February 2007 Issue
ACROSS the nation
CALIFORNIA BELMONT—Moquin Press reports increasing its pressroom capacity by 30 percent with the addition of its second Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 105 sheetfed press. The trade printer does $14 million in annual sales. CITY OF INDUSTRY—A new six-color MAN Roland 700 perfector with in-line coater, UV capabilities and extended delivery is now in operation at Marrs Printing and Packaging. GLENDALE—Macson Printing & Lithography, a family owned commercial printer serving the Los Angeles metropolitan area, installed a four-color Mitsubishi Diamond 3000R convertible sheetfed perfector equipped with an aqueous tower coater. LOS ANGELES—A West Coast shop is rewriting the book on being environmentally greener while improving its pressroom profitability. Schawk Los
AGC Files Chapter 7, Dissolves
NEW YORK—The Association for Graphic Communications (AGC), which aided Big Apple printers in the days and months following September 11, 2001, but found its own survival impossible due to huge debt and high rent, has filed for Chapter 7 liquidation bankruptcy, the AGC announced in a letter to association members. The AGC’s board and executive committee made the decision in early January to shut down the 140-year-old PIA affiliate, after attempts to negotiate some relief with creditors were rebuffed. Growing, aged payables also factored into the association’s decision to file. “There were a lot of long nights spent discussing how to work things out,” noted Joseph
Bindery 1 Inc. — Finishing’s First Family
THE HISTORY behind full-service finishing provider Bindery 1 Inc., of Des Moines, IA, is a tale based on the American Dream. Seeking a land of opportunity, Eric and Lorraine Rokitnicki immigrated from Poland to the United States in 1963. Eric found work at a commercial printer within its folding department, while his wife gained employment as a registered nurse. Eric had a natural knack for folding, and enjoyed the challenges of pushing a machine to its limits with projects that were thought to be impossible to complete. He made the most of his talents and, in 1976, started Bindery 1 with two
BINDERY matters
New Stitcher Speeds Production PITTSBURGH—Since installing a Muller Martini BravoPlus-T saddlestitcher, Geyer Printing, a Consolidated Graphics company, reports it has gained noticeable improvements in setup times and overall production speed. “We’ve only had the new BravoPlus-T running for a short time, and the ease of makeready has already proven to be a big advantage,” notes Scott Barthelmes, president of Geyer Printing. “The faster run time and operator-friendly print finishing functions also offer great benefits.” Geyer Printing has been a user of Muller Martini finishing machinery for several decades, which lead to the decision to step up to the BravoPlus-T. “Our previous Muller stitcher operated efficiently for
Creating A Brand — Do Monikers Really Matter?
AS GRAPHIC arts establishments transition into full-service communication solutions providers, an interesting marketing dilemma has emerged. Now that most graphic arts companies offer more than just printing services, some have felt a name change is necessary to better portray the full power of the newly offered capabilities. Steven Schnoll, managing director of Schnoll Media Consulting in New Providence, NJ, feels it is a tremendous challenge for a company with the word ‘print,’ ‘graphics,’ or ‘litho’ in its name to remain successful in today’s business climate. “It is simply guilt by name association,” Schnoll observes. “If you call yourself a ‘printer’ you will be
DIGITAL Digest
On Demand Keynote Speakers Set BOSTON—Details are being firmed up for the 2007 AIIM and On Demand Conferences & Expos, which will bring the event to the Boston Convention & Exposition Center for the first time. The event will run from April 16-19. Show days will be kicked off by a series of free keynote addresses. On Wednesday, April 18, John Schwarz, CEO of Business Objects, will present “The Parallel Evolution and Convergence of Enterprise Content Management and Business Intelligence.” He will be immediately followed by Jeff Teper, Microsoft’s corporate vice president, Office Business Platform. “Freakonomics” author Stephen J. Dubner will lead off Thursday,
Digital Finishing — Where to Draw the Line?
HAVING A print engine isn’t an absolute prerequisite for offering digital printing services, but it definitely helps. Shops that install a press do, however, find that having some level of in-house digital finishing capabilities—in-, near- or off-line—is required to be competitive in meeting the short run, quick-turnaround demands of this market. As a result, digital printing operations are faced with figuring out where to draw the line between the efficiency of in-line finishing options versus the flexibility of off-line systems. Trends in digital finishing was one part of a comprehensive market study—titled “Digital Printing Outlook in a Production Environment”—released by PRIMIR late last year.
Donnelley Closes Banta Headquarters
MENASHA, WI—Shortly after the completion of its acquisition, RR Donnelley served notice in late January that it is closing the former Banta headquarters here, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The shutdown will result in the loss of 85 employees. RR Donnelley notified the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development of its intention to shutter Menasha, with staff members to be let go beginning March 23, the paper reported. Impacted employees will be offered severance pay, subsidized health insurance and outplacement services. Doug Fitzgerald, senior vice president of marketing for RR Donnelley, declined to comment on the action. Donnelley played the white knight role when the company announced
Fujifilm Announces Departure of Stan Freimuth
VALHALLA, NY—February 1, 2007 — Fujifilm U.S.A., Inc., today announced that Stanley E. Freimuth, senior executive vice president and chief administrative officer, is leaving the company. “During the years that Stan has been a part of Fujifilm we have benefited from his leadership, sound judgment and business acumen,” said Taizo Mori, CEO, Fujifilm U.S.A., Inc. “Now, he has decided to identify a new career opportunity that can more fully tap his leadership and general management capabilities. On behalf of everyone at Fujifilm I would like to thank Stan for the significant contributions he has made to our company, and to wish him well
Get Rid of Non-Fit Clients —Morgan
SO YOU’VE trimmed your staff to the essential team and you’ve streamlined your workflow to be überefficient, but your profitability still leaves something to be desired. Next step: get rid of some customers. You heard me. As scary as that may seem, deep down you know it’s the right thing to do. All customers are not equal and chances are that over the years you’ve accumulated some clients that, well, just are not good for your business…like the advertising agency, which pays 90 days after you invoice, whose rush jobs scream through the plant when they come in sporadically, bumping steady customers…and like the
Global Perspective — Printers Around the World
THINK A printer in Delhi, India, has different worries than a printer in Dallas? Think again! Although Dallas and Delhi may have different cultures, printers in Delhi have many of the same concerns as their counterparts in Dallas. Interestingly, eagerness to learn varies, not necessarily between Dallas and Delhi, but even within cities in the United States. How do I know this? After more than 30 years as a printer, suffering all of the deadlines, panic and craziness common to this business, I became a consultant. Now I am having fun writing and speaking at seminars all over the U.S. and around the world. The
Heidelberg Takes System Responsibility to the Next Level With Full Systemservice 36plus Coverage on New Uv Presses
KENNESAW, GA—February 1, 2007—Heidelberg today announced that it has taken system responsibility to a new level by providing three years of full service coverage on UV systems and chilling components built with long-time strategic partners IST Metz GmbH and technotrans AG. Heidelberg is the only supplier to offer this level of coverage and service support for UV systems, which are primarily available on Heidelberg’s Speedmaster CD and XL models as well as on some SM presses. The print industry leader will continue to develop seamlessly integrated UV systems, working closely with IST and technotrans, and provide state-of-the-art service coverage through its systemservice 36plus program.
Immigration and Printing — Accountability Matters
ASK ANY person on the street how they feel about the topic of immigration reform, and you’ll likely receive an answer powered by emotion. That’s understandable, as any future legislation could have potentially damaging consequences for the 11 million to 12 million people living in this country without proper documentation. The basic arguments from the proponent and opponent camps are fairly universal, somewhat flawed and routinely debated. There are those who are incensed by the notion that millions of illegals are leveraging the public services afforded American taxpayers: benefits such as unemployment, welfare, public school education and free healthcare for the very poor, to
Industry Shows Kinder, Gentler Side —Cagle
Bits and Pieces SURE, IT’S late February on your calendar. Pitchers and catchers have arrived in Florida, where the sweet, sweet sound of baseballs popping into catchers’ mitts reminds us that spring is right around the corner. Though we’ve experienced a mild winter in the Northeast, everyone always welcomes the opportunity to thaw out and spend some time outside. But, with PI’s editorial lead time, it is actually just after the first of the year. My body still aches to sleep in until 10 a.m. The kids are still griping about going back to school. I’ve seen the SpongeBob Christmas episode 12 times and
Magna IV Completes Deal for Peerless
LITTLE ROCK, AR—Sheetfed printing specialist Magna IV has signed off on a deal to purchase Peerless Engraving, also based here. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Magna IV CEO Gary Middleton says that Peerless Engraving—which offers prepress and printing services—meshes well with Magna IV’s capabilities. “Increasing their flexibility with the addition of Magna’s respected capabilities will allow us to better serve each company’s customers and will create immediate assistance in direct mail, fulfillment and other production/service resources,” Middleton contends. “This allows us to expand our business that will position us for further growth.” The acquisition is the fourth in the last 15 years for Magna
Management Strategies — Secrets to Solution Selling
THE MAJORITY of us have faced challenges finding good salespeople. In my darkest days, I once found myself letting my entire sales staff of seven go because not a single one was covering their draw. Fortunately, we were later able to attract, develop and retain a staff of multi-million dollar producers. The underlying difference was that we replaced “transactional” salespeople (who sold strictly on price) with “solutions” salespeople. Solution selling is a mindset, not an ability. Solution sales and solutions salespeople can be created. The essence of solution selling is helping your clients and prospects execute their strategic vision. What is a strategic vision? In its
Microcosm of Change —Michelson
SOMETIMES, seemingly unrelated elements combine as brush strokes to paint a bigger picture. That certainly seemed the case as we finalized this issue before going to press. Although filled with a range of diverse articles and columns, together they serve as a microcosm of current industry realities and trends. For example, take this month’s cover story profile of Bindery 1, a flourishing trade bindery based in Des Moines, IA, which celebrated its 30th anniversary last year. Founded by Polish immigrants, the company reins have been passed to the second generation—led by daughters Gigi and Renatta and their spouses. A true family affair, Gigi came
OneSource Printing & Graphics — Kings of Queens
ONESOURCE PRINTING & Graphics has built its business on offering customers a one-stop shopping experience, while advancing into the digital age at warp speed. Although difficult to implement, moving away from the concept of being a traditional printer is no longer a novel concept. Still, OneSource has succeeded in becoming one of the premier graphic arts providers in the New York metropolitan area since being founded in 1998. Headquartered in midtown Manhattan, the company is the brainchild of Andrew Eisberg and Michael Behar. Both owners are printing sales veterans. Eisberg manages the sales and the overall corporate direction side of the business, while
Original Impressions — Marketing, Miami Style
MIAMI IS a well-known area for models, but not just the ones found on the catwalk or sunbathing by the ocean on South Beach. Commercial printers seeking to become full-service communications providers should focus on Original Impressions. For the past two decades, OI, as it is often referred to, has cultivated a reputation for partnering with its clients and supporting their marketing efforts—while becoming a model example of the commercial printer of the future. Original Impressions, based in Miami, is a full-service, multimedia communications provider founded in 1982 as a minority-owned enterprise by President and CEO Roland Garcia, who first cut his teeth in
Paper Buys Landmark Press
FREDERICKSBURG, VA—The Free Lance-Star has garnered the distinction of being the first newspaper in the United States to install a Flexible Printing System (FPS) press from Goss International. The paper opted for a configuration with four towers and a 72˝ web width for triple-width production. Goss will also provide Ferag press gripper and storage components. A dual-delivery Goss Magnapak packaging system with 34 stations will also be part of the installation, which is slated to begin in 2008. The FPS press will have the capacity to produce 48-page broadsheet products running straight, 96-page broadsheet products running collect, and semi-commercial products with ribbon widths up to 36˝,
Paper Recycling Systems — Waste Not, Want Money
FOR COMMERCIAL printers, some aspects of the overall operation don’t command as much attention in the grand scheme of things. Every business has a pecking order, from the web press that crowds the pressroom to the stapler on the CFO’s desk that insists on spitting out two at the same time. Then there’s the paper recycling system. Some printers don’t have proper capabilities for dealing with trim waste and other dirty scraps. So they have these inelegant, often clunky, systems in place for gathering waste for delivery to a recycling facility. There are two major flaws that result in short-arming your paper recycling habits:
PERSONAL bests
Turning Up the Volumes From a business standpoint, one of the big pluses of variable data printing is that the required expertise and infrastructure is very scalable. Even a daunting program becomes much more manageable if it is produced over time as a series of daily, shorter runs. This decreases the workload demands put on a Web-to-print system and digital press, helping to level the playing field for print providers. A case in point is the solution used by MFS Investment Management to produce customized 401(k) sales proposals. The financial services company sought a more efficient and effective way to quickly fill proposal
PRINTER news
Printers Attend Lenticular Seminar Williston, VT—KBA North America recently offered a comprehensive five-day seminar on lenticular printing. The professional development seminar, held at KBA’s headquarters here, brought together KBA’s lenticular, printing and marketing experts with owners and press operators of the KBA Genius 52 UV press. Lenticular printing is a special technique that involves printing an image on the back side of lenticular plastic, allowing the eye to simultaneously view alternating sections of multiple images to give the impression of 3-D, flip, or motion. KBA reports it is planning several repeat seminars this year. Graphic Systems Group in New York City announced the appointment
Quebecor Cuts 550 Jobs, Shutters Nebraska Facility
MONTREAL—The transformation of the Quebecor World U.S. magazine platform will spell the end for its Lincoln, NE, plant. The move, which is expected to take place in the second quarter, will result in the loss of roughly 550 jobs. With the installation and startup of a new MAN Roland Lithoman IV wide-web press at the St. Cloud, MN, facility, one of 10 that were slated to go live, the company says its three-year retooling plan has now essentially been completed. Other investments were made in accompanying robotics and bindery technology. In addition, Quebecor World announced it was consolidating its Quebec-based magazine and catalog printing business, resulting
Shades of Success — Sherburne
ONE OF the things many printers pride themselves on is their knowledge and understanding of color. After all, we spend a lot of time and effort on managing and matching color to meet critical customer expectations. That color expertise can be a great marketing tool as you work to build better and deeper relationships with existing clients and to acquire new ones. Of course, your ability to produce the colors a customer is expecting—accurately and consistently—is the primary way we think about applying our color expertise. But as we transition into this new world we find ourselves in, with competition from all sorts of traditional
