MBO America

Ask yourself a simple question. Where will you be when opportunity knocks? Take Terry Pegram, for example. Rather than wait for an opportunity to show up at his doorstep, Pegram made his own chances by being a risk taker—despite having a low-key demeanor more fit for the Southern gentleman that he is. Who is Terry Pegram, you ask? He is the founder, chairman and CEO of PBM Graphics, based in Research Triangle Park, NC. In terms of stature and industry recognition, the company is as much a mystery as the peculiarly named city in which it resides. His vision was of a company that

Heidelberg Puts Accent on Education KENNESAW, GA—The calendar said December, but the menu at Heidelberg's recent "Brats & Dots" customer event gave it the feel of an Oktoberfest, minus the beer. This open house at the company's Print Media Demonstration Center (PMDC) was followed by two days of classes for printers in its Print Media Academy and a briefing for industry editors. On the first day, printers were able to witness live demonstrations of Heidelberg's prepress, press, direct imaging and postpress solution in the 33,000-square-foot PMDC facility. The clear stars of the show were its new 40˝ Speedmaster XL 105 sheetfed press platform and

Quad Bindery Crew Cranks Out Jobs LOMIRA, WI—In today's competitive, "must have it yesterday" stitched catalog market, speed and overall output capabilities are the keys to success. At the Quad/Graphics facility here, the production crew is setting the pace for stitching speed and output utilizing a Tempo saddlestitcher from Muller Martini. The Quad Tempo is capable of running at 20,000 cycles per hour and the crew was recently recognized with an "Excellence in Finishing" award as the highest producing saddlestitching team among Quad's arsenal of more than 100 machines. Quad/Graphics' LHT-132 team relies on its 36-pocket Tempo saddlestitcher for production output that enables Quad to

By Erik Cagle Senior Editor The world of commercial printing is much more than ink on paper, and the related services required to make the final product a reality. It is about people, the relationships they form, and the trust they build as business partners and even as friends. As technology improves processes and levels the competitive playing field for printers, making quality a reality across the board, offering the lowest price still isn't always going to win the contract. Honesty, integrity, satisfaction and reliability still count to some print buyers. And it keeps them coming back with more jobs. Take Tucker-Castleberry Printing in

Gämmerler to Build Manufacturing Plant HANOVER PARK, IL—Material handling and inline finishing equipment manufacturer Gämmerler plans to build a 80,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Palmetto, FL. Scheduled to open in April 2006, company officials say that the new facility will house the latest in automation equipment, provide roughly 35 percent of annual global production capacity and significantly improve Gämmerler's operational efficiency. "The decision to build the new plant was based on an increase in demand for Gämmerler's products in North America and a desire for a more flexible and efficient international manufacturing platform," says Gämmerler CEO Gunter Gämmerler. "The Palmetto plant will complement our existing production

American Printing is, by its own definition, a small national printer. But if the venerable Birmingham, AL-based shop can follow through on its game plan, that will change drastically. Growth has been a key for the sheetfed offset, half-web and digital print provider. When current owner Robert “Bo” Stanford acquired the company in 1992 from a venture capital group, American Printing boasted just 18 employees and annual sales under $1.8 million. Fast forward to 2005. A base of more than 170 employees has enabled American Printing to post $19 million in sales for fiscal year 2004. Its current plant, acquired eight years ago, has

Show Shines for Manufacturers ORLANDO—With 150 exhibit spaces of machines and services at Orlando Graphics 2005, held in April, enthusiasm for 2006 has already been expressed with 98 percent commitment by this year's exhibitors. "The quality of visitors, not the quantity, is what generates business for us," says Hans Max, president and CEO of MBO America, an exhibitor at the show. "We were extremely satisfied not only with the immediate sales, but the followup sales and leads produced by Orlando Graphics." MBO ran demonstrations allowing visitors to see more than 20 multiple-machine configurations bringing improved production to the pressroom or bindery. There was excitement over MBO's

By Erik Cagle Senior Editor One would be hard pressed to find a better model for success than the one that is constantly being crafted and perfected at IWCO Direct in Chanhassen, MN. The former Instant Web Companies, which recast its name last year to reflect its integrated direct mail package capabilities, has been a runaway train for billowing sales the past four years. Its revenues in 2001 registered a very respectable $84 million, a figure that climbed to $91 million in 2002 and $124.9 million in 2003, culminating with an estimated $146 million for 2004. Growth a Constant Perhaps culminating is an inaccurate

Finishing Supplier Changes Structure HANOVER PARK, IL—Gämmerler, a supplier of materials handling and in-line finishing equipment, is implementing a new global organizational structure designed to unify the company's resources to improve customer support on a global basis. This includes the formation of a senior level, global management team with collective responsibility for worldwide service, sales, marketing, finance, engineering and order management functions. Open House has Post-Drupa Flavor ROSELAND, NJ—In November, Bobst Group USA held its "Direction '04" open house, the North American launch and domestic premier of the 12 new products announced earlier this year at Drupa in Germany. During the three-day open house, U.S. converters

BY MARK SMITH Technology Editor Scientists have challenged its veracity, but the "boiling frog" legend endures. Here's a short version: Drop a frog into a pot of boiling water and it will immediately jump up. Place a frog into a pot of temperate water, then slowly turn up the heat, and it will stay in the pot until it is overcome. Admittedly, the dire consequences of this cautionary tale are overblown when it's applied to the current status of digital printing. Nonetheless, it does give one a visceral sense for how the slow pace of a change can mask its magnitude over time