Xerox Corp.

Prepress and Press Capabilities Are Enhanced THREE RIVERS, MI—DeGraaf’x Inc. has streamlined its workflow with a new five-color Heidelberg Printmaster PM 52 perfector and Prosetter P 52 platesetter, as well as several elements of Heidelberg’s Prinect workflow system, including Signa Station, Printready System and MetaDimension. Marek Dives Into Digital WAUKESHA, WI—Tamara Marek, president, and Fuzzy Marek, CEO, purchased a new Kodak Digimaster EX138 system, a NexPress 2500 press and NexGlosser glossing unit for their printing operation, The Marek Group. The digital technology was installed to help the company handle its expanding Web- to-print business. CALIFORNIA CARLSBAD—L + L Printers installed

What’s the difference between a successful quick printer vs. a small commercial printing establishment? In today’s graphic arts industry paradigm, little to nothing. Both types of businesses may have a storefront or retail location, albeit likely serving a shrinking base of walk-in retail traffic. Both segments, in turn, rely on senior management and/or outside sales reps to call on local corporate accounts, hoping to build ongoing business relationships. Both entities have adopted, or are at least investigating, Internet-based customer interfaces to drive sales. Each typically outputs a wide range of short-run, general commercial work on digital devices and/or small-format offset presses—and brokers out what

Same High-Tech Press, Same Super Success, Very Different Printers LOS ANGELES—The Komori Lithrone LS40SP Super Perfector with double coater technology—so new, there are only a few operating in the United States—inspired Komori to sponsor a media junket to California in April to see two of the presses in action. The Super Perfector, based on Komori’s successful Lith-rone S40 series, is a tangible example of the company’s commitment to create presses from the user’s perspective, employing their input in the development of its products. Zarik Megerdichian, president and CEO of Glendale-based 4Over Inc., who runs an all-Komori shop, claims he’s one of those end

Cunningham, CGI Reunited JERSEY CITY, NJ—Michael Cunningham has returned to the organization he helped start. Cunningham was named CEO of The CGI Group, the successor to Cunningham Graphics International, which he founded in 1989. He will report directly to CGI Chairman Peter Furlonge. Cunningham has served as a professor at San Diego State and is a research professor at Cal Poly, as well as an adjunct professor at New York University. American Banknote Buys Firm FORT LEE, NJ—American Banknote, parent company of ABnote Group, finished a deal to obtain Arthur Blank & Co., of Boston, for an undisclosed amount of cash and stock. Arthur Blank & Co.

Far from the bright lights of Las Vegas, just north of Nevada’s capital of Carson City, lies a testament to the power of four-color general commercial printing. . .and it’s a franchise establishment, no less. Allegra Print & Imaging has more heart than press firepower, but the Reno, NV-based facility remains undaunted in the face of heavy competition. Allegra Reno, as it is informally known, is a contradiction by nature. The franchise shops under the Allegra Network umbrella—Allegra Print & Imaging, American Speedy, Instant Copy, Insty-Prints, Signs Now, Speedy Printing and Zippy Print (in Canada)—are predominantly quick print shops offering one- and two-color offset

Puritan Press Garners New Vijuk Saddlestitcher HOLLIS, NH—Puritan Press, which serves academic, corporate and non-profit institutions, recently installed a Vijuk 321-T saddlestitcher, distributed by Vijuk Equipment. The in-line punch on the new machine has been very helpful in fulfilling high-volume book orders that require three-hole punching prior to insertion into binders for one of Puritan’s largest accounts. Sigler Printing Augments Stitching Line AMES, IA—Full-service provider Sigler Printing has bolstered its saddlestitching capabilities with the addition of a Muller Martini Presto stitcher. The acquisition allows Sigler Printing to increase its cost-effectiveness, particularly in the short- to mid-range market. According to Jill Whitaker, vice president of operations, the Presto

Viewing On Demand BOSTON—Changing locations continues to be part of the story from the On Demand Conference & Expo, which last month completed its 2007 run at the (nearly) new Boston Convention & Exposition Center (opened in 2004). The event first moved from its long-standing home in New York City to Philadelphia for a two-year stint and now on to Boston through 2008. Close to 200 exhibitors had booths in the On Demand portion of the show floor, which the event continues to share with the AIIM Expo. New, or at least now commercialized, color printing systems added up to the largest category

Donnelley Selling Banta HQ MENASHA, WI—Interested in some posh office space? If so, you might want to consider giving RR Donnelley a call. Banta’s downtown headquarters here is being sold by Donnelley, according to the Appleton Post-Crescent. The three-floor building, with 10,000 square feet per floor, is available for a cool $3.7 million. The Los Angeles-based commercial firm of CB Richard Ellis is listing the property at 225 West Main St., according to the paper. It can also be leased. Inserted Ads Prompt Lawsuit JEFFERSON CITY, MO—Two residents have filed lawsuits in federal court, claiming the state Revenue Department violated their privacy by allowing advertisements to be

NOT LONG after the close of Drupa 2004, the 2008 edition of the international printing exhibition was already being called the “ink-jet Drupa.” Upping the time frame, the title of a keynote panel at the just-completed On Demand Conference & Expo asked, “Is Ink-jet the Technology Story for 2007?” It should be clarified that both are references to color page printing in a production environment, and not wide-format or consumer photographic printing. For 2006, the big story in ink-jet printing was industrial printing applications. It seemed as if every vendor was talking about flatbed machines capable of printing on a wide range of substrates.

Results Suffer from Static IT HAS become commonly accepted that adding variable data to a direct marketing program significantly increases response rates. However, a true control group has often been missing from the evidence cited. Results are typically compared to previous mailings or industry averages, not a static mailing with the same design and message. Alerus Financial, a North Dakota-based banking institution, decided to include very systematic testing as part of its first application of variable data in a program designed to obtain new loan customers. The company wanted to compare variable data marketing to static methods and establish a baseline for its future