Heidelberg

BY CAROLINE MILLER Faced with dropping readership, falling advertising revenues and more media outlets, newspaper publishers are looking now more than ever to their in-house production facilities to help them meet the challenges of a volatile business environment. Increasingly, newspapers with printing capabilities are interested in the ability to bring in commercial work to help boost their profits, contends Craig Simon, director of web sales administration for MAN Roland. MAN Roland manufactures the four-page Cromoman, the Uniset, the Geoman and its flagship, 16-page newspaper web press—the Colorman—which was shown at IPEX in a 24-page version. Its top speed ranges to 86,000 copies per hour.

GAERF Launches Education Push RESTON, VA—The Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation has begun distributing educational information about the printing industry to 65,000 high school teachers and guidance counselors across the country as part of the Make Your Mark in Graphic Communications program. The program, which has the potential to reach six million U.S. high school students, consists of a kit that includes teachers' curriculum and counselors' guides, posters, student brochures and follow-up surveys. The program is aimed at introducing and enticing young people into careers in the graphic arts fields. Mail-Well Names Group Head ENGLEWOOD, CO—Mail-Well Inc. announced Gordon Griffiths has been named president and

New Leadership At Roosevelt Paper MOUNT LAUREL, NJ—David Kosloff has become president of Roosevelt Paper, representing the third generation of family ownership. He takes over for his father, Ted Kosloff, who has served as president since 1976. Roosevelt Paper was founded in 1932 by Irv Kosloff. Gämmerler Corp. has realigned its manufacturing plants. Located in Geretsried-Gelting, Germany, Leisnig, Germany, and Hanover Park, IL, each will specialize in the production of a specific set of products. Compensating stacker production, which currently takes place at all three plants, will transfer to Leisnig. The facility in Geretsried-Gelting will focus its operations on the production of robotic palletizers, vertical log

BY MARK SMITH Trade shows probably are not the most accurate indicator of an industry's vitality. When the show is IPEX 2002—the international printing exhibition held in Birmingham, UK—it's even harder to draw any direct conclusions about the North American market because of the show's strong English and broader European flavor. Still, there is an understandable temptation to try to gauge the current state of the market based on the tone of major industry events. The organizers of IPEX report overall attendance at the 2002 show hit 65,451 people, which represents about a 30 percent decline from the final count for IPEX 98. Overseas visitors reportedly

Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. moved into violet imaging CTP technology by previewing three internal-drum systems that feature 30mW laser diodes for exposing photopolymer plates. The Saber Luxel Vx-6000 CTP handles a 29.5x26.4˝ maximum plate size and is offered in manual and semi-automatic configurations. The Saber Luxel V-9600 CTP and Vx-9600 CTP support a 45.7x37.8˝ maximum plate size and initially will be available in a fully automatic configuration. The Vx model supports a slightly larger imaging area and will be offered in manual and semi-automatic configurations in the future. Write in 382 on Reader Service Card Delphax Technologies debuted the Imaggia II series of sheetfed

By Mark Smith As the Web Offset Association turns 50, there is much about the industry it serves worthy of note. To a degree, the process has really only just come into its own in terms of color, quality, ease of operation and turnaround. Saying the industry has matured isn't necessarily an all-positive development, though, as any person who has celebrated the big 5-0 birthday probably will concede. Even while we toast web offset's current vitality, there are growing concerns about the competitive potential of digital alternatives producing or replacing print. The recent economic malaise has heightened feelings of uncertainty about the future.

By Mark Smith Rollin', rollin', rollin' . . . keep them presses rollin'. This submission to the Web Offset Association (WOA) slogan contest didn't make the final cut, but its catchy rhythm makes it hard to get out of your head once you've heard it. The little ditty particularly has resonance for fans of Clint Eastwood or TV westerns who hear the echoes of the "Rawhide" theme song. Pinpointing exactly how long web offset presses have been rolling along depends on how far one stretches the product definition. In "The Power of the Press," a chronicle of the history of printing presses, author Paul

Here are some milestones that occurred in the history of printing and in the web offset process, in particular. 1434—Johann Gutenberg settles in Strassburg, Germany, and, by 1438, forms a business partnership. In 1450, he is able to pay the first installment on a loan from his partner, Johann Fust (Furst). A second installment is paid to Fust two years later. In 1457, Gutenberg goes broke as a result of a lawsuit and Fust takes over his equipment. 1439—Around this time, Gutenberg is working on the development of a two-part, fixed-metal type mold capable of producing type characters (movable type) of various widths and

-- Standing Out From the Crowd BY ERIK CAGLE Remember the comic strip, "The Far Side," by Gary Larson? One particular strip from the semi-retired master of the single panel showed two cockroaches having a conversation amidst a sea of insects. One of the creatures remarks to the other, "Think about it, Ed . . . the class Insecta contains 26 orders, almost 1,000 families and over 750,000 described species—but I can't shake the feeling we're all just a bunch of bugs." There is a perception of the commercial printing industry that—despite the differing specializations, capabilities and equipment that graphic arts establishments can offer

BY CAROLINE MILLER Grelind Printing Center Owner Linda Peterson lives in one of the most beautiful places in the country. Her printing operation is nestled within the foothills of Black Hills National Forest in Rapid City, SD, located just miles from Mount Rushmore. While Peterson is greeted every day with awe-inspiring and breath-taking vistas, she also has to deal with the fact that there are less than 200,000 people within a 400 to 500 square mile radius. And she has to compete with more than 16 other printers within the Rapid City area, and still even more shops in surrounding towns. So how does