KBA North America

Banta Corp., Mensasha, WI, announced the appointment of David Engelkemeyer to vice president of worldwide operations. He assumes senior executive leadership responsibilities for all of Banta's manufacturing operations, which include the corporation's print, supply-chain management and healthcare facilities. Michael Sullivan has assumed the duties and office of president and general manager of Envelopes & More. He replaces his father, John Sullivan, who led the Bloomfield, CT-based company since its inception in 1990. He will remain with the organization in an advisory capacity. Kevin Rickard, vice president of operations at Rickard Bindery in Chicago, has been elected president of Binding Industries Association International (BIA) for

arizona PHOENIX—Roswell Bookbinding has installed a Muller Martini Monostar perfect binder with inline Zenith three-knife trimmer; a Brehmer high-speed Smyth sewer; and the Optigraf Opticontrol print recognition system. california FREMONT—Spectrum Lithograph has purchased the Kawahara TXR- 1100 series blank separator. Spectrum Lithograph utilizes the new investment for blanking packaging boxes, CD wallets and more. MODESTO—A Rilecart PB-796 automatic punch bind machine has been chosen by John F. Turner Co. for production of calendars. The installation was performed by Pigna America. connecticut HARTFORD—Lebon Press has announced its expansion of services with the installation a six color, 40˝ Heidelberg Speedmaster press complete with perfecting and

Vendors Time Release Products for Drupa DÜSSELDORF—Drupa 2004 will most likely have begun its run by the time this story is in print, yet it technically is still part of the pre-show coverage. Two companies elected to make their announcements embargoed until now. Presstek previously released information about its next-generation thermal imaging head, ProFire, but details of its application were held back. Formal product launches were being saved for Düsseldorf. The company is teaming up with Ryobi, KBA (Karat) and Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG) to introduce an entry-level, lower cost digital offset printing platform based on ProFire. An entry-level version of the yet-to-be- named

by chris bauer Managing Editor Finally, the rumor mill can go silent concerning the status of industry giant Heidelberg Web Systems. Just days before closing this issue, Heidelberg and Goss International reached an agreement on major issues for the intended transfer of the Heidelberg Web Offset division to Goss International. An outline deal has been agreed upon in principle, but some issues remain to be resolved before definitive documents are expected to be executed over the coming weeks. Heidelberg will still display web presses at the upcoming Drupa trade show in Germany, reports Greg Norris, manager of marketing communications. Its newest

BY MARK SMITH Technology Editor The line of demarcation between a copier and printer was the first to fall. Now it's not uncommon for devices with similar capabilities to be called printers or presses, depending on who's doing the naming. And, markedly different machines—such as all-digital and digital offset systems—may be labeled as digital presses, or the ubiquitous production systems. The upshot is that it has become very difficult to neatly define what products should be included in an update on the state-of-the-art in digital printing. Therefore, what follows is a look at some, if not all, of the recent major developments in the

Exhibitors Promise a Super Drupa DUSSELDORF, GERMANY—As an international group of journalists gathered at the fairgrounds for a preview, the countdown to Drupa 2004 clicked past the 100 days threshold. Scheduled once every four years, the 13th installment of this world market for print media, publishing and converting is slated to run May 6-19, 2004. Playing off the Olympic motto ("faster, higher, farther"), the slogan for Drupa 2004 could be "prettier, faster, more reliable," suggests Albrecht Bolza-Schünemann, president of the event and CEO of Koenig & Bauer AG. "Print products are becoming prettier. Print services will have to be delivered ever faster in

california BURBANK—California Coast Color has added a four-color, 40˝ Mitsubishi Diamond 3000S sheetfed press. It is the second Mitsubishi for the 12,500-square-foot shop with 20 employees. COSTA MESA—Hoover Printing & Lithography is now operating its newly installed, six-color HP Indigo digital press. SAN LUIS OBISPO—Herschel "Hank" Apfelberg, longtime professor of graphic communication at Cal Poly, died January 13 at Stanford University Hospital at the age of 67. Mr. Apfelberg started his career as a linotype operator/compositor. Before coming to Cal Poly, where he taught from 1971 to 2001, he worked as a process engineer and rotogravure administrator for American Can and as printing superintendent

Xerox Sees Future In Black-and-White ROCHESTER, NY—Based on its market analysis, Xerox Corp. believes there is $18 billion in annual print sales worldwide that potentially could migrate from offset to digital production. The nature of the applications, substrates used and other job requirements make this work suited to digital production, asserts Valerie Blauvelt, vice president of integrated marketing. "Our goal is to capture 10 percent of that opportunity." Xerox has identified a "mid production" market and technology category that fills a gap in price, performance and capability, adds Mark Waxenberg, vice president and general manager, Production Solutions Business Unit. In response, the company has

by chris bauer Managing Editor It's no longer necessary to buy a behemoth press to get all of the big automated features that come along with them. Small- and medium-format (up to 23x29˝) sheetfed presses also boast a bevy of bells and whistles. "The main features required by today's press buyer (are based on) automation," notes Mike Dighton, vice president of Hamada of America. "Auto plate loading, blanket washers, color consoles, including CIP3/4, are almost always asked for by our customers. The automation carries into prepress, as well." Hamada's new Impulse 452P is a 14x20˝ perfector. The Impulse runs at 13,000 iph and will

Pasquariello Graphics is holding a two-day folding school the week of January 26. The course is designed to help operators overcome problems associated with printing and binding. The PGI Folding School features MBO equipment. Graphic arts distributor Enovation Graphic Systems has named Steve Bennett as the company's new vice president of product marketing and communications. Sun Chemical has named Brad Bergey as COO of Kohl & Madden, its business unit devoted to inks used by sheetfed, forms and combination printers in the commercial market. It is planned that Bergey will succeed George Dunn, the current president of Kohl & Madden, when he retires in April.