SUPPLIER news
Web Printers Hit The Race Track
DALLAS—Sun Chemical offered Web Offset Offset Association Conference attendees the opportunity to climb into a NASCAR race car for a high-speed ride around the track at the Texas Motor Speedway. Of the 250 guests in attendance at the event, nearly 160 people elected to ride as passengers in the stock cars, which reached speeds of 170 miles per hour as they sped around the oval track.
DiMS! organizing print's entire European staff have relocated to a brand new, purpose-built, state-of-the-art office building in Lichtenvoorde, the Netherlands. The building is equipped with ultra-modern demo spaces and well-equipped training classrooms.
KBA North America reports that its new generation Drupa-model Rapida 105 41˝ sheetfed press is seeing a tremendous sales surge from its introduction last May. The Rapida 105 was instrumental in enabling KBA to post double-digit growth in sheetfed offset order bookings and sales in 2004, a trend that reportedly continued in the first quarter of 2005. Since Drupa 2004, 54 new-generation Rapida 105 press lines with 305 printing units and 32 coaters have been shipped, including 12 presses boasting KBA's sidelay-free infeed, as well as more than 10 with perfecting capabilities.
Sun Chemical has finalized the previously announced redemption of its 50 percent share in Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG), a joint venture established in 1988 between Eastman Kodak and Sun Chemical. Prior to the completion of the stock redemption, Sun Chemical and Kodak had each owned half of KPG. Cash payments for the redemption total $816.5 million, to be paid over several years ($316.5 million was received at the closing). As part of the agreement, existing sales and distribution arrangements between KPG and Sun Chemical will remain in place. The KPG business is now an integrated part of Kodak's Graphic Communications Group.
Stora Enso Environment has reorganized its structure worldwide and announced the following appointments and assignments in North America: Annabeth Reitter has been appointed vice president, Environment; Brian Kozlowski will serve as director, Environment; Ann McKeon-Ruediger assumes additional responsibilities as air quality manager; Jada McDougall has been named executive assistant to the senior vice president-director, Environment; F. Andrew Gilbert Jr. is environmental services manager; Linda Somers is hazardous materials manager; and Tina Chariton has been named environmental clerk. In other news, Anthony McDowell has been appointed vice president of business development for the marketing and sales unit of Stora Enso North America.
