VUTEk

DRUPA’S STANDING as an international printing exhibition makes it the place to see the course of technological development in the industry laid out for the next four years. As even the following press and postpress wrap-up stories note, digital printing technology had its strongest showing yet. Even the developments in digital workflow were muted by comparison. Many of the product introductions were already covered in one of the Drupa Countdown stories published in editions of Printing Impressions leading up to the show. Therefore, this wrap-up will primarily focus on what was new in Düsseldorf. The event lived up to its billing as The Ink-Jet

FOSTER CITY, CA—April 16, 2008—EFI® (Nasdaq: EFII), the world leader in customer-focused digital printing innovation, will be showcasing its most extensive range of productivity and revenue generating print solutions ever in Europe at drupa 2008, from 29th May to 11th June in Dusseldorf, Germany. Visitors to its stand C01, Hall 5, will experience the industry’s broadest array of leading digital solutions, from the latest Fiery®, VUTEk® and Jetrion® digital printing innovation to the Print MIS and web-to-print solutions that are critical to increasing operational efficiency and profitability as printing businesses worldwide continue the analog-to-digital transition. Visitors will also be able to view EFI’s products

Prepress Upgrades Enhance Workflow DETROIT—First came the press, then came the upgrade to new prepress and platesetting technology. Crystal Clear Images runs a Heidelberg GTO press and wanted to update its workflow. Crystal and Anthony Mitchell, the husband and wife owners of the unionized shop, chose Heidelberg’s Prinect Printready prepress system and Suprasetter A52 platesetter. “When people heard that we were installing Heidelberg (prepress equipment), the amount of business influx was incredible,” reports Crystal Mitchell, who began her career as a school teacher in graphic design, before starting her own business from the basement of her house in 1995. The company, which has

ARE YOU going to Drupa 2008? In its 14th edition (the first Drupa was in 1951, 57 years ago!), it will be the largest ever, with more than 1,800 exhibitors from 50 countries and more than 1.8 million square feet of exhibit space. More than 400,000 visitors are expected during its two-week run, beginning May 29th. Why do I bring that up in a column about marketing? Classic marketing texts talk about the “4Ps” of marketing: Product, Price, Promotion and Place. • Product: This is the physical product or service offered to the customer. It also refers to any services or conveniences that are

DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY—This will be the ink-jet Drupa. No, it will be the green Drupa. Or, maybe the print buyer Drupa. Actually, it will be big enough to be all three, and much more. With more than 1,800 exhibitors occupying more than 1.8 million square feet of exhibit space in nearly 20 halls, putting a label on Drupa is one way to make it more digestible. Another is for visitors to develop a “must-see” list ahead of time. To that end, a number of briefings are being held in advance of the show to get the word out about what to look for from major

JDF User Group Formed, Awards Program Expanded PITTSBURGH—To facilitate implementation of the Job Definition Format (JDF) in automated workflows, a new JDF User Group is being formed by Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/GATF) and the International Cooperation for the Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress (CIP4). Plans call for the group to meet three times a year in locations across the country, with the first meeting having already been scheduled to run here March 24 and 25. The group is to convene March 24 at PIA/GATF’s headquarters for a hands-on look at JDF implementations within the facility and a

HP Empowers With Print 2.0 NEW YORK—On the 52nd floor of 7 World Trade Center, more than 700 guests and 100 Hewlett-Packard employees spent two days enjoying a room with a (magnificent!) view. The event was part of HP’s rollout of the “Print 2.0: Extending the Power of Print” strategy and provided a launching pad for a new $300 million, worldwide marketing campaign—“What do you have to say?” With New York City as a backdrop, the main attractions, however, were inside where HP staged an “Experience Center.” It resembled a Hollywood set complete with a faux bedroom, living room, home office, business office, retail

LAgraphico Hosts ‘Thinking Green’ Event BURBANK, CA—LAgraphico, an imaging solutions provider to the entertainment industry, recently hosted an open house to explain its ongoing “green” initiatives and generate enthusiasm and support from its environmentally conscious clients—the likes of which include Paramount, NBC/Universal, Warner Brothers, The Walt Disney Co., Microsoft/XBOX 360, Nokia and Activision. Four separate tours of the facility were given throughout the day to accommodate the busy schedules of the Hollywood clientele. Company executives Brandon Gabriel and Dan Stillwell played tour guides and began with a brief introduction, then led each tour group to four main stations. The first station, Premedia, was manned

CONTRARY TO the crooning of Kermit the Frog, being green has not only become easy, but popular. Especially in the business sector. Perhaps it is the fallout from Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth,” but environmental sustainability initiatives have become trendy—and the printing industry is certainly au courant with the greening movement. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has bestowed certification upon a number of printers, industry manufacturers and other related vendors in recognition of eco-friendly operating practices. Schawk Inc. is all about responsibility. The Des Plaines, IL-based company, with 151 operations and 3,500 employees scattered across 12 countries in four continents, recognizes its obligations to

Here’s an exclusive, PRE-SHOW PREVIEW showcasing new products submitted by many of the exhibitors that will be displaying their wares next month in Chicago. Colter & Peterson will showcase the BASA 3, which features an automatic jogging system that can automatically form layers of printed sheets, align them accurately and transport them to the subsequent cutting process. The BASA 3 is appropriate for paper from 16-lb. bond to 125-lb. tag, and is effective when combined with a modern, rear-table-feeding system. Existing gripper transport systems can be retrofitted. Visit www.piworld.com/infocenter: enter #377 MBO America will introduce the Super KTZ, featuring a knife-folding unit that