August 2006 Issue
ACROSS the nation
New Press Heats Up Southern Market ATLANTA—A five-color Sakurai 575SDC sheetfed press with in-line coater is now running jobs at Canterbury Press. The machine, which is the first of its kind in the Atlanta market, was installed by dealer Paper Handling Solutions. ARIZONA TEMPE—Business Cards Tomorrow (BCT) has added a Presstek direct imaging (DI) press to its facility here and in Denver to support increased demand for short run, fast-turnaround printing. CALIFORNIA HAWTHORNE—Lithographix Inc. has installed a Sentinel ink management system from Accel Graphic Systems on its eight-color Mitsubishi D3000 press. ROCKLIN—J&M Printing, a general commercial printer, has installed a four-color Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 52 sheetfed press with in-line aqueous
Another Name Change for Vertis
BALTIMORE—A Big Flower, by any other name, proved not to be as sweet as Vertis from an advertising standpoint. But upon further review, the national marketing specialist felt a new branding would be more appropriate. Thus, effective immediately, the company is now called Vertis Communications.The name change emphasizes Vertis’ communications services in the marketing, advertising…
Be a Good Data Steward
A number of high-profile data security breaches in recent years have been a strong reminder that responsible handling of data goes beyond compliance with existing laws. Data stewardship, says Ben Isaacson, privacy and compliance leader at information solutions firm Experian, headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., is more than just what you put on paper in your contracts and privacy policy. “It’s really how a company sets up a process by which it can manage data—and most of the time, what we’re talking about is personally identifiable information.” Data security and privacy issues can be broken into three main areas: data procurement, data usage and
BINDERY matters
Stitcher Makes Debut at Steffy BROWNSTOWN, PA—Steffy Printing, a full-service commercial printer, recently installed a Vijuk 321-T saddlestitcher to keep up with its customers’ quicker turnaround needs. Bindery Upgrade Made in Northwest KENT, WA—ESP Printing updated its bindery equipment with the addition of a Bravo-T saddlestitcher from Muller Martini. Bobst Group USA Plans Open House ROSELAND, NJ—Bobst Group USA has set September 21-26 for its Direction ’06 folding carton open house, conference, seminars and trade fair. “This will be our biggest Direction event yet,” promises Chris Raney, Bobst vice president for folding carton. “We’ve added a number of new features including some very topical breakout session seminars. We
Book Printer Gets Belated Recognition — Cagle
BITS AND PIECES BRUCE DERON only wanted to recover some long-lost war medals he’d earned as an Air Force pilot during Vietnam. Thanks to Senator John McCain (R-AZ), Deron will be getting more recognition than he had expected. Deron, president of Waymart, PA-based SG Printing, had contacted McCain’s office inquiring about a way to replace his medals, which had been misplaced years ago during a move. McCain took a long look at Deron’s military record, verified the original citations and found there were other events where he should have been medaled for his actions, according to Deron’s son, Jason—the vice president of sales at
Cenveo Acquires Large Label Producer
STAMFORD, CT—Cenveo has pulled off the biggest deal in the first year of Bob Burton’s administration there, acquiring Rx Label Technology from Pfingsten Partners and Hilco Equity Partners in an all-cash transaction. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The company will operate under the Rx Technology name at its Joplin, MO, facility. Rx Technology, a $40 million annual performer, manufactures pressure-sensitive prescription labels for the U.S. retail pharmacy market. It is reportedly the only label converter with the capabilities to produce simplex, duplex (integrated and dual web) and thermal rolls. “This acquisition...brings Cenveo into the high growth, pharmaceutical label market and is expected to be accretive
DIGITAL digest
Quark Out to Make Seven a Lucky Number NEW YORK CITY—Competition is said to be a good thing. To the extent that’s true, these are great days for users of page layout software. Quark Inc. clearly has been tested by Adobe Systems’ challenge to its once near monopolistic position in the graphic arts market. It is responding technologically with the release of QuarkXPress 7 and offering inducements for users to upgrade, thereby keeping them in the fold. Most of the enhancements are targeted to the design community, naturally, but the company insists it kept an eye toward print service providers (PSPs) during development
Eleven Chosen for InterTech Awards
SEWICKLEY, PA—The Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation has selected 11 technologies to receive 2006 PIA/GATF InterTech Technology awards. The winners will receive the Lucite InterTech stars during the competition’s annual luncheon at the fall administrative meetings, held November 9-12 in Milwaukee. The 2006 InterTech recipients, in alphabetical order with the technology listed first, include: Adobe PDF print engine, Adobe Systems; Microsystems Microcip software module, C&P Microsystems; Dalim Mistral, Dalim Software; WebCenter, Esko-Graphics; Magnum ink formulation dispenser, GFI Innovations; Zero-slip nip enhancement, Goss International Americas; KBA Genius 52 UV sheetfed offset press, KBA North America; InlineFoiler, MAN Roland; DeskDirect, PrintSoft; Liberty sheetfed inks, Sun Chemical;
ESTIMATING AND PRICING — RECOGNIZING THE DIFFERENCE
ESTIMATING AND pricing are the two most indispensable areas of the printing sales process, according to Gary Cone, vice president of Seattle-based commercial printer Litho Craft Inc., and author of the NAPL book “Price Doesn’t Count.” He notes, however, that although printers sometimes use the terms interchangeably, they are definitely not the same thing—and it’s critical for managers and salespeople to understand the difference. “Estimating is a science—a mathematical calculation based on the job specifications and the variables and parameters of the production process,” he says. “It’s a repeatable process, yielding the same—or close to the same—results each time. “Pricing, on the other hand,
Heidelberg USA Releases New Product Installation Report
Prepress, Press, Postpress Equipment Installed Around the Country KENNESAW, Ga. – July 31, 2006 – Heidelberg USA announces the following sample of new product installations: Trade printer Moquin Press recently installed a second Speedmaster XL 105 - Heidelberg’s maximum performance press, which comes fully automated with two aqueous coater cassettes - to meet increasing demand. The company, which acquired its first XL 105 in 2005, provides specialty printing, die cutting and stamping services at its “one-stop” facility located in Belmont, Calif. According to company president Greg Moquin, the second Speedmaster XL 105 has increased Moquin’s pressroom capacity by 30 percent since it was installed
HIRING, DEVELOPING, COMPENSATING — CULTIVATING SALES REPS
THE PHRASE “Great sales reps are born, not made,” is not true. Show me any individual who has achieved excellence in their professional endeavors, and I’ll show you a person who has worked relentlessly to develop their skill sets for achievement, while also accessing supporting resources. However, what often isn’t seen on the surface are the systemic, contributing factors to that individual’s development and performance achievements. These usually include a coach or mentor, a wide array of support personnel, a supportive culture that includes relentless education and training, and systematic (including constructive and positive) feedback. Turning to the future, organizations should be developing
JOHNSBYRNE CO. — CREATING CUSTOMER PARTNERSHIPS
A TRADITION of providing quality services and a bloodline in the graphic arts industry have allowed Niles, IL-based JohnsByrne Co. to continually expand and move into new business areas. Founded in 1959 by John B. Gustafson, along with his parents John E. and Marie Byrne Gustafson, the company got its start as a shop on Printer’s Row in Chicago. The printer’s moniker was created by taking two Johns—the first name of both father and son—combined with Marie’s maiden name, Byrne. So the company known as JohnsByrne was born, along with a mission to provide superior printing solutions and outstanding customer service. That focus is carried
LANGE GRAPHICS — FINDING DIGITAL FOOTHOLDS
IT’S STRIKING for so many industry trends to be encapsulated in a single company, especially a mid-size printer with just over 50 employees. Denver-based Lange Graphics continues to make major investments in sheetfed offset capabilities while expanding its digital printing business. Both production platforms have the capability to support the firm’s diversification into printing on plastic, static cling and removable vinyl materials. The shop also is in the process of rolling out a Web-to-print solution. Lange Graphics originally established a separate business—Digi Colorado—as a vehicle for its move into digital printing, but is now offering offset and digital printing services in an integrated approach. Its
Mailing & Fulfillment Special Report — Helpful Resources
Mailing and Fulfillment Service Association (MFSA) 1421 Prince St. Alexandria, VA 22314-2806 Phone: (703) 836-9200, (800) 333-6272 Fax: (703) 548-8204 www.mfsanet.org Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers 1211 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 620 Washington, DC 20036-2701 Phone: (202) 462-5131 Fax: (202) 462-0423 www.nonprofitmailers.org National Association of College and University Mail Services (NACUMS) P.O. Box 270367 Ft. Collins, CO 80527-0367 Phone: (877) 622-8671 E-mail: info@nacums.org www.nacums.org CASS National Customer Support Center 6060 Primacy Pkwy., Suite 201 Memphis, TN 38188-0001 Phone: (800) 462-2914 MERLIN Marketing Technology and Channel Management Att: Business Mail Acceptance U.S. Postal Service 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Room
Mailing & Fulfillment Special Report — Direct Mail Advances
Commercial printers’ interest in “value-added” services that create new revenue streams has stimulated the consideration of mailing and fulfillment equipment. It’s no wonder: direct mail is growing at a time when uses of other forms of mail have been declining. In fact, since the first quarter of the U.S. Postal Service’s 2004 fiscal year, annual volume is up by 11 million pieces. It’s interesting to see how mailing equipment fits into the investment plans of Printing Impressions readers, based on a survey done in March in conjunction with PrintForecast.com. About one in five printers responded that they are interested in this equipment. For plants doing
Mailing & Fulfillment Special Report — Factors When Entering Mailing
FOR MANY commercial printers, printing has become just one part of the revenue stream. Mailing and fulfillment services are making up an increasing portion of a printer’s offerings to clients. Because of this fact, many printers are in need of innovative solutions that will allow them to grow in this new area. The following article discusses the various factors printers should consider when entering mail fulfillment. For printers, the main attraction of offering mailing services in addition to standard services is undoubtedly the prospect of increasing profit margins and creating a new and potentially lucrative revenue stream. These services, in turn, provide your customers
Mailing & Fulfillment Special Report — Getting Started In Fulfillment
MOST OF the printers I have visited over the past several years are already in the fulfillment business with one or more applications. In fact, several applications reviewed were very sophisticated, consisting of both static and dynamic content and requiring considerable data manipulation plus mastery of several shipping methods. Printing companies are very entrepreneurial in finding ways to satisfy customers’ needs with their existing resources. In addition, printers have taken the leadership in the Web-to-print industry, which has provided them experience in establishing shopping carts for their clients. So, getting started in fulfillment may not be an entirely correct title for this
Mailing & Fulfillment Special Report — Mail Dynamics Equal Opportunities
RECENT U.S. Postal Service (USPS) announcements suggest trends that could be advantageous to corporate mailers seeking economies of scale via their full-service print/mailing providers. The increasing use of the Internet as a tool to reduce the mail distribution time, postal discounts to drive mail design that will run more efficiently through postal sorting equipment, the broader interest in Intelligent mail by corporate users, as well as more innovative partnerships with the larger scale mailers to save money and improve overall service, are four key mail trend topics. The enhanced use of the Internet by mailers and the USPS is a clear trend in two specific
MAN Roland Printers Score at the World Cup
Nuremberg, Germany—July 28,2006—A group of more than 50 MAN Roland-equipped printers from North America helped make World Cup and graphic arts history last month, witnessing live the pivotal match between the U.S. and Ghana here and reviewing several facilities throughout Germany where MAN Roland presses are scoring goals. “We called this event ‘Print and Play’ to emphasize how our technology provides extraordinary rewards to printers who take advantage of our presses’ unique capabilities,” says Yves Rogivue, who lead the tour as CEO of MAN Roland Inc. “Everyone had a great time cheering on these world-class athletes, then seeing first-hand how MAN Roland helps our customers
New Media Buyers; Alternative Communication Methods
A New PRIMIR Study Focuses On Print As One Choice Among Others In A Growing Media Pie For decades, print has been the media of choice by media buyers…in fact, they are often called “print buyers” because of the volume of print orders they make. It’s not to say that print is in disfavor today, but there are far more options available to the media buyer coupled with the fact that many are younger and have grown up with computers and electronic alternatives to print. The concern becomes that these younger buyers have a bias to the electronic alternatives, but why? The primary reason is
Pacific Printing and Fulfillment Grows With Kodak Digital Presses
ROCHESTER, NY—July 31—Pacific Printing and Fulfillment, Inc. (PPFI), a print and fulfillment company in California, recently purchased its third Kodak NexPress 2100 digital production color press and its first Kodak NexPress fifth imaging unit to increase its services to include inline coating and an expanded color gamut range to better serve customers with web to print and variable data processing jobs. The recent installation exceeded PPFI’s expectations from a throughput and quality perspective. “We are producing more customized materials requiring more response starts with bold colors and bright images for maximum impact,” said Todd Shur, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, PPFI. “We are
Paper Outlook — Cutting the Bottom Line
PRICE INCREASES, or attempts to implement them, are what’s on tap in the paper sector. Along with raising quoted prices per ton, paper companies could feel renewed pressure to pass along higher energy costs through surcharges if oil prices do climb toward the $100/barrel mark predicted in the most bearish outlook. The Lane Press, in Burlington, VT, put an interesting spin on that latter market development. Under the “Did you know?” heading in its last two “Paper Prophet” newsletters, the printer pointed out to customers that “Lane Press’ close proximity to Northeast paper mills slashes transportation costs and reduces fuel surcharges.” There hasn’t been
Personal Bests — Encouraging Returns
Browsing hasn’t become a Web-only activity quite yet. Shoppers looking to make a major purchase still tend to visit multiple stores and/or revisit the same store before making a buying decision. Furniture shoppers are particularly apt to dither in light of the wide range of choices—styles, colors, fabrics, etc.—and often conflicting tastes. It’s easy for buyers to get confused about what they saw where and forget the finer points of an individual piece. [ Program Objectives ] The management of American Signature Furniture wanted a way to keep visits to its stores top of mind for browsers and to encourage them to come back. The company
Plastics Printing — Handle with Care
PART OF the beauty surrounding printing on plastics is that the potential for applications is limited only by the imagination of designers. And, judging by the creativity of some gizmos and gadgets printed on plastic, that doesn’t appear to be an issue. Even with limitless possibilities, this discipline comes with caveats. The substrates cost more than most paper stocks. The adhesion can be difficult. Some substrates can be high maintenance. Not every great concept will fly. And neophytes need to educate themselves thoroughly on the nuances of plastics printing. Color Ink, based in Sussex, WI, has worked in the plastics space since 2001, with
POSTPRESS: Taming the top sheets
If the uppermost sheets in a stack to be cut are domed and not level, they will shift when the material is placed against the backgauge. The top sheets move upwards against the backgauge, leading to differences in cuts. The operator often tries to bend or roll up the corners of the uppermost sheets, but if it is not done in the right way, the upper sheets will be damaged and no longer useable. A hold-down clamp at the backgauge ensures that the upper sheets are retained on the loaded material, all of which can then be positioned against the backgauge. Even with
