Heidelberg

This is an open letter to Robert E. Murphy, the veteran leader at Japs-Olson and the chairman of the selection committee charged with finding the next man or woman who will become CEO of the Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation, one of the commercial printing industry's largest and most powerful associations. Dear Sir, It has come to my attention that the PIA/GATF has received in excess of 350 resumes both from people within and outside the industry vying for the chance to become the virtual czar of the commercial printing industry. While I am certain that there are many qualified applicants already

Williamson Institute Proves Its Value Once Again DALLAS—Williamson Printing hosted the third Williamson Institute in February. The educational seminar provided printing knowledge to college students to help enhance their education within the graphic communications industry. Fifty students representing Southern Methodist University, Texas Christian University, the University of North Texas and Baylor University attended the seminar. CALIFORNIA ANAHEIM—Pacific West Litho has installed a new six-color, 40˝ Komori Lithrone press equipped with a ColorCommand temperature control/cooling system from TriService. AZUSA—A Steinemann Topspot 102 blanket coater has replaced two silk screen UV coaters at Classic Coating & Laminating. COMMERCE—The transition to a computer-to-plate workflow is complete

BY MARK SMITH A consensus of opinion seems to have been reached about why to adopt a computer-to-plate workflow. At least in some quarters, though, the same cannot be said for the question of how to implement one. Or more precisely, which combination of plate and platesetter is the best solution. New product introductions continue to fuel the thermal versus violet imaging debate. The recent IPEX international printing expo also brought a new player (Esko-Graphics, the newly named combination of Purup-Eskofot and Barco Graphics) to the arena of digitally imaging conventional ultraviolet plates. Processless technology continues be developed along ablative, phase-change and other tracks.

BY CHRIS BAUER In an industry where time is money, web offset printers want the fastest, easiest-to-use equipment they can find. When looking for palletizing and stacking machines, they won't accept second-rate gear. "Our customers expect reliable, durable and easy-to-maintain machines with simple and intuitive makeready adjustments," asserts Terry Bradford, product manager for Heidelberg, which represents Rima-System in North America. "The huge volume of paper produced by today's high-speed presses makes robotic palletizing much more cost-effective, and the consistently high quality of robotically palletized loads translates to more efficient operation of bindery equipment further downstream." Similarly, according to Lee Terry, sales manager for Roskam Automatic Machinery, the emergence of high-speed

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

BY MARK SMITH Trying to be all things to all people is generally recognized as a formula for disaster. However, putting a spin on this strategy has proven successful for Cunningham Graphics International (CGI). The Jersey City, NJ-based organization strives to be a one-stop shop for all the document management and communication needs of a tightly targeted market. Through 18 operations spread across 12 cities and five countries, Cunningham Graphics serves the financial community with an emphasis on producing time-sensitive documents involved with investor communications, reveals Gordon Mays, executive vice president of marketing and sales. The company's client base includes most of Wall

BY MARK SMITH Taking steps out of a process has the potential to increase productivity, reduce process variability and lower production costs. That all sounds great, but these gains naturally must be weighed against the investment required to achieve them. Doing such a cost/benefit analysis for the on-press imaging concept might at first seem to be a rather straightforward calculation. The potential variables in the equation quickly prove otherwise, however. Issues related to integration with existing plant capabilities, markets served, type of press being considered, etc., can tip the balance in favor or against the technology and workflow. What makes sense for

Jeff Hill will be the first to admit he knows very little about the printing industry. After all, the 46-year-old Youngstown, OH, native cut his teeth in the communications field. But Hill is a successful businessman. And despite a limited printing background, he knew that Superior Printing was on the verge of something special when he looked into purchasing the company. "I wanted to stay in this area because I'm from here," explains Hill when describing his February 2000 acquisition of the Warren, OH, business. "I saw this company and the technology it invested in, and it was a great opportunity. "We bought a

DALLAS—Padgett Printing announced it has added new equipment to allow it to address its clients' prepress, printing and mailing needs. Among the new equipment is an eight-color Heidelberg four-over-four perfector press with the latest console technology, a 28x40˝ sheet folder with trimming and perforating capabilities, and ink-jet addressing and tabbing capabilities to handle customer mailing requirements, allowing ink-jet printing at up to 600 dpi with 3˝ heads. According to David Torok, president and CEO, the company has invested more money in new equipment capacity in the last 15 months than at any time in the 99-year history of Padgett Printing. "We're dedicated to