Xerox Corp.

BY MARK SMITH Technology Editor If digital printing were an animal, it would have to be a cat because the concept/technology is on at least its fifth or sixth life. The perceived killer application for the process has swung from short runs to variable data printing and now, some argue, back to short runs. Direct-to-press, digital offset solutions initially grabbed attention, but have since been over-shadowed by all-digital machines. Christopher DeSantis, president and co-founder of Royal Impressions.Christopher DeSantis bought into the concept—both figuratively and literally—from the start. His steadfast belief in the potential of the technology has led to buying new digital equipment early

BLOOMINGTON, IL—Progressive Impressions International (PII) now has the distinction of garnering the single-largest DocuColor iGen3 installation to date with the acquisition of six Xerox digital production presses. Five of the presses will be installed domestically, with a sixth ticketed for PII's Netherlands facility. The marketing communications company—which also produces direct mail pieces and sales collateral to go with marketing materials—expects to more than triple its digital color printing volume within six months. The new units will allow the printer to produce more effective direct marketing campaigns, according to Jamie Huff, CEO of PII. "With true one-to-one marketing, you can target specific customers with

WESTAMPTON, NJ—MBO America President and CEO Hans Max and Vice President Hartmut Sohn welcomed 11 Chinese visitors for finishing equipment demonstrations and dialog at the MBO America headquarters here recently. Arranged by US-China Enterprises' New York branch, the guests represented five different printing companies and associations from China. COLUMBUS, GA—Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG) has dedicated its printing plate manufacturing facility here as the Edward E. Barr Building. Barr was KPG's first chairman and served on the board of the company until 2003. He retired in 2002 as chairman of Sun Chemical Group, following a 40-year career with the company. Quad/Tech has added two sales

Exhibitors Promise a Super Drupa DUSSELDORF, GERMANY—As an international group of journalists gathered at the fairgrounds for a preview, the countdown to Drupa 2004 clicked past the 100 days threshold. Scheduled once every four years, the 13th installment of this world market for print media, publishing and converting is slated to run May 6-19, 2004. Playing off the Olympic motto ("faster, higher, farther"), the slogan for Drupa 2004 could be "prettier, faster, more reliable," suggests Albrecht Bolza-Schünemann, president of the event and CEO of Koenig & Bauer AG. "Print products are becoming prettier. Print services will have to be delivered ever faster in

Xerox Sees Future In Black-and-White ROCHESTER, NY—Based on its market analysis, Xerox Corp. believes there is $18 billion in annual print sales worldwide that potentially could migrate from offset to digital production. The nature of the applications, substrates used and other job requirements make this work suited to digital production, asserts Valerie Blauvelt, vice president of integrated marketing. "Our goal is to capture 10 percent of that opportunity." Xerox has identified a "mid production" market and technology category that fills a gap in price, performance and capability, adds Mark Waxenberg, vice president and general manager, Production Solutions Business Unit. In response, the company has

By Marie Alonso Business Development Consultant Integration. that's the simplistic way to offer a microscopic definition for the goals of computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM). However, CIM is far from simplistic. In reality, it's quite massive—a vast concept for digitizing, automating and integrating print production processes. Whether the banner of choice is JDF (Job Definition Format) or less distinct and clear approaches to integrating one's MIS/print management system with both production and administrative tasks, CIM is real—in theory, if not in true application. Which brings us to a critical point: Workflow. How do today's technical and management consultants, information managers, prepress directors, pressroom operators and,

Day International Group has acquired Network Distribution International (NDI). NDI is a national converter of offset blankets and a reseller of ancillary consumable products. In addition to Day's line of offset printing blankets, sleeves and pressroom chemistry, Rockland, MA-based NDI will continue to sell products manufactured by other companies.  Heidelberg hosted its second annual "Brats & Dots" open house recently at its corporate headquarters in Kennesaw, GA. More than 325 attendees were on hand to experience the latest in prepress, press, direct imaging, postpress and digital workflows from Heidelberg, including new systems unveiled at last fall's Graph Expo. The event lets guests inspect and talk to

I saw the future in a play and it wasn't on Broadway. Actually it was four short plays in the Xerox booth at the recent Direct Marketing Association event in Orlando. The plays, complete with professional actors, dramatically delivered an insight into how one-to-one marketing can work from the customer to the printer. The impresario behind the plays was my old friend Larry Zusman, manager of VI Solutions Marketing at Xerox. Larry, together with Bob Wagner, Xerox's vice president of creative services, gave the audience a very clever and entertaining way of demonstrating one-to-one solutions. Applause and rave reviews aside, I thought that these plays

Pantone Extends Brand Into Ink-jet Consumables CARLSTADT, NJ—Pantone Inc. is making a bid to expand the application of its color expertise by launching the PANTONE ColorVantage family of premium ink-jet inks, papers and specially developed profiles. The company initially intends to focus on the wide-format printing segment, and piezo-electric engines specifically, informs Andrew Hatkoff, vice president, Electronic Color Systems. Working in partnership with a third-party supplier, Pantone has developed a pigmented ink set (specially formulated CMYK plus light cyan and magenta) with a significantly larger color gamut than that offered by standard OEM inks, Hatkoff claims. Anticipating a potential concern, he adds that the

california CERRITOS—National Card, Label and Affixing Inc. (NCLA) has purchased a Duplo DC-545HC slitter/cutter/creaser. The company is printing personalized marketing materials on an HP Indigo digital press, and then finishing on the DC-545HC. CITY OF INDUSTRY—K-1 Packaging Group, a privately held package printer located here, has installed a six-color, 41˝ KBA Rapida 105 sheetfed press featuring KBA's Logotronic system and a 12 ft. extended delivery. SANTA ANA—Q2 Inc. has purchased a new six-color Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 102 press, marking the company's expansion into a full-service, seamless provider of digital photography, prepress and printing services. colorado GRAND JUNCTION—Colorado Printing is now using EFI's Printcafe