Printing Impressions October 2011 edition
4over Inc. : Gambling with Success
It’s not an exaggeration to call 4over the most well-known trade printer in the industry. The $78 million firm now has facilities in seven states and Canada. “Our company took advantage of the economic downturn. We did the opposite of what everyone else was doing—stopping and waiting,” says Zarik Megerdichian, the CEO of Glendale, CA-based national trade printer.
ACROSS the nation
Commercial printer equipment installations and other news from Printing Impressions’ Oct. 2011 edition, featuring items on Docuplex Graphics, Haapanen Brothers and J.W. Boarman Co.
CGX Installs Variety of Inkjet Printers
Consolidated Graphics (CGX) has purchased a variety of large- and grand-format inkjet printers from EFI and HP to be installed in several CGX facilities across the country. Among the new equipment: EFI VUTEk GS5000r and GS3200 grand-format devices, as well as HP Scitex FB500 and Scitex LX800 large- and grand-format machines.
Command Web Offset Plant Will Close
Command Web Offset, a 40-year-old book printing operation severely pinched by electronic books in particular and digital publishing in general, will close its doors Nov. 15, resulting in 105 layoffs.
Creel Printing Adds Digital Provider
Commercial printer and publishing solutions provider Creel Printing has acquired Digital Lizard in an effort to provide customers with a one-stop solution. Digital Lizard has developed processing protocols to manufacture, finish and ship on the same day, enabling customers to meet fast turnarounds.
DIGITAL digest
Leveraging the North American debut of its inkjet production press at Graph Expo 2011, Xerox Corp. took a group on a side trip to Iowa to see the press in production. Now known as the CiPress 500, dmh Marketing Partners has been the first print service provider in the United States running the machine.
Graph Expo Review: Digital Printing & Workflow - Inkjet Is the New Heavy Iron
Wide- and grand-format printers really stood out around the show floor, with the size of some devices giving them the impression of being the new “heavy iron” in the industry. Even the new crop of inkjet presses for high-volume page production was overshadowed a bit by their wider brethren, as fewer vendors elected to bring machines to Chicago.
Graph Expo Review: Postpress - Leveraging the New Normal
Instead of seeing a gaggle of tire kickers, the printers and trade finishers who perused McCormick Place South during Graph Expo 2011 had more sober intentions. There is clearly pent-up demand in the marketplace, particularly for finishing equipment.
Graph Expo Review: Presses - Offset, Digital Integration
Offset press output still comprises 90 percent of the printing done, by some accounts, but you wouldn’t know it based on all the attention given to digital inkjet- and toner-based devices at Graph Expo. Lithographic press manufacturers aren’t standing still, however.
Lost Art of Letter Writing –DeWese
It’s been a while since I’ve written about Marvelle Stump, America’s worst, laziest, and all-around most incompetent printing salesperson. Marvelle sold his last real job back in 1987 just before his mama passed away. Mama Stump had been the print buyer at First Mississippi Bancorp and always took care of her baby.
NewPage Parent Files for Chapter 11 Restructuring
The parent company of NewPage Corp. and some of its U.S. subsidiaries have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in order to facilitate an orderly debt restructuring. NewPage's product portfolio includes coated freesheet, coated groundwood, supercalendered, newsprint and specialty paper.
Palkos Make Friends the World Over –Cagle
A journey to Graph Expo in Chicago wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the Technifold USA booth. No, I’m not partial to binding equipment, nor do I get any particular jollies out of seeing creasing and perforating gear. But, you have to love people like Gina and Andre Palko.
Postal Service Follies: It’s No Laughing Matter –Michelson
The USPS is in dire financial straights; no one can argue with that. Shrinking mail volumes, onerous union contracts, inefficient work rules, outdated business practices, requirements to “prepay” retiree health benefits and Congressional meddling, are all contributing factors.
Prep for a Buyer Inquisition –Dana
A printer writes, “Margie, we’re about to meet a team of nine buyers for the first time. We responded to their request for an RFP, and today we found out that we made the final four of prospective print partners. What advice can you give us?”
PRINTER news
Commercial printer company and personnel news from Printing Impressions’ October 2011 edition.
Rising Web Lifts Boats
The Internet has proven to be something of an elixir, a cure-all tonic for trade printers that were either suffering or stagnating. It has played a large role in the growth, perhaps even salvation, of some trade firms. We’ve encapsulated three notable trade printers, along with a look at what’s fueled their fire and provided confidence in the foreseeable future.
RR Donnelley Acquires Genesis, Expands Facility
RR Donnelley has acquired Lemont, IL-based Genesis Packaging & Design, a full-service provider of custom packaging, including design, printing, diecutting, finishing and assembly. Beyond packaging production, Genesis offers a broad spectrum of services, including the design and production of point-of-purchase displays and signage.
SUPPLIER News
Commercial printing industry supplier company and personnel news from Printing Impressions’ October 2011 edition.
Try Outrageous Selling! –Farquharson/Tedesco
Outrageous selling delivers value beyond what prospects and customers expect. No one’s asking you to hop in a tank to sell printing, but occasionally you can and should move out of your “same old, same old” comfort zone and into the world of outrageous selling.
UPFRONT
Commercial printing industry news briefs, including items on The Edward Hine Co., Dataflow Inc., The Printing House, Transcontinental, PrintHarmony.com, Schawk, Harmony Printing & Development, Integraphx and Hewlett-Packard.
