Heidelberg

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

BY CAROLINE MILLER Building an ongoing training program, even in the best of times, tends to be at the bottom of a printer's to-do list. But, when businesses are faced with economic downturns, it often slides right off that list. However, ignoring employee development can be detrimental in the long run, stresses Greg Morrison, regional training manager for Cadmus Communications. "Several years ago, we came to the realization that we wouldn't be successful in the long term without investing in our people. Our employees are our most critical resource," he reports. So Cadmus designed a dynamic training program to address its workers' needs, according

Akiyama Back in Business TOKYO—Shanghai Electric Group (SEC) and Morningside Group (MS) jointly announced the companies have purchased the business rights of Akiyama Printing Machinery Manufacturing through each subsidiary companies in both groups.The new company will be called Akiyama International (AIC) and will succeed all business of Akiyama Printing Machinery. SEC manufactures heavy equipment while MS is a global investment company. The acquisition includes properties, buildings, facilities and patents. AIC commenced operation on January 28 after hiring back a large portion of the employees from the former company. AIC will promote and market the J Print perfector presses and the Bestech model presses. Presses Highlight

Sun Chemical has named Wes Lucas CEO. He will continue in his role of president. Lucas succeeds Henri Dyner, who has stepped down after more than 28 years with Sun Chemical. Dyner will continue with the company on a part-time basis in an advisory role. CRC Information Systems has announced a new pricing system that will reduce the initial investment in CRC's management software, called The System. Under the new program, companies can acquire The System with no upfront license fee. The customer simply pays for training and software support. IST America has named Karl L. Schmucker web sales representative, responsible for end user applications. Before

Heidelberg Program for Digital Users KENNESAW, GA—Heidelberg announced a new business development program on profitability from digital color, offered as a value-added feature for its digital customers. Regional Heidelberg business development specialists will conduct classes with several module sections that are targeted towards marketing executives, sales managers, salespeople, customer service staff, and owners of service bureaus and graphic arts establishments. The main focus of the classes is "How to Profit from Nexprint Digital Color." The classes are divided into several modules including the opportunities of digital color, consultative selling, new types of revenue, opportunities for variable data and sample sales calls. Richard Sand,

BY MARK MICHELSON With its emphasis on attracting graphic arts professionals from both North and Latin America, the 27th annual Graphics of the Americas (GOA) exhibition, held in early February at the Miami Beach Convention Center, bucked current industry trends of weak buying activity and light trade show traffic. All told, 22,101 people attended the event, which featured over 500 exhibitors representing approximately 1,500 different companies and occupying nearly 1,400 booths. The Printing Association of Florida (PAF), the exhibition organizer, points to several key factors to explain the strong showing in light of recent economic turmoil. "As the first major printing, converting and graphic arts show

Custom-built Presses For Package Printer AUSTRIA—At the Alfred Wall package printing plant in Graz, and its sister plant in Oland at Bydgoszzcz, Poland, special versions of KBA Rapida 130 and 105 multi-color sheetfed offset presses with double coaters are now in operation. The plant in Austria received a seven-color Rapida 130 and a six-color Rapida 105; the facility in Poland has installed an identical six-color Rapida 105. All machines also have dryers. Alfred Wall prints cartons and flexible packaging for large export markets stretching mainly in Eastern Europe and the Near East. Sheetfed offset, as well as rotogravure printing and in-line rotary and

CALIFORNIA GARDENA—L.A. Press is up-and-running with a new six-color, 40˝ Mitsubishi Model 3F-13 sheetfed press. IRVINE—Orange County Printing has installed a six-color, 40˝ Komori Lithrone press outfitted with a Tri-Service ColorCommand temperature control/cooling system. VAN NUYS—The installation of the Sentinel ink management system from Accel Graphic Systems is complete at Great Western Litho. The ink management system is now equipped on a Komori Lithrone 640 press purchased at PRINT 01. CONNECTICUT MERIDEN—Three former shareholders of Vision Graphics have joined commercial printer Miller-Johnson Inc. They are Tom Mitchell, Andrew Mitchell and Erik Mitchell. The transaction was initiated on Miller-Johnson's behalf by Rampart Associates LLC.

New Equipment for D&B NEW YORK—D&B Reproductions celebrated the new year by installing a bevy of new equipment. The new hardware includes a six-color, 40˝ Heidelberg Speedmaster CD press with extended coater and CIP3 technology, a Creo Trendsetter Spectrum CTP/digital proofer and HP Spinjet. The equipment was lifted into D&B Reproductions from the street through a second floor window. KBA Directory Press for Verizon LOS ANGELES—Dallas-based Verizon Information Services, the largest print and online Yellow Pages publisher and a unit of Verizon Communications, has ordered a KBA Commander directory press for its printing plant here. The press will print four-color telephone and address

American Printing Lands New Press MADISON, WI—American Printing recently diversified its pressroom with the addition of an eight-color, 40˝ Mitsubishi Model 3F-16 sheetfed press. CALIFORNIA FOUNTAIN VALLEY—A new A.B.Dick DPM2340 direct-to-plate device is up and running at Brookhurst Printer. The company provides printing for medical groups and the banking, insurance and hospitality industries. HUNTINGTON BEACH—Taylor Graphics, a general commercial printer with 12 employees, has purchased a five-color, 20x28˝ Mitsubishi Model 1F-15 sheetfed press. SANTA FE SPRINGS—At The Dot Generator, a six-color, 28˝ Komori Lithrone press equipped with a ColorCommand temperature control/cooling system from TriService has been installed. GEORGIA ATLANTA—Geographics has completed the