Newsfront

Print Action, May 2004

XEROX RESEARCH CENTRE OP CANADA'S Beng Ong announced the development of new materials and semi-conductive inks that bring flexible computer displays one step closer to reality. The new ink can print semi-conductor channels of transistors at low temperatures and in open air, two properties that have been missing from like technologies and necessary for low-cost manufacturing. A complete plastic transistor circuit can be printed using the new inks and materials.

EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY appointed Barbara Fellow to the position of chief marketing officer and vice president of commercial printing. Pellow has held senior positions at Xerox, IBM, IKON, Indigo and the consulting firm CAP Ventures. Most recently, Pellow was the Gannett Professor of Printing & Publishing at the Rochester Institute of Technology's School of Print Media, with responsibility for developing the curriculum of the school. She primarily focused on the relationship between paper-based media and emerging new media.

MCCALLUM PRINTING GROUP, located in downtown Edmonton, has completed a major technology upgrade to its printing plant. The operation will now apply Prinect workflow to a new Heidelberg Topsetter P 102 with Satin screening. "We are one of the few plants in Canada that offers technological advantages such as thermal CTP, stochastic screening and CIP4 workflow," said McCallum's president Darren Pohl. "Being on the leading edge will provide customers with the best product quality available anywhere."

METROPOLITAN FINE PRINTERS becomes the first printer in BC to implement a new, environmentally friendly program for cleaning printing presses and other pressroom equipment. Developed by Kimberley Clark of Canada and Unisource Canada in partnership with Newalta Corporation, the closed-loop environmental rag program enables Metropolitan's press team to clean press equipment with fully recyclable manufactured rags in lieu of standard cloth cleaners. This is the first, and currently only, program of its kind in Canada.

TED GOULD announced, that after 25 years of serving the printing industry, he is closing the doors of T&D Enterprises because of health concerns and the changing business climate. Gould started the company with his wife Diane in 1979, and later their son Scott would join them in selling printing machinery and parts around the world. Equipment and parts will be liquidated from the company's warehouse for the next several weeks. "For many years we have enjoyed a great relationship with our customers around the world, and I wish to thank them for allowing us to serve their needs," said Ted Gould.

PACIFIC BINDERY SERVICES, the largest finishing and bindery services company in Western Canada, completed its CleanPrint BC environmental management plan and earned certification in the program. Vancouver-based Pacific Bindery, led by its quality and environment manager Randy Heinz, joins 15 other BC printing industry companies to have earned certification. CleanPrint BC is a non-profit partnership among printers and suppliers, as well as members of municipal, provincial and federal governments.

SOURCELINK, based outside of Toronto, became the first company in Canada to install a second Xerox DocuColor iGen3. The company has already used both machines to produce 1-million, 8-1/2 X 11-inch, direct-mail pieces for a national retail client. It completed the project in six days. "With the first DocuColor iGen3, we expected to increase our volumes by 10 per cent and have already surpassed that goal," said Kim Roseborough, president of SourceLink. "SourceLink has all the proprietary systems in-house to produce 1:1 direct mail and customized communications."

INVESPRINT CORPORATION, through its Montreal-based Jonergin division, successfully retained its current label supply contract with CIBA Vision. "CIBA Vision has been a very important client for Jonergin and we are pleased that this relationship will continue," said Invesprint's CEO Vince Hockett, in a press release. "The entire Jonergin team worked very hard to insure we could retain this business following a very competitive bidding process. This was an important achievement as we continue to work toward improving our financial performance."

LINDA THRASHER of Jet Business Forms accepts her prize-winning certificate from Sinclair Business Forms' Patrick Boshell, sales and marketing manager, and Wayne McHale, president and general manager. Sinclair began its Win a Trip to Paradise contest as an avenue to introduce its customers to its new and ongoing Points Program. Such programs are beginning to be used by more printing companies as a means to market themselves in the business community.

QUARK INC. has joined PODi as an executive member. PODi's mission is to evangelize opportunities in digital printing and to promote the health of the digital ecosystem. "We enlist executive members of the highest caliber who share our vision of promoting the digital printing marketplace," said Rab Govil, president of PODi. "As a technology leader, Quark's commitment to support open standards such as PPML-GA will be a critical enabler for the digital printing industry."