Xerox Corp.

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

By Marie Alonso Business Development Consultant Once was a time when leaders at a commercial printing operation saw a new offset press, liked the new press, bought it and then made money with it. These were the days when the sheetfed and web offset printing process didn't require the word "traditional" in front of them. That time is no more. While traditional offset printing remains a cornerstone of today's commercial print world, its more digitally savvy sibling—variable data digital printing—is maturing fast and is already looking to step into some of its older brother's shoes. Today's commercial printers need support for the successful transition to understanding,

by chris bauer Managing Editor Digital printing has been tabbed as the future of the graphic arts industry for years now. But, to the chagrin of digital press manufacturers—and probably to the delight of offset press vendors—their use and integration into pressrooms remains relatively limited. Whether it is concerns of quality, price or technology, many commercial printers are sticking with their traditional offset presses, and using digital presses for special applications only—if at all. Those printers who have made the digital leap, however, are singing the praises of the new-found equipment. Many report seeing a bump in business after crossing that digital line, and are finding new

BY MARK SMITH Technology Editor The line of demarcation between a copier and printer was the first to fall. Now it's not uncommon for devices with similar capabilities to be called printers or presses, depending on who's doing the naming. And, markedly different machines—such as all-digital and digital offset systems—may be labeled as digital presses, or the ubiquitous production systems. The upshot is that it has become very difficult to neatly define what products should be included in an update on the state-of-the-art in digital printing. Therefore, what follows is a look at some, if not all, of the recent major developments in the

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