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.
Day International is reintroducing the Day brand because the company has changed over the past century. Since 1995, Day has acquired multiple companies and brands, developed new product innovations, and enhanced customer service and support programs for customers. Day is now identified with a new logo and theme line. The new logo is an evolution of the original Day logo introduced in 1986. The logo still displays the rays of a rising sun, signifying a brand new day, and the theme line, "Defining Excellence," has been added to reinforce Day's commitment to continuous improvement. Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2005, Day has also re-aligned its sales and service organization to provide more in-depth technical support and generally more field service and support.
Domino Amjet has announced the promotion of David Ellen to director of sales in the United States. In addition to directing the Commercial Print division in North America, he is now also heading up the Coding and Marking division.
Canon U.S.A. has appointed Yoroku Adachi as the company's new president and CEO. Adachi has also been named a managing director on Canon Inc.'s board of directors. Canon U.S.A.'s former president and CEO, Kinya Uchida, will return to Canon Inc. to serve as an advisor at the company's Tokyo headquarters.
Walter Gierlach, president of Pro-Graphics Network, reports that the company has added the DM-340 numbering machine to its equipment line.
EFI has been named Overall Software Partner of the Year by Xerox Corp.'s Production Systems Group for 2004. Presented recently at the Xerox Business Partner Conference in Rochester, NY, the annual award recognizes the Xerox partner that has contributed most significantly to Xerox and its customers' business success. EFI has partnered with Xerox since 1991. Also, EFI has appointed Mark Adams as vice president of corporate development and strategy.
Kodak Versamark, a part of Kodak's Graphic Communications Group, has named P.C. "Pat" McGrew as vertical industry marketing director.
The Print Media Academy (PMA) of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) is celebrating its fifth anniversary as a training, communication and knowledge center for the international print media industry. It was opened on April 14, 2000, the same day that Heidelberg celebrated its 150th anniversary. The PMA's unique glass building is already a familiar sight on the Heidelberg skyline. In 2004, 58,000 visitors passed through the PMA's doors.
Muller Martini has hired Peter Wolfram as regional sales manager with responsibility for Ohio and Kentucky. Wolfram is now based at Muller Martini's offices in Centerville, OH. Most recently, he was sales manager, Latin America, for Heidelberg Web Systems.
Precisia LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Flint Ink, is partnering with Impinj Inc. to launch a line of RFID products utilizing Impinj's family of chips. Precisia will design, prototype, test and print its own antennas for the inlays it produces with the chips, or will print existing antenna designs developed by Impinj.
Fuji Photo Film has established the Fuji Photo Film Printing Plate (Suzhou) Co. in Suzhou, China. This is a new plant that will manufacture PS and CTP plates. Fujifilm will continue with the construction of this new plant, which is slated to begin operation in March 2007.
Streamfeeder has launched its redesigned Website at www.streamfeeder.com. The site redesign incorporates Streamfeeder's new branding and imaging, and includes many new features such as improved navigation and site search capabilities.
MAN Roland has developed a method to put its technicians on-call in customers' pressrooms—24/7. ProServe Virtual press protection directly connects a printer's sheetfed press crew with MAN Roland's Rapid Response Team so a solution to any technical problem is just a phone call away.
Agfa Corp. has appointed Dennis Rusch to lead the expert services group in North America.
Yupo Corp. America, a manufacturer of synthetic papers, is calling for entries for the third annual Wally Awards. The program is open to candidates in North and South America who submit a project created on YUPO paper over the last six years. Winners of the 2005 Wally Awards will each receive a cash prize of $1,000, a customized Wally Award statue designed by illustrator Bill Mayer, and other prizes. Entrants can register at www.yupo.com.
QuadTech Inc., a designer and manufacturer of automated press control systems, has appointed Vince Balistrieri as its new director of engineering.
X-Rite plans to move its corporate headquarters, including manufacturing and offices, to 4300 44th St. SE, in Kentwood, MI. The move is expected to take place before the end of June 2006.