Hewlett-Packard

GOVERNMENT CARS came to a screeching halt in front of Geographics’ facility and FBI agents quickly swarmed the building. Two officers were at the front, two covered the back. They pounded on the doors. Was Geographics owner Norvin Hagan busted during his first week on the job? Though it seemed to be the case, Hagan was innocent. It was steamy Atlanta, 1976. Apparently the previous owner of the company had been jimmying the postage meter for a number of years, only paying for every fifth or sixth mail piece. But the G Men had gotten wise to his antics. And screwing around with USPS

CHICAGO—Oct. 15, 2006—HP today announced that Tukaiz is completing its three-month installation of four new HP Indigo presses, enabling the firm to handle its customers’ rapidly increasing demand for digitally printed applications. Joining the Franklin Park, Ill.-based company’s two existing HP Indigo press 3050s are HP Indigo presses s2000, three HP Indigo press 5000s, as well as the new HP Indigo Production Manager digital front end. These additions create a large-scale digital printing operation projected to produce eight- to 12-million impressions per month. The new investments are part of a progressive strategy to fully leverage variable-data printing (VDP) and other digital printing advantages while

CHICAGO, IL—October 3, 2006—Celebrating its first anniversary and the successes of its inaugural year, the Digital Solutions Cooperative (Dscoop) announces the dates for its second annual conference which will take place February 1-3, 2007, at the Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa, Florida. Dscoop, a dynamic, user-driven community of HP Indigo press owners and their sales, marketing and production teams, is gaining momentum after celebrating its one year anniversary this month. What started from scratch just a year ago has evolved into the world’s largest printing solutions provider cooperative, working to bring creative ideas to the market and help their members be more profitable.

FOR FRANK McPherson, taking on tough variable data printing (VDP) projects is nothing new. “The first variable data printing job I did was in 1959,” McPherson, president and HDM (head decision maker) of Custom Data Imaging in Markham, Ontario, recalls. “It was a calendar for a pharmacy that was sending out well wishes to some of its customers. We did it with Linotype slugs.” McPherson started his career as a typesetter, and says he has held just about every position imaginable in the industry during his 48 years in the business. He also worked as a consultant for about a decade. But the

THE FIFTH annual PIA/GATF Variable Data and Personalization Conference, held November 12-14 in Phoenix, will feature more than two days of sessions to help companies advance their capabilities. This special supplement has been designed to highlight some of the key conference topics and speakers. Attendees will hear case studies from the Canadian Conservative Party and Move.com that provide a behind-the-scenes look at effective uses of VDP. Three separate tracks, a total of 21 sessions, are being offered. Management sessions will include: Building an Efficient Cost/Financial Model; Liability/Security Issues; Managing a Multimedia Company; Transitioning from Transactional to Marketing; as well as Profiting from Digital

ALL ROADS lead to the Windy City for our industry’s biggest annual confab, Graph Expo, this month. Although you might be reading this issue of Printing Impressions just after the event—or perhaps on your way to the show—most pundits predicted that the overriding themes for this year’s edition would be digital printing and workflow. Large exhibits from companies like Xerox, Kodak, H-P, Xeikon and Océ will surely be bustling with show floor traffic. Printers who have already entered the digital printing realm will be crowded shoulder-to-shoulder within these booths with those still pondering whether to make their initial leap. Some show-goers will just

FOR A time, it seemed as if the only point of distinction in digital printing was the simple fact of it being digital. The term became virtually synonymous with short run, quick turnaround printing, maybe with a little variable data work thrown in. Companies looking to invest in digital printing services typically evaluated the full range of equipment options available, a trend that continues today. At first blush, all the machines seem more alike than different—in terms of format, speed, resolution, etc.—and are capable of getting the job done. Some vendors like the connotations—solid, durable, productive—of the “digital press” designation. Other have opted to

PHILADELPHIA—PRINTING IMPRESSIONS is hosting a live, interactive free Webinar, “Extending Your Workflow to Digital,” on September 12 at 2 p.m. Eastern time.The hour-long Webinar, sponsored by Hewlett-Packard and Agfa, features printers and industry experts who will share their thoughts on developing, managing and implementing a successful digital workflow strategy. Steven Schnoll of Schnoll Media Consulting…

AROUND EACH turn of every corner stood a reminder of the greatness that is Strine Printing. Dave Kornbau, the company’s vice president of operations, was a popular man while providing a walking tour in early August. His cell phone rang every few minutes. Co-workers handed him press samples here and there. Quick questions received lightning-fast answers. It was like watching an episode of “The West Wing,” the White House drama, only without the constant scowls. Kornbau paused and gestured toward bulletin board-type displays that adorned the hallway walls. Rich colors and textures were everywhere. Sparkling ceiling mobiles danced in the cool air, their diecut

Printers in the Driver’s Seat As digital printing technology has matured—becoming more reliable, easier to use and available at a range of price points—the advancements seem to have made it more practical for end users to bring the capability in-house. Lines of distinction continue to blur between graphic arts, transactional and corporate printing solutions. When it comes to implementing variable data and/or a Web-to-print solution to support a dispersed user base, though, the reverse can actually happen. Even a corporation with an extensive in-plant operation may look to an outside supplier for the required expertise. Digital can open doors that are locked to offset