Heidelberg

by chris Bauer Managing Editor Many printers report seeing the demand for UV offset printing continue to rise—a bright light in a sometimes gloomy commercial printing landscape. One reason given by printers for this trend is the growing desire of print buyers and designers to create high-end consumer packaging, displays and marketing materials. This change in marketing approach by print buyers has had an effect on printed materials, causing a need to provide high-quality results. UV printing is opening up new doors for commercial printers. When it comes to intangibles such as gloss, feel, protective qualities and scuff resistance, UV-printed products are often

By Erik Cagle Senior Editor Sure, the calendar says November, but there's little doubt that spring is in the air for the commercial printing industry. One of the sure signs of an economic thawing in the United States is the spending confidence being showcased by some of the industry's biggest players. Williamson Printing, of Dallas, is one such company leading the charge out of the post 9/11 funk. Jerry and Jesse Williamson are two of the most well-known figures in printing—virtual celebrities in their profession. Both have more than 35 years of experience. The brain trust at Williamson Printing: Jerry Williamson (standing), chairman

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

I dropped my fork and asked David Motheral to repeat what he had just said. Some at the table stared while others continued eating as if they hadn't heard. However, as David began to talk all eyes were riveted on him and the food quickly became incidental. It was lunchtime, August 30th, at the 2004 PIA/GATF Digital Workflow Conference in Pittsburgh. I was there as both a speaker and a roundtable discussion moderator. My talk, scheduled for the afternoon, was "Digital Workflows: Does It Matter How or Where I Print It?" The topic covered how digital workflows increasingly need to be versatile since, in

Colter & Peterson and MBO America are now co-distributors of Wohlenberg paper cutters and cutting systems for the U.S. market. Specifically, the cooperative agreement will allow technical experts and sales personnel from both companies to confer with each other on how Wohlenberg cutters can best enhance the efficiency and productivity for printers and trade finishers looking to upgrade their operations. Rochester Institute of Technology's School of Print Media presented the Cary Award to Frank Steenburgh, senior vice president for business growth, Production Systems Group at Xerox Corp. during a breakfast at Graph Expo 2004. The Cary Award is presented annually to those who have

by chris bauer Managing Editor Once overlooked in a printing world that focused heavily on digital technology, bindery equipment, including floor-model folding machines, can now be part of the conversation. Modern machines offer all of the automation that today's users desire. According to Josef Niehueser, product manager for Stahlfolder (distributed by Heidelberg), automation and integration are the features that folding machine users want to incorporate. The bindery is the only production department left that still involves a degree of manual labor, he points out, and printers want to take as much labor out of the finishing process as possible. "Integration is the next

By Erik Cagle Senior Editor The greatest challenge George Stephenson has ever faced as the owner of a sheetfed and full-web printing company is not the same as the greatest challenge that has ever confronted the business itself. Stephenson, 70, is founder, president and CEO of Stephenson Printing, located in the Washington, DC, suburb of Alexandria, VA. He opened the plant in 1959 and aggressively built the company, was a forerunner in the color revolution and the first printer on his block to delve seriously into the manufacture of annual reports. Those reasons alone make him a prime candidate for the 2004 Printing

MIAMI—St. Ives U.S. Division has completed a $4 million-plus expansion at its Avanti commercial printing plant here. With the expansion, the company was able to add a 38˝ Heidelberg (Goss) M-600 single-web press with a JF-50 folder, as well as realign and upgrade its bindery operation. By adding the press alone, St. Ives Avanti will be able to add a dozen new jobs, and expects other positions to become available with expanded business, according to Gary Davis, executive vice president and general manager. "Since 9/11, there has been very little capital investment in commercial printing operations in South Florida, where several printers have closed their

This is my 20th anniversary column. I have written 220 columns. I don't have to write columns for the month of July because Printing Impressions always publishes a buyer's guide directory for that month. Otherwise, I would have written 240 columns. After I wrote them, Printing Impressions actually published all 220 columns, no matter what I said. For example, who can forget when, in December of 1984, I wrote, "Selling is probably the least important funkshun in the printing bidness. Somebody has to go out and pick up the orders." I added, "Salespeople are snakes and charlatans. Don't trust 'em. Just send 'em

Xerox Mourns Loss of Hatch ROCHESTER, NY—Gilbert J. Hatch, president of the Production Systems Group at Xerox Corp., died Aug. 26 after a long battle with cancer. During his 35-year career with Xerox, Hatch held a number of senior technical and general management positions in the United States and Great Britain. Allied Buys First "Drupa" Press MANCHESTER, CT—Allied Printing Services earned the distinction of purchasing the first Drupa-version large-format sheetfed press from KBA North America. The six-color, 56˝ KBA Rapida 142 press with aqueous coating is slated to be installed and running at Allied by the end of this month. Freedom Acquires MetroWebb MILTON, WI—Direct mail