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With automation reaching or nearing its peak, manufacturers look for ways to bring prepress and the pressroom closer together. BY ERIK CAGLE Want to see all of the neat, new sheetfed offset press models that will be unveiled at DRUPA 2000? If the answer is yes, go renew your passport because we're not going to show you. Sorry, we'd show you if we could, but Germany will be the place to be next May, as the printing industry's top manufacturers will use the exhibition to wage a battle of one-upsmanship in the sheetfed press division. Building the better mousetrap is becoming increasingly more difficult;

With its recent acquisition of the Mack Printing Group tucked away, Cadmus looks to conquer greater territories in select, niche markets—with an eye on journals, magazines, periodicals and packaging. What is the vision behind Cadmus' strategic plan? C. Stephenson Gillispie Jr. offers a few clues. BY MARIE RANOIA ALONSO THE START of Spring marked the start of what may be the most lucrative of years for Cadmus Communications, which, on April 1st, announced it had acquired Mack Printing Group—a leading producer of journals, magazines and periodicals with annual revenues of approximately $165 million—for the purchase price of approximately $200 million, consisting of cash,

BY ERIK CAGLE Let's face facts. Paper is not exactly chic these days. There is nothing more appalling than a printing commodity strutting around while wearing last year's price tag. Unless, of course, you're a paper purchaser for a commercial printer. Unchanged prices make this person the most popular man/woman in the eyes of estimators and the person drawing up the next budget. That explosion you heard was definitely something else, not an increase in paper prices. Uncoated free sheet experienced a first quarter boost in some circles, but a number of observers wonder if they will take hold. In short, nothing's changed since

BY CHERYL A. ADAMS Welcome to this special (fictional) edition of the game show "Jeopardy," where the contestants are printers, paper manufacturers, paper merchants and industry experts. The category is "Global Competition and World Markets." The question: "Is offshore paper usage affecting domestic demand?" But wait. This is a special bonus round. There's an economic crisis in Asia. The high hopes of European paper suppliers to sell their grades in Asian markets have backfired. Tons of paper, including coated free sheet, are headed for American shores. So contestants, get ready. Here's your chance to score big with a special bonus-round question: "What are

"I feel the need...the need for speed." So quipped Tom Cruise's cocky fighter pilot character Maverick in the action flick, Top Gun. Those same sentiments can be echoed by any commercial printer with medium- to large-sized (for purposes of this article, 26˝ and larger) presses. Except, Cruise's Maverick had it easy—just a few competitors to deal with and only one battle necessary to test his meddle. Increasing customer demands, pricing pressures and shorter turnaround times all combine to put sheetfed owners' metal to the test—on a daily basis. "Large-format sheetfed press manufacturers feel the same price pressures as their customers. Continually shorter run