February 2008 Issue
2007 Lewis Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award Recognizes William Bachman
PITTSBURGH—February 1, 2008—Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/GATF) is pleased to announce that William Bachman, Vice President of Cohber Press, Inc. in Rochester, New York, is the recipient of the 2007 Lewis Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award. Bachman began his career in the graphic communications industry over 35 years ago as a graphics computer operator for Great Lakes Press. In 1982, he partnered with Buzz Webber to purchase Rochester Magnagraphics, which was later renamed Rochester Empire Graphics; here Bachman served as President and was responsible for day-to-day operations. With Bachman’s assistance, the firm grew substantially, and in 1998, Rochester Empire Graphics merged
ACROSS the nation
Shop’s 29˝ Sheetfed PressesOutmaneuver 40˝ Competitors WINTER PARK, FL—Edward Sengel, president of Superior Printers, was so impressed with his first Roland 500 press that he installed a second one. Both systems are configured with six printing units, in-line coating and extended deliveries. The printer also uses MAN Roland’s printnet PressManager, which networks the Roland 500s to the rest of Superior’s production workflow. The second Roland 500 has perfecting capabilities. “The 23x29˝ format of the Roland 500 takes it to the next level,” says Sengel. “Unless you’re doing oversized display posters, a large percentage of what used to be 40˝ work exclusively can now run
American Printing of Rhode Island — Putting Clients First
LIKE MOST privately held firms, American Printing of Rhode Island (APRI) does not disclose financial results to outsiders. But a half-day visit to the 35-year-old firm, which is located in suburban Providence and employs 55 workers over two shifts, clearly revealed an organization bustling with activity—which gives credence to owner Paul Carroll’s claims that the firm’s sales have quadrupled in the past four years and are likely to double again over the next four. What is driving the growth? A company-wide focus on achieving customer satisfaction and an ex-panding expertise in retail signage. “Just about everybody claims to provide great customer service,” he recently
American Printing to Bolster Workforce by 50
EAST PROVIDENCE, RI—American Printing has plans to add 50 jobs over the next 18 months. The expansion is the result of aggressive growth that has witnessed the company purchase a second building to house its expanded divisions. The firm produces visual graphics for several Fortune 500 companies.
BINDERY matters
Blue Ocean Press Cuts to the Chase FT. LAUDERDALE, FL—At Blue Ocean Press, Company President Tom Mounce is measuring the return on his investment in a fully automated, programmable Polar 115 XT cutter with Autotrim, Transomat offloader and Dorner conveyor. Mounce claims he’s already seeing ROI on the configuration in time savings and ease of use. He explains that the operator now works fewer hours with less assistance due to the automated material handling features of the new cutter. The Polar’s variable-speed backgauge, which can be sped up or slowed down, depending on job requirements, also allows Blue Ocean to handle a wider range
Centennial Celebrations — Changing with the Times
A LITTLE later this year, Printing Impressions will celebrate its 50th anniversary. Fifty years is a very long time in the publishing business. When you consider the challenges facing printed communications and hard copy magazines, we all deserve a round of applause for thriving in a changing business environment. Think about the past 20 years alone. Among the greatest technological feats, we’ve seen desktop publishing, computer-to-plate, digital printing, digital color proofing and JDF, not to mention variable data and Web-to-print. The way we do business now is a far cry from just 10 years ago, when many of the aforementioned technologies either didn’t exist
Cenveo Picks Cherry to Head Envelope Operations
STAMFORD, CT—Dean Cherry has been named president of Cenveo’s envelope operations. He will report directly to Bob Burton, chairman and CEO of Cenveo. Cherry recently held the position of group president, Integrated Print Communications and Global Solutions, at RR Donnelley of Chicago.
Cross-Media Services — Shops Sending Mixed Messages
WHAT DOES it take to be a cross-media company? Is it simply offering personalized URLs (pURLs) and e-mail messaging as an extension of variable data printing? By that definition, most digital printing operations would now qualify since those capabilities are all but standard. The real point of distinction is when variable data marketing campaigns are no longer standalone efforts, as they have tended to be, but are tightly integrated with a client’s overall marketing program. As users have become more experienced with the capability, they’re seeing opportunities in doing variable data campaigns (print, Web and e-mail) that build on mass media messaging via television,
Data Management — Niches and Nightmares
RIDICULOUS AS it may seem, database management has been making national news in 2008. Unfortunately, and more precisely, data mismanagement has grabbed some headlines. For the second time in a little more than a year, the good citizens of Wisconsin have seen their personal information—in the form of social security numbers—left flapping in the breeze of a government mailing. Printers in both cases found themselves sharing in the blame, and the expense, to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars for credit monitoring services out of recipient fears concerning identity theft. The threat, real albeit extremely remote, underscores the importance of the role
DIGITAL digest
JDF User Group Formed, Awards Program Expanded PITTSBURGH—To facilitate implementation of the Job Definition Format (JDF) in automated workflows, a new JDF User Group is being formed by Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/GATF) and the International Cooperation for the Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress (CIP4). Plans call for the group to meet three times a year in locations across the country, with the first meeting having already been scheduled to run here March 24 and 25. The group is to convene March 24 at PIA/GATF’s headquarters for a hands-on look at JDF implementations within the facility and a
Donnelley Recalls Educational Assessment Blocks
CHICAGO—RR Donnelley has recalled 18,000 ESI-R screening materials, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, due to a violation of the lead paint standard. Surface paint on the green wooden blocks within the materials contains excessive levels of lead. The materials were distributed through Pearson Learning Group.Donnelley is also recalling 185,000 reading and math…
Election Year May Slow Pace
The 110th Congress is in its second session. Congressional leaders anticipate passing many pieces of legislation during this session. However, presidential election years do not typically see the passage of as many major bills as non-election years due to the polarized environment. Thus, even though expectations have been lowered as to the number of bills that may be passed, Congress will still deal with hundreds of pieces of legislation that could affect the way you do business. PIA/GATF will continue to push forward its advocacy agenda and keep members alerted about upcoming bills. Debate will continue over the best way to fix the Alternative
Event Walks the Talk —Sherburne
THOSE OF you in Southern California may be familiar with PrintFest 2008, which will be held at the Anaheim (CA) Conference Center March 27-29. The predecessor of this show was the Gutenberg Festival that was founded in 1973 and sold to GASC in 1999. Following the final year of the Gutenberg Festival in 2005, Chris Jacobson, whose father founded the Gutenberg Festival and Horse Trader magazine, resur-rected the Southern California show in 2006 as PrintFest and has been gradually rebuilding attendance and exhibitor levels. The reason I am writing about this show is the unique approach that is being taken this year. Jacobson is
Gaining Sales Advantages —Morgan
IN TODAY’S market, there is an overwhelming selection of print suppliers from which to choose. As more and more new technologies become available and the printing industry diversifies, traditional sales methods are becoming less effective—and less efficient—with the new breed of print buyers. Gone are the days of cold calls and fruit baskets. So what can give a print supplier the competitive advantage in today’s market? At Print Buyers Online.com (PBO), we set out to answer this question by polling major print buyers. One of our Quick Poll surveys confirmed 68 percent of people agreed with the following statement: “Most print sales reps believe
GREEN scene
INDUSTRY NEWS Uniting to Fight Global Climate Change NEW YORK—Representatives from Time Inc., Pictorial Offset and Eastman Kodak joined forces to speak “green” during a recent seminar sponsored by the Advertising Production Club (APC) of New York and Partnership in Print Production (P3) at The Yale Club here. The keynote sustainability panel addressed the topic of how to “Fight Global Climate Change by Cutting Through the Green Fog,” which focused on sustainabiity issues in printing and advertising. Speakers included David Refkin, Time Inc.’s director of sustainable development; Nick Patrissi, Eastman Kodak’s manager of market development; Don Carli, panel moderator and research fellow at
Heidelberg to Host Operator Training Classes on Folding
KENNESAW, GA—February 1, 2008—As part of its ongoing commitment to print industry education, Heidelberg’s Print Media Academy will host operator training classes on basic and advanced folding techniques this month at Hennepin Technical College in Brooklyn Park, Minn. The training classes, which are open to the public, will be conducted on an automated Heidelberg Stahlfolder TH 66 folder, and will assist operators of small and mid-size businesses in building their knowledge and skills on some of the industry’s most advanced folding equipment. “Well-trained operators are a critical component to the success of every print shop,” said Dan Maurer, director of postpress product management
Independence Press — Dedicated to Growth
IN THE ever-growing world of printing, industrial parks have become the ideal location for a company looking to grow its business—offering the conveniences of space, easy access to major highways, postal distribution centers and carefully manicured landscapes. In contrast, trying to run a manufacturing plant amidst alleyways and docks, one-way streets, vertical facilities and sprawling neighborhoods with limited parking, can pose a tremendous challenge and make or break a company. As direct mail printing became a growing niche for Philadelphia-based Independence Press, Tony Adamucci, second-generation owner and president, and Tony’s son/managing partner, Marc Adamucci, knew that their Philadelphia location was no longer an ideal
Insider Trading Leader Is Sentenced
NEW YORK—The ex-Goldman Sachs investment banking associate who was the brains behind the $6.7 million insider trading ring that involved employees from Quad/Graphics was sentenced to 57 months in prison. Eugene Plotkin was one of two men who traded on secret tips from various sources, including BusinessWeek magazine copies stolen by two Quad employees, Juan Renteria and Nickolaus Shuster. Last December, Renteria pleaded guilty to conspiracy and insider trading charges. He has yet to be sentenced. In all, six people involved in the ring have pleaded guilty, including Plotkin and accomplice David Pajcin. The scheme involved illegal trading on M&A news, including the Procter
Mailer Exposes Private Information
MADISON, WI—For the second time in a little more than a year, the social security numbers of Wisconsin residents have been exposed in a government mailing. The state Department of Health and Family Services sent 260,000 brochures to Medicaid, SeniorCare and BadgerCare recipients, with mailing labels including their social security numbers. According to the Associated Press, the vendor that performed the job, Electronic Data Systems (EDS) of Plano, TX, has set up a hotline and is offering the recipients a year’s worth of credit monitoring. “People are getting unnecessarily alarmed here,” Bill Ritz, a spokesman for Electronic Data Systems, told the AP. “There
NewPage-Stora Integration Costs Jobs, ForcesPlant Closures
MIAMISBURG, OH—The integration of NewPage and the former Stora Enso North America’s facilities and services is going to be painful from an employment standpoint, but is projected to aid in the company’s quest to achieve $265 million in synergies. The operations are being merged in a way that will see the paper company actually increase its North American production between 3 percent and 8 percent in 2008 compared to the combined production realized in 2007, according to Mark Suwyn, chairman and CEO of NewPage. The moves are as follows: • The No. 11 paper machine in Rumford, ME, will close permanently by the end
Phoenix Marketing Services —Multi-Solutions Evolution
SINCE ITS inception in 1976, when owners Cindy and Dave Casey established Phoenix Marketing Services, the business forms manufacturer has been continuously evolving. Today, it is a completely different business operation. The two-site enterprise—with facilities in Claremont, CA, and Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico—now boasts 200 employees and offers services ranging from marketing, advertising and design, to interactive media, printing, bindery, fulfillment, warehousing and shipping. Initially based in Pomona, CA, the company developed its own creative department in 1980 to design forms and other marketing materials for its customers. It reached another milestone in 1982 when clients, namely those in the cruise line industry, began
PIA Sponsors Day of Workshops: ‘Sustainability: What it Really Means to be Green’ and ‘Environmental/OSHA Compliance’
CRANFORD, NJ—FEB. 1, 2008—Printing Industries Alliance (PIA), a regional affiliate of Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation, will sponsor a day of workshops on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 at the Crowne Plaza Meadowlands Hotel, 2 Harmon Plaza, Secaucus, NJ. “Sustainability: What Being GREEN Really Means”” (8:30-12:30) features Gary Jones, internationally known Director of EHS at PIA/GATF, and other prominent speakers who will discuss one of the most pressing issues faced by printers today. Firms of all sizes are under pressure from their clients to not only demonstrate that they are producing “green” products, but show that they are environmentally and socially
Pregnant Worker Killed by Machine
SAN FRANCISCO—A diecutting machine is believed to have claimed the life of a pregnant 26-year-old employee at Digital Pre-Press International on Tuesday. Margarita Mojica of Oakland was pronounced dead on the scene after firefighters had extricated her from the machine, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Officials were still investigating how Mojica got caught in the diecutter. According to Burt Boltuch, Digital Pre-Press attorney, the machine had been turned off before the accident. Mojica was prepping her next job and was not near the control buttons when the diecutter trapped her, the paper reported Boltuch as saying. Earlier in the day, Mojica told coworkers
Print Will Stay Afloat During Turbulent Storm —Michelson
A STOCK market stuck on a wild roller-coaster ride. Wall Street heavyweights announcing billion-dollar writedowns due to the sub-prime mortgage crisis and weak credit markets. Consumers reeling from plummeting housing valuations, overextended credit card debt and budget-busting gas prices. With the U.S. economy already in, or heading toward, a recession, printers are feeling the pinch like everyone else. But, as much as we in the graphic arts seem to suffer from an inferiority complex when comparing ourselves to other media, the overall outlook for the printing industry doesn’t look so bad—especially when compared to the current challenges facing financial services providers, home builders, retailers
Printer Accused of Financial Misdeeds
SEGUIN, TX—The former leader of two media-based companies, one of them a printing plant, has been charged with first- and third-degree felonies, including misusing employee 401(k) plans and providing false information to a bank, the Austin Business Journal reported. James Michael Story was indicted in Guadalupe County Court on charges that he misused in excess of $20,000 from the 401(k) plans between 2003 and 2006, according to the paper. Story owned Story Communications (now defunct) and its printing branch, Webstar. Story, a general partner in the former Seguin Media Group, is also accused of illegally transferring funds between the bank accounts of Seguin
