Heidelberg

by chris bauer Managing Editor Finally, the rumor mill can go silent concerning the status of industry giant Heidelberg Web Systems. Just days before closing this issue, Heidelberg and Goss International reached an agreement on major issues for the intended transfer of the Heidelberg Web Offset division to Goss International. An outline deal has been agreed upon in principle, but some issues remain to be resolved before definitive documents are expected to be executed over the coming weeks. Heidelberg will still display web presses at the upcoming Drupa trade show in Germany, reports Greg Norris, manager of marketing communications. Its newest

Dallas Printers Agree to Merge DALLAS—Impression Graphics and Ussery Printing have agreed to merge, with the company operating under the name of Ussery Printing. The combined companies have 76 employees and roughly $11.7 million in annual sales. The company will be able to produce small- and large-format printing. Quad/Graphics Signs Extension SUSSEX, WI—Quad/Graphics will become the exclusive printer for U.S. News & World Report in January 2005 after the two parties reached an accord on a contract extension. Quad will print 2.2 million weekly copies of the publication for distribution throughout the United States. The work will be produced entirely at Quad facilities in Saratoga Springs, NY,

Spiral Binding Co. has named Joe Bondonna product manager for its line of document finishing products. He has worked for the company for 15 years in sales and training roles. Rick Parks is the new western region general manager of sheetfed operations for MAN Roland. He is responsible for sales, service and support in a territory that encompasses 11 western states. Mitsubishi Lithographic Presses has made two key personnel changes. Ken Kodama has been appointed vice president of sheetfed sales. The company also announced the promotion of Randy Siver to the newly created position of director of marketing and technical sales. Kodak Polychrome Graphics' (KPG) plate

BY MARK SMITH Technology Editor The media road tour leading up to Drupa 04 recently made stops in Brussels, Belgium, and Athens, Greece. Judging by the vendor previews offered so far, people making the trek to Düsseldorf for the international trade fair should expect to see incremental advances, not revolutionary changes, in the products shown. The outlook for the global economy—and printing industry—leading up to this year's event is vastly different from the heady days that preceded Drupa 2000, says Albert Follens, general manager, Graphic Systems, at Agfa-Gevaert N.V. The keys to success are increasing manufacturing efficiency and streamlining how business is transacted between

arizona PHOENIX—AIRO Graphics is now operating a six-color Komori Lithrone 40 perfector. TEMPE—A Prime UV four-lamp UV curing system has been installed as a retrofit on a five-unit Harris M-110 perfector web press to cure wet trap UV ink on commercial printing at ValleyWide Printing Services. california BURBANK—LAgraphico, a full-service premedia and printing company that serves the film industry, recently installed a new Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 74 sheetfed press to produce promotional collateral to support feature films such as "Peter Pan," "Seabiscuit" and "Cheaper by the Dozen." On February 20, LAgraphico celebrated its 25th anniversary with an open house event at its new 78,000-square-foot

BY MARK SMITH Technology Editor It's hard to fault any conventional print sales rep for being hesitant to embrace digital services, be they static or variable data production capabilities. Change is never easy, and digital printing presents a different selling proposition. Static jobs are almost by definition shorter runs done on-demand. This means a lot more effort is required to reach sales volumes comparable to offset work. Variable data work can bring larger volumes, albeit generally produced in smaller lots, and it tends to support higher margins. The problem is, additional expertise is required to sell and produce personalized marketing programs. Also, sell cycles

Tanagraphics, Seybert Merge NEW YORK CITY—Tanagraphics Inc. and Seybert Nicholas Printing Group have signed a definitive merger agreement to form what they claim to be the largest privately held company providing print management solutions in the Big Apple. The new company will be called TanaSeybert and will offer commercial and digital printing, advertising prepress services, bindery and mailing services. TanaSeybert will also offer a full range of integrated Web- and browser-based services. Harris DeWese, chairman of Compass Capital Partners, served as financial advisor for the transaction. Baldwin, technotrans Deal Nixed SHELTON, CT—Baldwin Technology has notified technotrans AG that it will no longer pursue the transaction announced in

By Mark Michelson Editor-in-Chief Printer William Neugebauer plans out his print shop's workload—and the required paper and consumables needed—well in advance. Four months in advance, to be precise. As chief printer in charge of the printing operation on board the new Queen Mary 2 ocean liner, the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) graduate carefully coordinates the shipment of supplies to faraway ports where the vessel docks. "A ship is not very ideal for printing," he notes. Aside from ascertaining such unusual things as the optimum level for chemicals sloshing around in the plate processor while the Queen Mary 2 is at sea, Neugebauer says that paper handling

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA—Atlanta Web Printers has opened its second facility, located in Tucker, GA. Along with the physical expansion of its facilities, the publication printer has also restructured the management team. Jerry Williamson, CEO of Williamson Printing, Dallas, has been named the Graphic Arts Leaders of the Americas (GALA) North American award recipient for 2004 by the Printing Association of Florida. He received his award before hundreds of industry leaders and guests at the 21st annual GALA awards banquet during Graphics of the America 2004 in Miami Beach. F.E. Treis, Arandell Corp. chairman, was recently honored for 60 years of leadership at the

Exhibitors Promise a Super Drupa DUSSELDORF, GERMANY—As an international group of journalists gathered at the fairgrounds for a preview, the countdown to Drupa 2004 clicked past the 100 days threshold. Scheduled once every four years, the 13th installment of this world market for print media, publishing and converting is slated to run May 6-19, 2004. Playing off the Olympic motto ("faster, higher, farther"), the slogan for Drupa 2004 could be "prettier, faster, more reliable," suggests Albrecht Bolza-Schünemann, president of the event and CEO of Koenig & Bauer AG. "Print products are becoming prettier. Print services will have to be delivered ever faster in