NewPage Corp.

BY MARK SMITH Technology Editor Paper costs can account for as much as 60 percent or more of a typical commercial printing job. For that reason, the fortunes of both industries are inextricably linked. But it is not a one-to-one relationship. Paper pricing and availability can swing in cycles that don't mirror printing business activity, either in timing or degree. Printers are insulated from the impact of rising paper prices, at least to some extent, because the material is more or less a pass-through cost. In recent years, both industry segments have been enduring a dramatic drop in pricing power. Paper companies have

Xerox Corp. has received the 2003 IEEE Corporate Innovation Recognition award for its work that created the DocuTech product line. The IEEE recognized Xerox "for its DocuTech product line, which unified digital electronics, computing and communications with xerography to create the print-on-demand industry," says Michael Adler, IEEE president. X-Rite Inc. has acquired the assets of Monaco Systems, a Massachusetts-based company that develops and distributes color management software to the graphic arts and photo markets. This $10.6 million asset purchase, funded by a combination of cash and stock, (some of which is subject to certain vesting requirements), includes the entire Monaco line of color management

BY MARK SMITH On paper, the interplay of supply and demand looks like a straightforward model for the forces that shape a market. When it comes to predicting the outlook for paper, though, lately it seems as if one might be better off reading tea leaves. Paper makers have gone to great lengths in a collective attempt to rationalize the supply. Unfortunately, the demand side of the equation hasn't performed in the way that was hoped. The industry also has been buffeted by developments beyond any company's control. Quarterly financial reports from major manufacturers have included a mixed bag of earning declines, losses

Enovation Graphic Systems announced it has integrated Fuji Photo Film U.S.A.'s Graphic Systems Division into Enovation's current organization. In other news, Enovation has appointed regional sales vice presidents for its four recently realigned sales territories. Tim Young, formerly president of Nelson-Keystone and recently announced as southwest regional director for Enovation, is now regional sales vice president, West. The West sales region includes 10 western states. John Solwold, formerly Enovation's west regional vice president, is responsible for the new Central sales region. The Central sales region includes 11 central and mountain states. Joe Thornhill, formerly president of Taylor Impression, is now regional sales vice president

BY MARK SMITH Predictions of the paperless office may have lost their edge, but not the threat of a paperless printing plant. One only has to go as far back as 1995 to find the last time some printers were faced with shutting down their presses for a lack of paper to run through them. The buyer's market of recent times saw printers, and their clients, being doubly blessed with a ready supply of paper at historically low prices. Everyone knew it was just a matter of time before the market swing came, though. In the case of paper, the more apropos saying would

From Quad/Graphics’ perspective, 2002 will be remembered as the most difficult in the company’s 31-year history. In July alone, a storage facility collapse and fire at its Lomira, WI, plant claimed the life of a contracted worker and, weeks later, company founder Harry V. Quadracci died after drowning in a lake near his home. Such tragedies would bring lesser companies to their knees. But Quad/Graphics has demonstrated an industry model, a corporate ideology, that bears both witnessing and emulating. Thomas Quadracci is surrounded by employee children at one of Quad/Graphics’ in-house day care centers. Tom Quadracci, who succeeded his brother as president and

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

MBO America Hosts "Octoberfest" WESTAMPTON, NJ—More than 150 existing clients and prospects, representing both commercial printers and trade binderies, attended MBO America's open house, which was held over three days recently at its headquarters facility here. With more than a dozen pieces of equipment specially set up for the open house, highlights included a B26-S/644 Perfection buckle folder equipped with an ASP-66ME mobile stream delivery unit, a Navigator control system with touchscreen interface and networked to MBO's Data Manager digital integration software. Also, the highest interest was over a B30-S/4 Perfection folder with a preslitter shaft unit, configured with a Herzog &

APPLETON, WI—A new buyout method has placed ownership of a paper company in the hands of its employees. Workers of Appleton Papers have purchased all the company's stock from its European parent, Arjo Wiggins Appleton, in a deal valued at $810 million. As part of the deal, management and non-management employees voted to transfer $107 million from their 401(a) and 401(k) plans through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) into Paperweight, the acquisition vehicle used by the employees to acquire the company. Paperweight then acquired Appleton, and Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin of Washington—Paperweight's financial advisor—arranged financing in excess of $700 million through bank debt,

Two Industry Veterans to Be Honored MIAMI BEACH, FL—At the upcoming 19th annual Graphic Arts Leaders of the Americas (GALA) awards banquet and reception, to be held here during Graphics of the Americas 2002, two industry leaders will be honored for their lifetime industry achievements and their significant contributions to the graphic arts. Hans Peetz-Larsen, CEO of Heidelberg Americas, and José Zamora Contreras, CEO of PROCOEL S.A., have been named GALA North and Latin American award recipients (respectively) for 2002 by the Printing Association of Florida (PAF). GALA Award recipients are chosen for their leadership in areas of management, technology, business and quality, as