, one might think printing plates are an exception to the rule that it is what's below the surfaces that really matters. One thing almost all of the solutions, even analog plates, have in common, though, is an aluminum base. Polyester plates are the exception, of course. This commonality in printing plates hit home earlier this year when vendors notified customers of price increases due to the rising cost of raw materials. Aluminum prices reportedly have risen some 40 percent over the past two years, and higher

Web Printers Hit The Race Track DALLAS—Sun Chemical offered Web Offset Offset Association Conference attendees the opportunity to climb into a NASCAR race car for a high-speed ride around the track at the Texas Motor Speedway. Of the 250 guests in attendance at the event, nearly 160 people elected to ride as passengers in the stock cars, which reached speeds of 170 miles per hour as they sped around the oval track. DiMS! organizing print's entire European staff have relocated to a brand new, purpose-built, state-of-the-art office building in Lichtenvoorde, the Netherlands. The building is equipped with ultra-modern demo spaces and well-equipped training classrooms. KBA North America

Attendees Soak Up the Views ORLANDO, FL—In a bid to inject new energy into the event and build attendance, the Vue/Point Conference was relocated to sunny Florida for its recent 2005 run. The results were mixed with regard to those goals, but attendees seemed pleased with the event overall. Judging by a show of hands in the opening session, there clearly was a spike in the percentage of first-time attendees. Also, representation by printers—as opposed to vendors—was said to be up. However, the total attendee number held more or less steady from the 2004 event in Washington, DC. There were several topics of

Mortsel/Belgium--May 27, 2005--Agfa-Gevaert announced today that it was informed of the insolvency filing by AgfaPhoto GmbH. Management does not expect the insolvency filing by AgfaPhoto to have a material effect on Agfa-Gevaert. Effective November 2, 2004, Agfa-Gevaert sold its consumer imaging business to a group of investors in a management buy out/in. Since then the consumer imaging business has been operated through a group of companies under the name of AgfaPhoto. The AgfaPhoto group is a private group of companies. Agfa-Gevaert does have an agreement to provide AgfaPhoto group companies with distribution, order fulfillment, after sales and other services until the end of