Huston-Patterson Corp.

Sixth KBA Installed At Imagine! Print SHAKOPEE, MN—A new six-color, 41˝ KBA Rapida 105 Universal perfector with UV capability is now up and running in the 400,000-square-foot facility of Imagine! Print Solutions. The new Rapida—which is equipped with full automation packages, including auto plate loaders, auto washup and a scanning spectrophotometer—is the sixth KBA press installed by Imagine!. Press Credited For Benny Award CHICAGO—In 2006, Abbott Printing purchased a five-color, 29˝ Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 74-5-P+L perfector with aqueous coater. A year later, the Maitland, FL-based printer won its first PIA/GATF Benny Award. Art Abbott Jr., co-owner, credits the new Heidelberg

Printers Weigh Straight Presses vs. Long Perfectors KENNESAW, GA—More than 50 printers from around the U.S. attended a Heidelberg VIP Event December 5-6 at its Print Media Demonstration Center to see live demos comparing high-speed straight printing vs. long perfecting sheetfed offset presses. The event served as a follow-up to a panel discussion on the topic hosted by Heidelberg during Graph Expo. Following a brief presentation explaining how the job was prepared using Heidelberg’s JDF-based Prinect Printready System 3.0, the same job was run in the demo center on a six-color Speed- master XL 105 with coater in two passes and on a 10-color Speedmaster

German-Themed Event Successful TROY, MI—More than 800 clients, vendors and friends of Tepel Brothers Printing sampled bratwurst and strudel, and enjoyed authentic entertainment by the Frankenmuth Schuhplattlers at the company’s fourth Oktoberfest celebration. Tepel Brothers Printing President Jim Tepel, left, and Vice President Harriet Tepel awarded their Oktoberfest grand door prize of a trip to Germany to Laura Jerome. The client from Anchor Bay Entertainment said the trip for two will make an ideal honeymoon following her wedding next summer. The Ben Franklin Society of PIA/GATF inducted 12 new members at an annual black-tie ceremony in November. The new members are: William

Salt Lake City-based AlphaGraphics reports it is planning to reach 500 locations over the next five years. Ingrid Wilmet has joined Impressions Inc. of St. Paul, MN, as an account manager. Kim Hawley has joined Dallas-based Taylor Publishing as vice president of sales and marketing for the Taylor Specialty Book division. He most recently held the position of sales manager for the Commercial Book division of Walsworth Publishing. Richard Eade, formerly of Butler Color Press, has joined Inserts East in Pennsauken, NJ, as director of operations. Des Plaines Publishing, Des Plaines, IL, announced that Michael Ford has joined the company as president and CEO.

Printer's Event Draws a Crowd ATLANTA—For the second year in a row, "Color Talk," presented by The EPI Companies, created a stir in the marketing community, drawing more than 400 corporate communications executives, marketing coordinators and print procurement specialists. The program featured a presentation by Leatrice Eiseman, a renowned color specialist who also serves as executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. EPI sponsored the event as an educational opportunity for clients and prospects, and to build awareness of the company's single-source array of marketing services. "Color Talk" was preceded by a reception featuring 29 exhibits. arizona TEMPE—Company officials from Ben Franklin Press

(Editor's Note: Company rankings for the current and previous years are based on figures reported in 2004. Therefore, companies that revised their 2003 revenues may have changed their 2003 ranking as compared with the ranking that appeared in last year's Printing Impressions 400. Similarly, the percentage change in sales is calculated on the most recent information provided.) 251 ('03: 245) Fisher Group, Hiawatha, IA Total Sales (Millions): $20.00 Previous Year's Sales (Millions): $20.00 Change (%): - Principal Officer: Martin C. Fisher Employees: 145 Primary Specialties: DM 90%; ADV 6%; CAT 4% Web Offset Press Units: 13 Sheetfed Press Units: 0 Other Press Units: 0