Eastman Kodak

SOMETIMES A simple plan can be made to look brilliant when it is backed by hard work and dedication to quality customer service. But perhaps what has really helped Inserts East, a free-standing insert printing specialist based in Pennsauken, NJ, is its ability to lay low in a niche populated by some large, national printers. Make no mistake about it. Inserts East—though coined a boutique printer by company President Nick Maiale—is not a small potatoes establishment. At $50 million a year in annual sales, it is the envy of many smaller, mainstream commercial operations. But Nick and his father Gino—who managed the company from its inception

NOT MANY Americans made the trip to the largest English-speaking trade show in the world in 2006. In Europe, virtually everyone carries a passport for identification, but here in the U.S. a driver’s license is the norm. Because our country is so large and self-sufficient, Americans are generally loathe to travel internationally. So Americans are not expected at IPEX, the once-every-four-years trade show held in Birmingham, UK. But, in many respects, it is our loss. Those who made the trip for the eight-day show saw the latest in printing technology across a wide spectrum of processes and business applications. Although the number of

Quad Workers Nailed in Scam HARTFORD, WI—Two former employees at Quad/Graphics’ magazine printing plant here were arrested and charged in connection with an international insider trading scheme that generated $6.7 million, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Former temporary employee Nickolaus Shuster and recently terminated Quad worker Juan Renteria were charged with being sources of illegal insider information, the newspaper reported. Supplying investor tips from an investment feature that appears in BusinessWeek in advance of the street date allegedly netted more than $345,000 in profits. Aurand, Vista Buying Outlook NEENAH, WI—Led by former Banta CEO Calvin Aurand, Vista Group Holdings is acquiring Outlook Group for $13.50 per

Presses Head for Hawkeye State HIAWATHA, IA—Two 41˝ KBA Rapida 105 sheetfed presses with coaters have been installed at Cedar Graphics. The first press is a six-color Rapida 105 sheetfed press; the second is a 10-color, five-over-five Rapida 105 long perfector with a roll-to-sheet feeder. CALIFORNIA GLENDALE—Color Depot has installed a Kluge EHF series press. The print trade shop included the preload continuous magazine option that allows the machine to be reloaded while in motion (for continuous feeding). The EHF press will be used primarily for foil stamping and embossing small boxes and CD sleeves. SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO—A new six-color Komori Lithrone 28

KBA North America has announced the appointment of two new district sales managers to concentrate their efforts on fast-growing sales territories on the East and West coasts. Richard “Dick” Bacon is overseeing the Southern California territory while John Graff is calling on accounts in the Washington, DC/DelMarVa locale. Secap has entered into an OEM agreement with Kodak to resell Kodak Versamark 4300 UV print engine technology and associated peripherals. Secap will match up the Kodak Versamark print engine and UV cure station with its own range of transport and material handling peripherals. Wausau Paper reports two new additions to its printing and writing group. Jeffrey Fox

ORLANDO, FL—Industry change brought about by the growth of the Internet, consolidation, global competition and outsourcing were key discussion points at the NAPL Top Management Conference and NAQP Annual Conference held last month at the luxurious Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes Hotel. And even the event itself exemplified change—marking the first time the two industry conferences were conducted as one overall meeting with several combined breakout sessions, keynote addresses and social activities. Andy Paparozzi, NAPL vice president and chief economist, kicked off the NAPL portion of the meeting with highlights from the 2006 “NAPL State of the Industry Report.” Always a crowd pleaser with his keen insight

WEIGHING THE differences between click charge plans in service contracts offered by providers of digital printing equipment is an apples-to-apples comparison. There’s just one problem. For apples, there are Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Cameo, Pink Lady, Golden Delicious and Jonagold, among countless other varieties. And where do they hail from? Vermont? Washington state? New England? So, in that regard, yes, click charge plans offered by manufacturers A, B and C constitute an apples-to-apples comparison when you factor in the high amount of variables influencing what may be the appropriate plan for a given digital printing operation. Which is to say that a direct comparison

TITUS EAPEN second guesses himself when it comes to the decision to move completely toward a digital printing workflow. The vice president of marketing at Chicago-based Grace Printing—who along with brother, Ajith (CEO and vice president), guide the future of the shop founded by their father in the basement of the family home—isn’t exactly kicking himself for making the transition from sheetfed offset printing. His lone regret may be that he waited too long to fully embrace the digital printing revolution. “We got in on the tail end of digital,” Titus concedes. “It’s kind of Monday morning quarterbacking, but we should have gotten into this two

Don’t tell David Torok that the world of commercial printing isn’t viewed as a commodity. The president of Dallas-based Padgett Printing is all too aware of the perception given to an industry once known as a craft, sprinkled profusely with seasoned craftsmen, all but eroded by bottom-line pricing, reverse auctions and print buyers willing to forego longstanding relationships with trusted print providers. Instead of crying in their collators, companies such as Padgett Printing have survived, and even thrived, by accentuating their offerings with value-added services and variable data digital printing solutions. The digital end has only strengthened Padgett’s position with traditional sheetfed and web

Bindery Gear Heads to East Coast Shop LEBANON, PA—Colortech Inc., a full-service commercial printer, recently installed a Vijuk 321-T saddlestitcher. Things Get Bigger in Texas After Install MESQUITE, TX— IntegraColor Inc. has purchased a five-color, 81˝ KBA Rapida 205 sheetfed press, making IntegraColor the first printer in the Southwest with 81˝ litho capabilities. The press has been configured with a special board-handling package and is also to be equipped with UV facilities for printing on plastics. It also incorporates an ICS slitter system and non-stop pile changing for the feeder and delivery. KBA has added its own Densitronic quality control