Komori America

Ricoh Corp. has aligned with UNIX and Linux software developer Codehost Inc. Ricoh will offer its customers and dealers BrightQT, Codehost's suite of Linux and UNIX-based printing tools, for use with Ricoh networked output devices. Creo Inc. has received ISO-14001:1996 certification for environmental management of its Canadian operations. This completes environmental management certification for both of the Creo design and manufacturing operations. Creo operations in Israel recently underwent recertification for ISO-14001—a standard first achieved in February 2001. KBA North America has promoted Evan Heise as its sales representative for a six-state region, including Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho and New Mexico. Heise is now

By Erik Cagle Imagine the phone rings and it's a potential customer. This person wants a short run of books, but has never purchased printing before and knows nothing about the process. Nor does the client have any background in publishing. It's a single print job with no follow-up editions. This customer isn't exactly sure what he/she wants, but it should be memorable enough to please readers. Oh, and your customer is a group of teenagers, accompanied by an advisor. And, in a year, those teenagers will be replaced by another group of kids with absolutely no background in publishing. Now, imagine that

By Erik Cagle Here's a look at the latest manufacturer offerings for small- and medium-size sheetfed offset presses in up to 23 x 29˝ formats: The A.B.Dick 4995A-ICS with ink control system offers the benefits of a four-tower portrait press for printers looking to step up to four-color process work. Digitally compatible with CTP systems (such as A.B.Dick's DPM line), this automated press with a maximum sheet size of 13.4 x 17.75˝ increases short- and long-run productivity, provides consistent and repeatable quality and accommodates polyester or metal plates. Features include the ink control system, which delivers consistent ink balance while reducing labor setup

NILES, IL—The JohnsByrne Co. reportedly has become the first printer to successfully implement computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM), thanks to the implementation work done by Creo, Printcafe and Komori America. "Our vision has always been to be a turnkey business, handling every aspect of the printing process, taking a job from prepress through to fulfillment," says Corey Gustafson, president of JohnsByrne, which reports annual sales in excess of $20 million. JohnsByrne's fully integrated system now ties estimating, scheduling, the creative desktop, digital halftone proofing, computer-to-plate imaging, prepress production data, press and finishing processes to its Printcafe management information system in a single, streamlined workflow. "When we

NPES The Association for Suppliers of Printing, Publishing and Converting Technologies elected three new directors at its annual meeting in October. The new directors, elected to three-year terms expiring at the 2005 annual meeting, are: H.A. Brandtjen III, president, Brandtjen & Kluge, St. Croix Falls, WI; John Hamm, vice president of marketing, Xerox Corp., Worldwide Graphic Arts Business, McLean, VA; and Juergen Stolt, executive vice president, sales and marketing, Pantone Inc., Carlstadt, NJ. In addition, Edward McLoughlin, president of Oxy-Dry Corp., and Prime UV Systems received the 2002 Harold W. Gegenheimer Awards for Industry Service at the NPES conference. Enovation Graphic Systems has named Paul

CHICAGO—The engines were roaring and the crowd was applauding at the Segerdahl Graphics open house held at the company’s new 90,000-square-foot facility recently. The new facility is the final step in Segerdahl merging its three individual companies, Columbia Graphics, e-PreMedia Services and Falcon Communications, earlier this year. The open house event featured a racing theme to emphasize the company’s “high-performance services, finely tuned ideas and solutions, as well as speedy turnarounds on customer projects.” The event featured a series of eight seminars on four subjects critical to the success of any printing project. Industry experts from Kodak Polychrome Graphics, Komori America, Stora Enso and Segerdahl Graphics’ own

BY MARK MICHELSON Given the lingering economic malaise, representatives of sheetfed and web offset press manufacturers exhibiting at Graph Expo & Converting Expo 02 in Chicago last month—understandably—may have felt a bit under the weather leading up to the show. Any salesperson trying to reach his/her quota selling printing presses knows that the past 12 to 24 months have been a real headache. Would customers and prospects even come to the show and, more importantly, would printers there be feeling healthy enough to make capital equipment purchases? To the surprise of many exhibitors, attendee traffic was brisk, especially the opening day and throughout the

By Mark Michelson ROLLING MEADOWS, IL—Commercial printers from throughout North America came to Komori America's headquarters here recently to see demonstrations of its sleek new 40˝ Lithrone S40 (LS40) sheetfed offset press, which first debuted at the IPEX exhibition in England last spring. According to Doug Schardt, Komori product manager, the LS40 includes a console-driven makeready, the KHS high-performance inking system and standard features like a double diameter cylinder configuration. "When you take these classic Lithrone features and add all the new technology of the LS, you've got a press that can't be beat for productivity, versatility and printability," lauds Schardt. LS40 enhancements include: * Automated makeready

BY MARK SMITH Sheetfed offset presses have long been considered the workhorses of the commercial printing industry. This market position has been strengthened by the introduction of new formats, configurations and productivity features to the stable of mid- to large-format machines. The eight-page, 40˝ (or so) press traditionally has set the standard for the market segment. It has been a source of identity both for shops with the capability and those aspiring to reach that benchmark. Now, press models on either half of the format range increasingly are looking like fun house mirror reflections of the modern, 40˝ press. The state-of-the-art across the board

ALABAMA HUNTSVILLE—A new two-color, 28˝ Komori Lithrone press has been installed at All American Printing. TUSCALOOSA—The University of Alabama has added a new four-color, 21 1⁄16 x 19 1⁄8˝ Sakurai 474EPII press. CALIFORNIA IRVINE—The Dot Printer recently installed a Fujifilm Javelin Luxel T-9000 CTP thermal platesetter. The company is a five-facility, $36 million commercial printing operation. LOS ANGELES—Lithographix has installed its second Rollem TR die-scoring system and a Durselen/Rollem PB01 drilling system. NAPA—Label printer Jonergin Pacific has purchased CRC Information Systems' "The System" business management software. The company specializes in the production of high-quality wine labels. SAN DIEGO—Speedy Bindery has purchased a Best Osako