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Mark Michelson is the Editor-in-Chief of Printing ImpressionsServing in this role since 1985, Michelson is an award-winning journalist and member of several industry honor societies. Reader feedback is always encouraged. Email mmichelson@napco.com

More than 65 printing executives from around the country, as well as several trade press members, analysts and Canon Solutions America employees, took part in the "Future of Inkjet" event held at IWCO Direct's facility in Chanhassen, Minnesota, June 23-24. The main attraction was the ability to see the first U.S. customer installations of the Canon Océ VarioPrint i300 cut-sheet and ImageStream 3500 continuous-feed inkjet presses running side-by-side.

IWCO Direct is the first company in the United States to install full-color, cut-sheet digital inkjet Océ VarioPrint i300 (formerly called the Niagara) and full-color, continuous-feed inkjet Océ ImageStream 3500 presses from Canon Solutions America. Dave Johannes talks about these new investments and how the one-to-one direct mail personalization capabilities of IWCO's total high-speed inkjet printing platform is reshaping the entire IWCO Direct organization and creating greater ROIs for its direct marketing clientele.

NORTH MANKATO, MN—Carlson Craft, part of the Taylor Corp. chain, has trimmed its workforce by 114 positions in an effort to align business with economic conditions, the Mankato Free Press reported. Barb Kaus, general manager of Carlson Craft, said that consumer needs "have migrated to our solutions that are more technology enabled," according to the paper. The wholesale printing company provides stationery products and personalized accessories.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) plans to close its regional printing plant here this month and contract the printing of its newspaper, along with the weekly Barron’s, to The Des Moines Register, that paper reported. The current WSJ plant, which employs 25 people, produced editions for a four-state area.

CHICAGO—RR Donnelley will close the former Spencer Press in Wells, ME, and its Hillside, IL, facility as the company continues to deal with the dismal economy. A total of 488 jobs will be lost, including 370 at Spencer Press, a catalog and direct marketing printer. The Spencer plant will close by mid-June, with staggered layoffs. Employees at both facilities will receive severance packages.

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