Komori America

Kevin Joyce—Eastman Kodak’s managing director of the Graphic Communications Group (GCG) for the United States and Canada (US&C)—has been named a company vice president and chief marketing officer of the GCG. David Wigfield, who was the managing director of GCG’s business in the United Kingdom, has been tapped to fill Joyce’s former position. Elinor Midlik, president of Prime UV Systems, received the 2007 Harold W. Gegenheimer Award for industry service by an individual. Midlik was honored because of her active involvement on the association’s Show Policy, Strategic Planning, and Programs and Meetings committees. The new vice president and general manager of xpedx Printing

DURHAM, NC—In an effort to bolster its capacity and enhance productivity, PBM Graphics has installed a pair of six-color Komori LS sheetfed presses at its facility here, and another at its Greensboro plant. All three presses are equipped with an in-line coating system for delivering aqueous, metallic and color coating options.

DAYTON, OH—The Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce welcomed trade printer 4Over Inc. to its new Huber Heights manufacturing facility during an official ribbon-cutting ceremony held at the plant November 15. Several public officials attended the event and spoke to approximately three dozen invited guests, which included industry and local TV media, 4Over clients, neighboring businesses and various Chamber of Commerce members. The public officials who joined in the celebration were from the Ohio House of Representatives and Dayton’s city government. The Huber Heights facility, which contains more than 100,000 square feet, is 4Over’s fifth production plant, but the first one outside of Glendale, CA, where the

FROM A one-man operation in just a 12x12-ft. room, to becoming the third largest printing establishment in Houston, Classic Printers attributes its success over the years to traditional values coupled with embracing the latest printing technologies. Offering clients personalized service is not always easy in the fast-paced world of printing but, for Classic co-owners Herbert W. “Sandy” Haas and his wife Claudia Haas, it comes naturally. Since the company’s outset in 1981, customers have come to rely on the commercial sheetfed shop’s “personal” approach. “We believe that the biggest formula for our success is not losing sight of the fact that people do business

THINK OF a sheetfed offset UV press as a chemistry set for grownups, complete with an ever-shifting set of variables and a hands-on learning curve. The upside of that curve is the license to print an endless range of special effects impossible to achieve with conventional inks and coatings. And the downside? There isn’t one, according to a growing number of practitioners that may have assayed the market with a vague notion of value-added, then stayed once it became apparent what a mastery of UV techniques could mean to their competitive position and their bottom line. UV printing is not for the faint

SUSTAINABILITY was the focus everywhere at Graph Expo last month. It was the one common theme that permeated throughout the largest national graphic communications trade show. For the first time, myriad companies expressed that sustain­ability issues are one of their top goals. As just one example, Yoshiharu Komori, president and CEO of Komori Corp., opened the Komori press conference by saying that “it is our responsibility and duty to embark on solutions for the environment.” Komori says one of his company’s main goals is to become a model for the environment in the industry. Companies that have a long history of commitment to environmentally sound

The Green Scene NEEDHAM, MA—Atlantic Printing is in its final stage of transition toward a “totally green” offset printing process. Atlantic employs a combination of chemical-free plate making technology (Agfa’s Accento thermal CTP system, which utilizes Agfa’s Azura chemical-free plates), 100 percent soy-based inks (a renewable source that is naturally low in VOCs) and recycled papers (the printer has obtained Forest Stewardship Council Chain-of- Custody certification). CANTON, MA—Several “green” initiatives, including garnering the Forest Stewardship Council Chain-of-Custody certification, have been implemented at Next Generation Printing. The company is also using more recycled papers, including a new “house stock” FSC-certified mixed sheet with 50 percent recycled content,

WITH THE massive Drupa exhibition in Germany just seven months away, Graph Expo 2007 held in Chicago last month won’t go down in graphic arts history as a watershed event from a jaw-dropping new product standpoint. But that didn’t stop more than 20,000 upbeat attendees from filling the aisles at what was the largest Graph Expo event since 2000, and the second largest ever. Despite the Drupa effect, from a traditional offset printing standpoint there were a few new presses introduced, several automation and makeready advancements on display and, of course, a sprinkling of press sale announcements. An emphasis on environmental sustainability and improved

MORE THAN a billion postcards have been printed there, yet none are what most people would think of as typical postcards. And, that’s because the postcards created, printed and mailed from Carlsbad, CA-based Modern Postcard are anything but typical. Forget “Virginia is for lovers” and “My friends went to Hawaii, and all I got was this lousy postcard.” The “greetings” produced at Modern Postcard are literally mini masterpieces with a higher purpose than simply keeping in touch. Each and every postcard reflects a passion for photography, quality imagery and/or color. From product debuts and grand opening news to artist exhibitions, whatever message the card

Here’s an exclusive, PRE-SHOW PREVIEW showcasing new products submitted by many of the exhibitors that will be displaying their wares next month in Chicago. Colter & Peterson will showcase the BASA 3, which features an automatic jogging system that can automatically form layers of printed sheets, align them accurately and transport them to the subsequent cutting process. The BASA 3 is appropriate for paper from 16-lb. bond to 125-lb. tag, and is effective when combined with a modern, rear-table-feeding system. Existing gripper transport systems can be retrofitted. Visit www.piworld.com/infocenter: enter #377 MBO America will introduce the Super KTZ, featuring a knife-folding unit that