FULLERTON, CA—Mailing specialist Advanced Image Direct has obtained six BB700 high-speed envelope inserting systems from Buhrs Americas. The new inserters, ordered during the exhibition, complement five similar Buhrs machines on hand at the company. They will increase capacity at Advanced Image Direct to 80 million pieces per month, according to Frank Verrill, company president.
DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY—Laminating equipment specialist GBC achieved a new Guinness World Record at Drupa on June 2 by establishing the fastest time to laminate 100 square meters of paper. The GBC team was able to laminate 102.2 square meters of paper in 40.53 seconds at its stand in Hall 11. The new GBC 8500HS Cyclone laminating system and GBC High Bonding Strength (HBS) film, both of which debuted here, were put to the test in the laminating challenge. Gareth Deaves, an adjudicator from the Guinness Book of World Records, confirmed the time of the lamination run and presented an award to the GBC team.
DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY—On the opening day of Drupa, Maria Manns paid a visit to the Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) booth, and Bernhard Schreier, CEO of Heidelberg, was on hand to welcome Drupa’s most senior visitor. Manns was born in September 1910 in Düsseldorf and was sent to work in the print shop run by her father, Hermann Stapperfenne, at the age of five. The company mostly produced account books for wholesale companies on a Tiegel press from Heidelberg. Over the years, the print shop invested in a Heidelberg four-color press and, in 1945, Manns took over her father’s business, which she continued to run
DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY—While exact figures aren’t available, safe sales estimates from exhibitors will easily exceed $15.5 billion for Drupa 2008 when the final orders have been processed. The exhibition, held from May 29 through June 11, drew about 391,000 visitors from 138 countries, excluding the 3,000 journalists that made the pilgrimage here. The international visitor tally…
Kodak Users Get the Real Deal LAS VEGAS—More than 300 members of the Graphic Users Association (GUA) of Kodak Solutions recently gathered at the Wynn Las Vegas for the North American group’s annual meeting. “This year’s conference was our biggest and best yet,” said current GUA President Tom Clifford, who is also a prepress technology specialist with RR Donnelley. Having “unfiltered access to executives and product specialists from Kodak” is a key benefit of attending the event, Clifford noted. “Most important, the team from Kodak. . .genuinely listens to our feedback and takes it into consideration when developing new products and features.” He also
PHILADELPHIA—Green has quickly become the earth-friendly color of choice for buyers of printing and, hence, their print suppliers. Subsequently, the emphasis on environmental sustainability provided a timely “Greener Than We Think” theme for the 37th annual Neographics Power of Print awards exhibition, ceremony and dinner held here May 1. Hosted by the Graphic Arts Association (GAA), 400 attendees crowded the Crystal Tea Room in the Wanamaker Building to pay tribute to all of the Franklin Award, Best of Category and Power of Print winners, as well as the 2008 individual honorees. Chosen from nearly 400 entries, Pomco Graphic Arts, Philadelphia, took home the 2008
SCHAUMBURG, IL—Building on the decision last year by the PIA/GATF and Web Offset Association (WOA) to merge an annual event geared toward sheetfed offset printers into their venerable WOA conference and rename it Offset and Beyond, the program covered even more topics beyond lithography this year. These included new features for the more than 600 attendees, including a Saturday jump-start series, a “green printers” showcase and a student outreach program. In addition, new all-day targeted sessions were hosted by Tom Quinn, director of fulfillment services at the Mailing & Fulfillment Service Association, and by Julie Shaffer, director of the Digital Printing Council, on the
NEW YORK—Despite garnering a first quarter profit of $71 million on sales of $208.8 million, Bowne & Co. announced a cost reduction initiative that will see the financial printer reduce its workforce by 15 percent. Bowne is targeting $50 million in annualized cost reductions in 2008 as part of a continued focus on improving its cost structure. The result is that about 650 employees will be released, which will account for $21 million in savings. Another $9 million in savings will result from the continuation of savings initiatives from 2007. The final $20 million in savings will be realized from the integration and
BIRMINGHAM, U.K.— 29/05/2008—Ipex 2010’s new dates and layout have been greeted enthusiastically by leading industry suppliers, with Heidelberg, Kodak, Canon and HP among the leading industry suppliers already allocated space on the exhibition floorplan. “Industry reaction to our innovations for Ipex 2010 has been extremely positive,” says Ipex 2010 event director Trevor Crawford. “The new, later dates – 18th to 25th May – avoid major international public holidays and should move us into a generally warmer climate. In addition, locating the exhibition solely within the new halls, accessible via a single main entrance, simplifies navigation and makes it much more likely that visitors will
NEW YORK CITY—May 22, 2008—Twenty-five students from the metropolitan region will be granted scholarships to help finance their graphic arts educations at a special awards ceremony to be held at the new Hearst Tower on the evening of June 24th. The scholarship program is conducted by the Graphic Communications Scholarship Award and Career Advancement Foundation, a non-profit that encourages leading corporations in the graphic arts to develop career and educational opportunities for graphic arts students. Also participating are P3 (Partnership in Print Production) and PIA (Printing Industries Alliance). Ranging in size from $1,000 and $5,000, each scholarship is sponsored by a different company
