Heidelberg

On Demand Closes Doors on Its New York City Run NEW YORK—Two surprises awaited exhibitors and attendees at the recent 2004 On Demand Conference & Exposition. Unfortunately, they both related to the event itself. On the first day, word spread of a change in location and timing for the next installment of the industry forum, which is scheduled to be held May 17-19, 2005, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in the heart of Philadelphia. There was no formal announcement, so most exhibitors first learned of the move when they were approached about reserving a booth for the 2005 show. The second surprise awaited attendees

HEIDELBERG, GERMANY—Eastman Kodak and Goss International were revealed as the recipients of divisions that Heidelberger Druckmaschinen (Heidelberg) announced it would divest last November. Heidelberg has reached an agreement to sell its digital printing division and all of its digital printing activities to Eastman Kodak for a maximum of US$150 million, a deal that has to be approved by antitrust organizations. The deal includes Heidelberg's digital black-and-white business, Heidelberg Digital Imaging of Rochester, NY, its 50 percent share in the Heidelberg/Eastman Kodak joint enterprise venture Nexpress Solutions, also of Rochester, as well as its 100 percent share of Nexpress GmbH in Kiel, Germany. Over the next

By Erik Cagle At the age of 82, you would think that a day at the office for F. Edward Treis would be a weekly drop-by around 10 a.m. for a cup of coffee and some handshakes with the sales force before returning home shortly after noon. But the chairman of the board for Menomonee Falls, WI-based Arandell Corp. is hardly a figurehead. Sixty years after friends on a sailing holiday convinced him to give commercial printing a try, he is still involved with the day-to-day operations of the company. Suffice to say, the ship has long since sailed on Treis ever retiring. "I

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 chris bauer Managing Editor Digital printing has been tabbed as the future of the graphic arts industry for years now. But, to the chagrin of digital press manufacturers—and probably to the delight of offset press vendors—their use and integration into pressrooms remains relatively limited. Whether it is concerns of quality, price or technology, many commercial printers are sticking with their traditional offset presses, and using digital presses for special applications only—if at all. Those printers who have made the digital leap, however, are singing the praises of the new-found equipment. Many report seeing a bump in business after crossing that digital line, and are finding new

BY MARK SMITH Technology Editor The line of demarcation between a copier and printer was the first to fall. Now it's not uncommon for devices with similar capabilities to be called printers or presses, depending on who's doing the naming. And, markedly different machines—such as all-digital and digital offset systems—may be labeled as digital presses, or the ubiquitous production systems. The upshot is that it has become very difficult to neatly define what products should be included in an update on the state-of-the-art in digital printing. Therefore, what follows is a look at some, if not all, of the recent major developments in the

ALEXANDRIA, VA—The Print Council, a business development alliance dedicated to promoting the greater use of print media, has elected a five-member board of directors. The new leaders include: * Niels Winther, president and CEO, Heidelberg USA; * Paul Reilly, chairman, president and CEO, Mail-Well; * Yves Rogivue, CEO, MAN Roland; * Roy Grossman, president and CEO, Sandy Alexander; and * J. Kenneth Garner, president, United Litho. The first order of business for the board, reports Grossman, is to find a chairman or CEO to help get The Print Council off the ground, with the board serving in an advisory role. Much of the structure

BY MARK SMITH Technology Editor If digital printing were an animal, it would have to be a cat because the concept/technology is on at least its fifth or sixth life. The perceived killer application for the process has swung from short runs to variable data printing and now, some argue, back to short runs. Direct-to-press, digital offset solutions initially grabbed attention, but have since been over-shadowed by all-digital machines. Christopher DeSantis, president and co-founder of Royal Impressions.Christopher DeSantis bought into the concept—both figuratively and literally—from the start. His steadfast belief in the potential of the technology has led to buying new digital equipment early