manroland Inc.

This is my 20th anniversary column. I have written 220 columns. I don't have to write columns for the month of July because Printing Impressions always publishes a buyer's guide directory for that month. Otherwise, I would have written 240 columns. After I wrote them, Printing Impressions actually published all 220 columns, no matter what I said. For example, who can forget when, in December of 1984, I wrote, "Selling is probably the least important funkshun in the printing bidness. Somebody has to go out and pick up the orders." I added, "Salespeople are snakes and charlatans. Don't trust 'em. Just send 'em

People still have to eat and drink, in good times and bad. That's something technology is not likely to ever change. This means, by extension, there will always be a need for packaging. While oversimplified here, some variation of that argument is often made in support of commercial printers diversifying into package printing.

Xerox Mourns Loss of Hatch ROCHESTER, NY—Gilbert J. Hatch, president of the Production Systems Group at Xerox Corp., died Aug. 26 after a long battle with cancer. During his 35-year career with Xerox, Hatch held a number of senior technical and general management positions in the United States and Great Britain. Allied Buys First "Drupa" Press MANCHESTER, CT—Allied Printing Services earned the distinction of purchasing the first Drupa-version large-format sheetfed press from KBA North America. The six-color, 56˝ KBA Rapida 142 press with aqueous coating is slated to be installed and running at Allied by the end of this month. Freedom Acquires MetroWebb MILTON, WI—Direct mail

Greg Wayne, director of manufacturing for California Offset Printers (COP) in Glendale, CA, was the winning finalist in the third annual GATF/SGI Web Press Skills Competition. Sponsored by the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation, Sinapse Graphic International and MAN Roland, the contest used the SIR Heatset Web Offset Training Simulator, a virtual press, to present problem solving exercises. The competition took place during the Web Offset Association's annual conference. Negotiating traffic jams and finding parking spots will likely became much more enjoyable pursuits for one Metropolitan Fine Printers client. As the winner of the Vancouver-based printer's Segway contest, Laura Rioux of Rethink Communications is now the

by Kristen E. Monte Associate Editor So, your clients aren't buying the 'Trust us, we're the best' line of marketing any more? Apparently the winners of the 17th annual Printing Impressions Printer's Self-Promotion Contest feel the same way. Judging by the entries of the past, we have seen an assortment of campaigns, ranging from the extravagant (during better economic times), to the simplistic in recent years. This year's crop seems to focus on getting the job done efficiently and effectively, while remaining true to their core businesses. Whether you feel you haven't enough money to spend on a good campaign or you

Ripon Community Printers (RCP) ended a string of more than 40 years of coldset-only printing at its Ripon, WI, home with the installation of a MAN Roland Rotoman N heatset web press in a stacked configuration. A 25,000-square-foot addition was needed for the landmark press, which churned out its first job last spring. PI interviewed Andy Lyke, president of RCP, and Dennis Darnick, vice president of production, to get their views on the company's new heatset tenant. Among the people responsible for turning on the heat at RCP after 40 years of coldset printing there, are (pictured from the left) Dennis Darnick, vice president of

MONTREAL—Quebecor World is instituting a major strategic capital investment plan that includes the purchase of up to 22 new web presses for its U.S. manufacturing platform, with many supplied by MAN Roland. The plan calls for 48-, 64-, 96- and 128-page web presses that target the company's magazine, catalog, retail and book platforms. Sixteen of those presses will be MAN Roland LITHOMAN and ROTOMAN machines. An order has been placed for 12 presses, to be commissioned in 2005 and 2006, which carry a price tag of about $165 million. The balance, to be delivered in 2006 and 2007, will also cost $165 million. "During the last

by chris bauer Managing Editor Printers live by the mantra that time is money. As more steps can be cut out of the prepress, printing and binding processes, more profit can be achieved. Large-format (40˝ and larger) perfecting presses ensure faster printing results by printing both sides of the sheet in one pass through the press. Many printers have put two and two together, and like the sum that sheetfed perfectors provide. "The drive towards large-format perfectors is stimulated in a large degree by the need for process time reduction," explains Doug Schardt, product manager, Komori America. "In other words, why do in two

AUGSBURG, GERMANY/MONTREAL--Quebecor World Inc. has awarded a multi-million dollar order for 16 web presses to MAN Roland Inc. The new presses are part of a recently announced major strategic capital investment plan that includes the purchase of a total of 22 new presses for Quebecor World's U.S. magazine, catalog, retail and book platforms. "This investment will benefit our customers and our shareholders by enhancing service and quality and improving efficiency. We are pleased to partner with MAN Roland because they produce a top quality product that will be delivered on time," said Pierre Karl Peladeau, president and CEO, Quebecor World Inc. The

Folder Operators Go Back to School WESTAMPTON, NJ—Twelve folding machine operators representing seven different companies came to MBO America headquarters recently to participate in 2.5 days of in-depth, hands-on training at the MBO Fold School. Trainees were able to observe or operate three different folding machines, including the automated Perfection. Directed by Dave Trutzenbach, an authority on binding operations and equipment, the MBO Folding School provides the opportunity for operators to improve their knowledge and proficiency regardless of their skill level. NAK Marketing & Communications, an agency that has served many of the leading brands in the graphic arts industry for over 14 years,