xpedx Debuts Demo Center - In-plant Impressions

By Bob Neubauer

Despite the sour economy, xpedx is investing. That was the message the company wanted to send when it showed off its new Cincinnati-area print technology center to graphic arts journalists last month. It is reportedly the only U.S. center demonstrating equipment from a variety of manufacturers.

The 11,000-square-foot print production center houses an array of prepress and press equipment from vendors like Kodak, Epson and Ryobi. Bindery equipment from Morgana, C.P. Bourg and Secap is on the way.

The facility will serve as a customer demo center where printers can test drive equipment from a variety of manufacturers. xpedx expects to host 250 printers a year at the center.

The facility was given a test run for journalists during their recent visit. A job file was imposed, plates were produced on a Kodak Magnus 800 platesetter, and then the job was run on a six-color Ryobi 756 press. CIP4 data was sent from prepress to set up the press.

The 756 was one of three presses at the center. Journalists got the first look at the new five-color, eight-up Ryobi 920. A two-up, five-color Ryobi 525 GX with a coater was also on display. Interestingly, xpedx officials said there were no plans to bring a Ryobi DI press to the center. They stressed that a conventional press, combined with CTP, offered more flexibility than a DI.

The technology center is part of International Paper’s three-building campus in Loveland, Ohio. Enclosed walkways, one spanning a lush river valley, connect the buildings.

xpedx plans to have a very large display at Print 09, which will include several Ryobi presses, as part of its push to show it is serious in its commitment to the large-format press market.

“We really want to become the premier equipment, knowledge and information source for the printing industry,” said John Torrey, vice president and general manager of xpedx.

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Bob has served as editor of In-plant Impressions since October of 1994. Prior to that he served for three years as managing editor of Printing Impressions, a commercial printing publication. Mr. Neubauer is very active in the U.S. in-plant industry. He attends all the major in-plant conferences and has visited more than 180 in-plant operations around the world. He has given presentations to numerous in-plant groups in the U.S., Canada and Australia, including the Association of College and University Printers and the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association. He also coordinates the annual In-Print contest, co-sponsored by IPMA and In-plant Impressions.