Heidelberg

BY MARK SMITH To be sure, the Mercury Print Productions of today has a compelling story to tell. It embodies both attributes connoted by its name: the speed of the winged messenger god and the high-tech of space exploration. Having been a strong player in the on-demand digital print arena for some 10 years, the company just completed beta testing the new Xerox DocuColor iGen 3 digital color production press and is now its first commercial user worldwide. Its sheetfed offset printing capabilities have far from suffered, though, as the shop also offers state-of-the-art computer-to-plate (CTP) production as a front end to four (two-

Donnelley Gets USPS Certified CHICAGO—R.R. Donnelley has become the first commercial printer to be approved for the second phase of PostalOne! certification by the United States Postal Service—for the electronic submission of postal statements. PostalOne! is a system that allows for electronic submission of postage statements and corresponding presort documentation. Gateway Installs Perfecting Unit LOUISVILLE, KY—An eight-unit Mitsubishi Diamond 3000R perfecting press has been installed at Gateway Press. The press features a centralized operator makeready and control system (COMRAC). Sheridan Books Adds Web Press CHELSEA, MI—Sheridan Books has installed a Timsons T48A arch web press at its facility here. The press, which features a simultaneous plate changing

Enovation Graphic Systems announced the formation of Arkin Graphics, which will be based in Flushing, NY. The new company was created to acquire the graphic arts products distribution business from Arkin-Medo Inc. As an Enovation company, Arkin Graphics will continue to serve the companies and customers that Arkin-Medo established over the past 80 years. Creo Inc. has appointed Jonathan Agger as product marketing manager for scanning solutions in North America and Latin America. He has held positions with Agfa, Polaroid Graphic Imaging and Sprockets.com. Screen (USA) is marking its 35th anniversary with an assessment of its success in satisfying its customers and providing quality products. Results

BY MARK MICHELSON Given the lingering economic malaise, representatives of sheetfed and web offset press manufacturers exhibiting at Graph Expo & Converting Expo 02 in Chicago last month—understandably—may have felt a bit under the weather leading up to the show. Any salesperson trying to reach his/her quota selling printing presses knows that the past 12 to 24 months have been a real headache. Would customers and prospects even come to the show and, more importantly, would printers there be feeling healthy enough to make capital equipment purchases? To the surprise of many exhibitors, attendee traffic was brisk, especially the opening day and throughout the

BY MARK SMITH Job Definition Format (JDF) support came the closest to being a theme among prepress exhibits at the recent Graph Expo and Converting Expo 02 in Chicago. The competitive pressure to beat the drum for JDF compliance may be causing an unintended complication, however. There are signs of a growing trend toward JDF being equated with all efforts to digitally integrate the entire print production process, a concept also known as computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM). That leap is not completely accurate, or at least premature. JDF capabilities are not precisely a successor to the CIP3/4 support touted by manufacturers in the

ARIZONA MESA—Hogue Printing has signed a deal with CRC Information Systems to implement THE System business management software, including the Commercial Estimating module. Hogue Printing, a 38-year-old family owned business, specializes in sheetfed printing, copying, design and packaging. CALIFORNIA PALM SPRINGS—The Desert Sun newspaper, a Gannett company, has purchased two KBA Colora Tower additions for upgrading and expanding printing and color capabilities for its existing Goss Headliner offset press. SACRAMENTO—Fong & Fong Printers and Lithographers has integrated a Gerber Sector coating blanket cutter into its workflow, lowering costs and speeding production. The printer formerly outsourced its coating blankets, requiring a three day turnaround.

Ray Scholler owes a great deal of debt and gratitude to his father, Henry (H.C.) Scholler, founder of Random Times Publishing, forerunner to Times Printing. In terms of passing down wisdom, the founder of the 84-year-old printing concern couldn't offer business acumen to his son.

BY ERIK CAGLE Ray Scholler owes a great deal of debt and gratitude to his father, Henry (H.C.) Scholler, founder of Random Times Publishing, forerunner to Times Printing. In terms of passing down wisdom, the founder of the 84-year-old printing concern couldn't offer business acumen to his son. "He taught me not to do business the way he did it," says Ray Scholler. "He was not a very good business man. He traded everything out—even the groceries were traded for advertising in the weekly newspaper—and had very little cash. As I got into the business, I knew that wasn't going to work. He'd

CALIFORNIA CITY OF COMMERCE—Ross Bindery has purchased a Best Osako 368 AutoSet saddle stitcher from Best Graphics. The unit is the company's 13th Osako and the third 368 Ross has installed in the past several months. COSTA MESA—Western Litho has installed a new Rollem TR die-score system. A new addition to the company's bindery department, the TR system is used for scoring, perfing, trimming and right-angle processing. OXNARD—Custom Printing Director of Sales Charles Utts announced that the company plans to expand its plant after acquiring an additional 5,000 square feet of manufacturing floor space and sales offices. SAN CARLOS—A Presstek Dimension 200 thermal

BY MARK SMITH Adhesive binding has long been a benchmark of quality for finishing, but equipment costs and setup times traditionally had kept the process in the realm of long-run and/or higher end projects. The prevailing trend now in "perfect" binding systems is increasing their flexibility to handle shorter runs. This is true for all levels of equipment, but particularly for the relatively new product category of units designed to work in conjunction with digital printing systems. A related trend is the industry's move to computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) that is trickling down to postpress operations in general. Unlike prepress and printing, though, digital