OKLAHOMA CITY—Quad/Graphics recently inaugurated operations at its newest plant with a grand opening celebration headlined by Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry, Newsweek magazine executives and Quad/Graphics President and CEO Tom Quadracci. The event—which featured a plant dedication and ribbon cutting, equipment startup, lunch and tours—drew approximately 500 guests, including Oklahoma state, county and city officials, as well as Quad/Graphics employees and family members. The new Oklahoma City plant, located off I-240, is Quad/Graphics' ninth domestic printing plant and the company's first printing facility west of the Mississippi River. The company is also constructing another 385,000 square feet of manufacturing space to accommodate the startup of gravure
manroland Inc.
In May 1998, William Davis, then new chairman and CEO of RR Donnelley—one of the largest printing companies in the world—said, "In this game, manufacturing discipline will win. The craftsman who has to leave his thumbprint on every page will lose." He continued: "We are a decade behind in manufacturing best practices." His comments reflect the modern challenge of the graphic arts. Traditionally the manufacture of print has been craft-oriented, from design through to print. Designers made their reputations by creating unusual print pieces, with beautiful typography, tough-to-match colors, and unusual trim and bind requirements. Printers made their reputations by dealing under deadline with these
New England Printer Makes First Move FITCHBURG, MA—Boutwell, Owens & Co., a 116-year-old manufacturer of custom-printed paperboard packaging, has ordered the first Mitsubishi Diamond 3000TP Tandem Perfector in the United States. The company expects to take delivery of the 10-color, 40˝ machine in March 2004 and have it operational by the following month. It features a unique streamlined Translink unit that neither turns the sheet over nor changes the gripper edge from the front of the sheet to the tail. The front side of the sheet is printed after the reverse side, with accurate registration maintained on both sides. california SAN LUIS
Bridging the Digital Divide BY MARK SMITH Technology Editor Trade shows are supposed to be a forum for presenting solutions to meet the needs of attendees. What many people took away from workflow displays at GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO, however, was a bag full of questions . . . and maybe the odd poster or two, a foam sword, canisters of M&Ms, etc. That doesn't mean attendees weren't looking to buy. Exhibitors were more ardent than usual about the quality of the leads they were getting, and they claimed to also be pleased with the quantity. "Turned the corner" was a popular
Pressing Ahead By Mark Michelson Editor-in-Chief It's no secret that the stagnant U.S. economy has wrecked havoc on graphic arts industry suppliers the past three years. And, with many printers hesitant to make major capital equipment expenditures, sheetfed, and especially web, offset press manufacturers may have suffered the most of any industry segment. But—partly based on exhibitor reports from the recently completed GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO exhibition—interest in upgrading pressrooms and in the computer-integrated manufacturing concept (CIM) seem to be building. New press sales levels are still a far cry from the go-go '90s, but press suppliers at the show generally reported
By Erik Cagle, Senior Editor The economy may be raining red ink in pressrooms across the United States, but it's best not to ask Progress Printing for a weather report. From where the Lynchburg, VA-based, privately held commercial printer sits, it's a sunny day—with sales reaching the $52 million mark for its 2003 fiscal year. Progress Printing's profits ranked among its three best campaigns since opening its doors in 1962, and a second brand-spanking-new full web press just started rolling in October. Someone neglected to tell Virginia's largest independent commercial printer that a recession has been gripping the country. The executive team seated,
Last spring, I got a call from Mark Michelson, editor-in-chief of this magazine. I probably shattered has eardrum with my reaction. "What! You want me to write a 4,000 word article explaining JDF? Mark, I know what JDF is, but I am not an expert. How about six words and a few exclamation points?" Mark, in his usual unflappable manner, simply replied, "Become an expert." I moved to a higher octave as he explained to me that even though Printing Impressions was hiring me to write the article, it was a piece sponsored by Adobe and Heidelberg. All I could imagine was that I
Banta Senior Executive Departs MENASHA, WI—Larry Panozzo, president of Banta's $1 billion print sector, has resigned to pursue other interests. "Although I am personally disappointed, I respect and accept Larry's decision. We will miss his deep knowledge, passion and leadership," states Stephanie Streeter, Banta's president and CEO. Panozzo had been with Banta since 1988. A spokesperson for Banta says the company's "succession process" has already begun to fill the position. Courier Corp. Buys Web Press KENDALLVILLE, IN—Courier Corp. has purchased a new four-unit MAN Roland LITHOMAN IV web offset press that is scheduled for installation and startup by next spring. The 48-page LITHOMAN will feature a
Sun Chemical Plant Undergoes $7.2M Expansion ST. CHARLES, IL—Sun Chemical is working on a expansion of its manufacturing facility and laboratories here. The $7.2 million project will add nearly 32,000 square feet, bringing the plant to 90,000 square feet. The building will include ink manufacturing operations, expanded offices, a warehouse and a new laboratory. When it is completed in April 2004, the facility will house 141 employees. At this plant, the company also plans to combine the operations of its Chicago-area Clearing plant, as well as Kohl and Madden's facility in Elk Grove Village, IL. Colter & Peterson has reached an agreement with
CHICAGO—The long awaited rebound in sales, profit and investment in the graphic communications industry appears to be underway based on the performance of industry vendors at this year's GRAPH EXPO and CONVERTING EXPO. The show, the largest of its kind in the Americas, took place in Chicago from September 28 through October 1. More than 38,000 industry professionals took part in the event, and 580 companies exhibited their latest products and services in 375,000 square feet of display space. "This show has been spectacular," reported Mark Hunt, vice president of marketing at Standard Finishing Systems. "We've been wandering in the desert for several years,
