Heidelberg

Such a strange industry! Heidelberg and Fujifilm announce a collaboration, and most people I know within the industry did not even know about it. This collaboration is as much a manufacturing and idea convergence as media convergence is the future route to find consumers’ buying sweet spot.

Contemporary Graphic Solutions, a commercial and packaging printer based in Pennsauken, NJ, is already reaping the benefits of the Heidelberg Performance Plus program, a continuous improvement initiative which is aimed at reducing makeready times and maximizing output from Heidelberg presses

PENNSAUKEN, NJ—Smiles were in abundance as Bob Reilley handed out certificates to the Contemporary Graphic Solutions (CGS) press operators who had just completed two months of training—in the classroom and on the shop floor—and implementation of the Heidelberg Performance Plus pilot program.

Fujifilm Corp., together with Fujifilm Global Graphic Systems Co., Ltd. (Fujifilm), and Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) have announced a strategic partnership in the area of inkjet printing, that will allow Heidelberg to gain access to Fujifilm's inkjet technology, and Fujifilm will leverage Heidelberg's strengths in engineering and manufacturing.

Pictorial Offset of Carlstadt, NJ, turned to Solis Partners, of Manasquan, NJ, to install solar panels at its facility. Solis designed, engineered and constructed the 2,968-panel system that, so far, has reduced Pictorial's electric bill by 40 percent. Touted as the largest solar panel installation by any commercial printing company in the United States, the installation has (at press time) generated 1.15 million kWh since the installation, enough to power 1,255 houses for a month.

Earlier this month, nearly 300 participants from all over the world attended the Heidelberg Postpress Commercial Days event at the Print Media Center (PMC). The live analyses conducted at the demonstrations were very well received, with visitors using actual production data to gain an understanding of specific machine functions.

For the first time in 35 years, Printing Industries of America has honored a 57”/64” sheetfed offset press with a prestigious 2013 InterTech Technology Award. Heidelberg’s Speedmaster XL 145/162 VLF press series was recognized for its twin-gripper delivery system and innovative Remote Fan-Out Control (RFOC).

It seems Jeff Main has stumbled onto a somewhat simplistic philosophy that, quite frankly, makes one wonder why more printers haven't developed their own game plans around the mantra subscribed to by the co-owner of Dublin, CA-based AMP Printing. The philosophy? Make customers happy.

The Shapiros act as a unit, in accordance with their mother, Inez Shapiro's wishes of a three-way partnership. The Shapiro brothers may not always agree, but they find common ground to the benefit of both companies. And, while there are no longer jobs sitting on the couch and kitchen table, the Shapiros refuse to rest on their laurels.

The Zenger Group recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony at its new 127,000-square-foot facility and headquarters in Tonawanda, NY. The ribbon cutting was officiated by Peter Rivera, New York State Commissioner of Labor representing Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and was followed by a reception and plant tour.