Eastman Kodak

ROCHESTER, NY—Eastman Kodak moved to gain sole possession of Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG) on January 12 with a proposal to purchase Sun Chemical's 50 percent interest in the joint venture for $817 million, then shocked the industry later in the month with the news that it was acquiring Creo for about $980 million. Kodak will redeem all of Sun Chemical's shares in KPG for $317 million in cash at closing, $200 million in cash in the third quarter of 2006, and $50 million in cash annually from 2008 through 2013. The transaction is expected to close in April. The pending Creo acquisition, at a

BY MARK SMITH Technology Editor For better or for worse, and maybe a little of both, self-service has become the model of business efficiency in the modern world. Vending machines aside, the trend first took hold at the gas pump, then led to ATMs popping up like weeds and now is spreading to the grocery store checkout line. Online interfaces to customers are the printing industry's latest take on the self-service trend. The basic concept is not new, but the way printers are now executing it differs from the wave of eProduction/eCommerce ASP ventures that enveloped the graphic arts during the dotcom bubble.

American Loose Leaf has appointed Cindy Stevenson as the new production manager for its St. Louis facility. Stevenson has more than 30 years of experience in the ring binder industry and has been with American Loose Leaf for 20 years. John MacKay has acquired all outstanding shares of Feuiltault Machinery from its founder, Martin Feuiltault. Mr. Feuiltault will remain with the company as a member of the company's technological orientation committee. MacKay will assume the position of president. International Paper's 2005 Best on Press Awards will feature $14,000 in prizes to 21 winners. Work printed on IP brands during the 2004 calendar year is eligible for

DETROIT—To increase the efficiency of its premedia operation, Brophy is implementing the Kodak Polychrome Graphics Matchprint Virtual Proofing System. The SWOP-certified monitor proofing solution uses customized CRT displays and proprietary color management technology. (www.brophy.com/www.kpgraphics.com) ENGLEWOOD, CO—Cenveo is launching eCENergy, a Web portal providing access to a suite of online solutions designed to automate and streamline transactions with customers. Users can securely log in to a custom branded site, then choose from a menu of applications that currently includes an online print ordering and fulfillment system (eCatalog), soft and remote proofing, and digital asset management. (www.cenveo.com) NORWALK, CT—A steady stream of

At Graph Expo, Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG) donated a Kodak Approval NX digital color imaging system to the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). David Hohman has been appointed vice president and general manager of Rycoline, a manufacturer of printing supplies based in Chicago. Rycoline was recently acquired by Sun Chemical. Hohman has been with Sun Chemical for 13 years, serving in operations management. John Strottner has joined Akiyama International as regional sales manager. He will be based at the company's Cerritos, CA, headquarters. Baldwin Technology announced that Mark Becker and Gerald Nathe were re-elected to the company's board of directors. Also, Takayuki Miyaoku was elected as

Digital Press Scorecard Xerox Corp. iGen3 digital production press Joseph Merritt & Co., Hartford, CT Gordon Bernard Co., Cincinnati Lancaster Ultra-Graphics, Landisville, PA PrintManagement, Cincinnati Xerographic Digital Printing, Orlando McKay Press, Midland, MI Rapid Solutions Group, Melville, NY HP Indigo HP Indigo 3050 digital printing press Tukaiz LLC, Franklin Park, IL Kodak Versamark VX5000 ink-jet, color printing system Transcontinental CC3, Warminster, PA NexPress Solutions NexPress 2100 digital color press MGF/Consortium Inc., Edison, NJ Océ VarioStream 7000 printing system Offset Paperback Manufacturers, Dallas, PA VarioStream 7650 digital printing system Action Mailers, Aston, PA VarioStream 7650 Twin MICR digital

BY MARK SMITH Technology Editor Not to get philosophical, but if a word comes to mean everything, there's a danger of it ending up to mean nothing. The digital revolution was already on its way to making "workflow" a catch-all term in prepress, when the rise of CIM (computer-integrated manufacturing) extended its use to the entire print production process. As a result, an ever wider array of products now can be called digital workflow solutions. For the purposes of this article, the definition is being limited to the evolution of what used to be called prepress systems. Vendors have responded to this trend with

Eastman Kodak's Graphic Communications Group (GCG) announced its new marketing team. The team reports to Barbara Pellow, chief marketing officer and vice president, Graphic Communications Group. The new GCG marketing team is as follows: Christopher Payne, director of product planning and strategy; Eileen McMahon, market planning manager; and Mark Weber, group director of alliances and acquisitions. Segment managers have been appointed to develop marketing programs in Kodak's four key market segments. The segment managers are: Paula Balik, in-plant printing; Andre Hill, corporate data centers and service bureaus; Charles Hura, digital services; and Cheryl Nelan, commercial printing. Also, Anthony Sanzio joins the group as marketing communications director,

by MaRK SMITH Technology Editor Weak strains of the great violet vs. thermal CTP debate cropped up in some post-Drupa reports, and then were echoed in postings on the PrintPlanet.com "Computer to Plate Pressroom, CTP Technologies" eCommunity and other industry forums. These discussions largely have covered old ground, but two pending developments are seen as having the potential to change the competitive picture. CORRECTION:Heidelberg announced a new option in its Prosetter violet platesetter line prior to Drupa, which should have been included in the printed version of this story. With the new Multi Cassette Loader (MCL), any Prosetter can now image up to four

Agfa Leaves PrintCity; Group Promises 'Business as Usual' MORTSEL, BELGIUM—Agfa announced it is leaving the PrintCity consortium. The company reports it has decided to take a new approach for demonstrating the benefits of connectivity to its customers because the group's charter objectives were fully met at Drupa 2004. "We will demonstrate connectivity in our day-to-day business, not just in a consortium or at a trade show," explains Jan Van Daele, Agfa's vice president of imaging solutions. "Open standards have become a given and we will continue to invest our efforts and resources in innovations, connectivity and profitability for our customers," adds Marc