Sun Chemical

Jetrion will move into a new 35,000-square-foot facility in Ypsilanti, MI, in early 2006. The company also has announced the addition of Pitman Co. as a distributor of its ink-jet systems and inks. Kompac, a division of Day International, is celebrating the successful installation of its 100,000th Kompac automatic dampening system. In other news, the company announced the addition of three new team members: Mike Scaglione as director of sales worldwide; Charles Gray as director of supply chain management; and Carmen Costa as marketing manager. Böwe Bell + Howell has launched its Website, www.bbhsupplies.com, offering an expanded product line and supported by a 24-hour

Heidelberg Outlines PRINT 05 Plans KENNESAW, GA—Heidelberg announced plans for its 76,000-square-foot booth at next month's PRINT 05 & CONVERTING 05 exhibition in Chicago during a pre-show press conference held here recently. One of the main attractions will be the XL 105 Theater—a large-screen theater for live presentations that will house Heidelberg's new Speedmaster XL 105. The first product introduced in the company's new series of high-end offset presses known as the "Maximum Performance Class," it boasts speeds to 18,000 sph. There will be a total of 10 sheetfed presses, in various sizes and configurations, within the Heidelberg exhibit. Outside the XL 105

Web Printers Hit The Race Track DALLAS—Sun Chemical offered Web Offset Offset Association Conference attendees the opportunity to climb into a NASCAR race car for a high-speed ride around the track at the Texas Motor Speedway. Of the 250 guests in attendance at the event, nearly 160 people elected to ride as passengers in the stock cars, which reached speeds of 170 miles per hour as they sped around the oval track. DiMS! organizing print's entire European staff have relocated to a brand new, purpose-built, state-of-the-art office building in Lichtenvoorde, the Netherlands. The building is equipped with ultra-modern demo spaces and well-equipped training classrooms. KBA North America

Buhrs, a producer of mailing and fulfillment solutions, has announced its intention to enter the market for FSI collating and wrapping systems for the newspaper industry. Buhrs has appointed Don Piontek, of Finishing Resources, to develop its presence in the market. John Kia has been named manager, production product marketing, for IBM Printing Systems. Also, Chris Reid has been named commercial print solutions manager. In this capacity, he is responsible for worldwide output solutions customized for commercial printers, including service bureaus, direct mailers and book printers. FileAmerica, a custom file folder manufacturer, is celebrating its 30th year serving the trade in the printing industry. Formerly known

Banta to Sell Healthcare Group MENASHA, WI—Banta Corp. has reached an agreement to sell the assets of single-use healthcare products subsidiary Banta Healthcare Group to an affiliate of Fidelity Capital Investors for $67 million in cash. The deal is expected to close by the end of the first quarter. Fidelity is a private equity investment division of Boston-based Fidelity Strategic Investments. In a separate deal related to the divestiture, Banta sold its warehouse in Rialto, CA, to a California real estate investment company for $7 million. Phoenix Color Closes Division CHICAGO—Phoenix Color has authorized the closure of its Book Technology Park division and the sale of its

Heidelberg Showcases Equipment Range CRANBURY, NJ—Heidelberg USA held an open house here at its Tech Center East showroom early last month, attracting about 150 people. Demonstrations of equipment included its Suprasetter thermal and Prosetter violet CTP platesetters, Quickmaster DI 46-4 Pro with smart spooling mechanism and Speedmaster SM 52-5P+L with retractable in-line coating unit presses, Stitchmaster ST 100 saddlestitcher, Stahlfolder TH series folder and Polar 115 XT cutter, among others. Seminars held the same day featured Bill Bonallo, technotrans america, on trends in UV coatings; Mark Tonkovich, Heidelberg USA, on thermal platesetter innovations; and Paul Keuchenius, Heidelberg USA, on long perfecting press innovations. KBA North

Kodak Takes Industry By Storm With Deals It wasn't a big surprise when Eastman Kodak bought out Heidelberg's 50 percent stake in their Rochester, NY-based NexPress Solutions joint venture in May of last year, or even when Kodak acquired Dayton, OH-based Scitex Digital four months earlier. But two back-to-back announcements last month that it has purchased Sun Chemical's half interest in its Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG) joint venture and plans to acquire Creo Inc. outright certainly have many industry pundits and Wall Street analysts taking notice. Combined, the KPG and Creo acquisitions by Eastman Kodak will total almost $1.8 billion. Kodak's Graphic Communications Group (GCG) has

ROCHESTER, NY—Eastman Kodak moved to gain sole possession of Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG) on January 12 with a proposal to purchase Sun Chemical's 50 percent interest in the joint venture for $817 million, then shocked the industry later in the month with the news that it was acquiring Creo for about $980 million. Kodak will redeem all of Sun Chemical's shares in KPG for $317 million in cash at closing, $200 million in cash in the third quarter of 2006, and $50 million in cash annually from 2008 through 2013. The transaction is expected to close in April. The pending Creo acquisition, at a

American Loose Leaf has appointed Cindy Stevenson as the new production manager for its St. Louis facility. Stevenson has more than 30 years of experience in the ring binder industry and has been with American Loose Leaf for 20 years. John MacKay has acquired all outstanding shares of Feuiltault Machinery from its founder, Martin Feuiltault. Mr. Feuiltault will remain with the company as a member of the company's technological orientation committee. MacKay will assume the position of president. International Paper's 2005 Best on Press Awards will feature $14,000 in prizes to 21 winners. Work printed on IP brands during the 2004 calendar year is eligible for

At Graph Expo, Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG) donated a Kodak Approval NX digital color imaging system to the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). David Hohman has been appointed vice president and general manager of Rycoline, a manufacturer of printing supplies based in Chicago. Rycoline was recently acquired by Sun Chemical. Hohman has been with Sun Chemical for 13 years, serving in operations management. John Strottner has joined Akiyama International as regional sales manager. He will be based at the company's Cerritos, CA, headquarters. Baldwin Technology announced that Mark Becker and Gerald Nathe were re-elected to the company's board of directors. Also, Takayuki Miyaoku was elected as