Sakurai USA

SCHAUMBURG, IL—JULY 16, 2007—Highlighting the Sakurai exhibit at Graph Expo ‘07 will be the new 596SD, a 25” x 38” 5-color press that operates at 16,000 IPH and is available in straight or perfecting models, with or without coater – from four to six printing units. Also featured will be a fully automated Sakurai 466SDC, 20” x 26” 4-color with coater. SAKURAI 96 SERIES Continuing its growth and expansion of press offerings, Sakurai USA, Inc. has introduced the new SD Series Model 96, which is a 25” x 38” size.  The new press series is a 16-page format size and complements Sakurai’s existing sizes

Mitsubishi Imaging Center For Education Is Dedicated RYE, NY—Mitsubishi Imaging (MPM) announced the grand opening of its Mitsubishi Center for Education, a state-of-the-art demonstration print shop for use by dealers, printers and graphic arts professionals. Visitors to the center can experience the entire print process, including file production, proofing, platesetting and printing to a Hamada B452 Mark II press. Sakurai USA Hosts Demonstration Day SCHAUMBURG, IL—Sakurai USA recently hosted a Demonstration Day for more than 100 customers, dealers and guests at its North American headquarters. During the festivities, Sakurai dealer Independent Graphic Services, of Montgomery, AL, was presented a sales award for achieving the highest sales

Ryobi Plans Third Press Manufacturing Facility HIROSHIMA, JAPAN—Driven by strong U.S. and worldwide demand for mid-size offset printing presses, Ryobi Graphic Systems began construction on a new press manufacturing facility this month. The new facility will be the third at Ryobi’s Hiroshima East central production center. Ryobi officials said the newest facility, Hiroshima East Plant 3, will be at full-scale operations in September 2007. It will add another 99,000 square feet of manufacturing space and represents a total expected investment of $27 million. When the third facility is completed, Ryobi will have 314,000 square feet at its Hiroshima East operations, more than double

THERE MAY have been fewer large sheetfed presses or standalone web press units on the show floor at last month’s Graph Expo and Converting Expo exhibition—especially in comparison to the PRINT show held last year—but don’t infer that this resulted in disappointing sales activity and lead generation for conventional offset press exhibitors. Quite the contrary. Even with less heavy iron dotting the landscape at Chicago’s McCormick Place South Hall, the general consensus among press manufacturers indicated it was the most productive Graph Expo event they’ve experienced since the late ’90s. Visitor traffic was brisk and serious buying activity persisted. Chalk it up to

Gämmerler will launch the BL 408 bindery stacker for use behind saddlestitchers, perfect binders, folders and inserters. Features wide format range, two-stage stacking system and a low copy drop height. The infeed is equipped with four top belts and eight bottom belts. Visit www.piworld.com/infocenter and enter number 381 Goss International will unveil its Pacesetter 2200 and 2500 saddlestitchers. The systems feature servo-driven hoppers and excel at quick makereadies. The Pacesetter 2200 system completes up to 22,000 books per hour. The Pacesetter 2500 model features a dual stitcher and a 25,000 books per hour capacity. Visit www.piworld.com/infocenter and enter number

TO STAND out from the rest of the herd, offset press manufacturers, both web and sheetfed, have ramped up their service offerings. This trend toward extended service plans, preventive maintenance programs and beefed up parts and labor options is allowing press manufacturers to expand what is offered to their customers while also becoming more of a partner with the printer. Here is a look at some service plans that are available, in no particular order. At PRINT 05, Heidelberg unveiled an extended service package to the U.S. market called systemservice 36plus. Heidelberg’s systemservice 36plus service package extends service coverage for a period of 36

Brown Opts for Sundays WASECA, MN—Magazine and catalog specialist Brown Printing has ordered two new gapless web presses and three finishing systems from Goss International. A pair of 2x8 Sunday 3000/32 presses will be joined here by two Universal adhesive binders. A third Universal binder is slated for installation at Brown’s East Greenville, PA, facility. Quadracci Honored by WOA SEWICKLEY, PA—Thomas Quadracci, chairman and CEO of Quad/Graphics, has been named the recipient of the Web Offset Association’s (WOA) eighth annual VISION Award, named in honor of his late brother, Harry, who founded the Sussex, WI-based printer. He will be presented with the award during the WOA’s 54th

The sheetfed offset printing market continues to feel pressure—be it from rival markets or outside forces such as pricing battles and shrinking run lengths. As more economical digital print runs extend, and affordable web press runs shorten, manufacturers involved in the small- and medium-format (29˝ and smaller) sheetfed space are equipping their wares with the capabilities needed to compete—and win. “The competition from the web market is becoming more noticeable, but when it comes to the short-run color market, web presses have a number of things going against them,” contends Michael Iburg, product manager, KBA North America. “On a sheetfed press, makeready time is much

By Mark Michelson Editor-in-Chief Growing interest in digital press offerings notwithstanding, the estimated 62,000 attendees at PRINT 05 & CONVERTING 05 surely didn't go home with the impression that the traditional sheetfed offset market has lost its luster, especially given all of the big iron dominating the show floor during the seven-day-long exhibition last month. Sealing the deal for nine new Komori six-color, 40˝ Lithrone presses at various Consolidated Graphics facilities are, front row from the left: Robert Birmingham, Consolidated Graphics; John Marotta, Komori America; back row: Yoshiharu Komori, Komori Corp.; George Abboud, Consolidated Graphics; Stephan Carter, Komori America; and Satoshi Mochida, Komori

Quark Inc. announced a strategic alliance with Enfocus Software aimed at improving the overall PDF experience within QuarkXPress and to provide bundled solutions that streamline Certified PDF-based workflows. Agfa's Graphic Systems business group has added an industry specialist to support the company's recent entries into the wide-format printing market. Steve Cutler has joined Agfa's team as marketing manager for the newly formed Sign, Screen and Display segment. Brandtjen & Kluge reports that four employees have reached their 25-year anniversaries with the company. They are Deb Mitchell, accountant; Dave Peterson, journeyman machinist; Kathy Soul, computer technical officer; and Kevin Robbins, sales and service manager. In keeping