Workflow/MIS/Web-to-Print

Eastman Kodak’s board of directors has promoted Philip J. Faraci to President and Chief Operating Officer, responsible for the day-to-day management of Kodak’s two major digital businesses: the Consumer Digital Imaging Group (CDG) and the Graphic Communications Group (GCG). Faraci, 52, had been President of CDG and a Senior Vice President of the company. He assumes responsibility for GCG from James T. Langley, 57, who remains a Senior Vice President until his departure at the end of the year. Since the company is eliminating the position of president for both CDG and GCG, Langley will leave Kodak once he completes the transition of his responsibilities

FROM WORKFLOW tools and variable data software to CTP and proofing technologies, Graph Expo had enough technology to make any in-plant manager’s head spin. Here are some of the latest products we saw at the show. Computer-to-plate Systems Agfa demonstrated its :ThermoFuse plate technology, including the chemistry-free :Azura plate, which eliminates chemical processing. By significantly reducing liquid waste in the plate creating process, it supports a more environmentally friendly solution. Also shown was Agfa’s :Energy Elite, winner of a 2007 InterTech technology award. The newest addition to the Agfa range of thermal plates, :Energy Elite is a true no-bake plate offering run

TOKYO—September 21, 2007—The International Cooperation for the Integration of the Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress (CIP4) organization today announced at IGAS 2007 the release of a new set of Interoperability Conformance Specifications - “ICS” based upon version 1.3 of the JDF specification. Current JDF product certification testing, managed by PIA/GATF, is based upon JDF 1.2 ICS’, which is the previous generation of ICS documents. ICS’ define subsets of the JDF specification that graphic arts systems and software must implement to establish a minimum level of JDF support. Each ICS is specific to a production step or the connectivity between a system that is

CHICAGO—More aggressive promotion to in-plants was part of the plan the sponsors of Graph Expo implemented to build traffic at the 2007 show. It’s still not known if that part of the effort paid off, but the Graphic Arts Show Co. (GASC) is projecting that overall attendance was up. While cautioning that official attendance figures are still pending, GASC Vice President Chris Price believes attendance was up slightly over last year. In 2006, the show company switched to reporting verified attendees, rather than all registrations. An impressive 640 exhibitors, including 120+ new ones, filled the sold-out exhibit hall. Along with the offset and digital printing equipment

AS ALTERNATIVE media threaten print volumes, in-plants must take another look at their business models and adapt to the changing business climate. Revenue growth will depend on cost reduction through new workflow efficiencies, as well as new revenue sources from value-added services. Although hardware improvements will certainly play a role in advancing these objectives, the software driving these devices—along with other workflow solutions—will allow printers to differentiate themselves. Research indicates a growing divide between service providers that are growing their businesses and those that see their businesses in decline. Those who “get it” understand that continued growth depends on a three-pronged approach:

BELGIUM—082707—Esko and Artwork Systems announce the completion of their merger transactions. The new combined business will go forward under the EskoArtwork brand, a name that reflects the strong heritage and broad customer base of the founding companies. EskoArtwork is the global market leader for innovative design, pre-production and collaboration solutions to the packaging industry. EskoArtwork also provides a broad range of workflow solutions to the commercial printing market, as well as the Enfocus suite of PDF tools for graphic designers and print production professionals. Bringing together the best products, people and practices of the integrated companies, EskoArtwork is ready to support its customers’ needs through

Markzware, a leading software publishing company, has donated licenses of a new software program to Cal Poly’s Graphic Communication Department. This will enable Cal Poly to upgrade its electronic printing and publishing laboratories. Markzware donated 64 licenses of FlightCheck Professional Version 6, valued at $32,000. This is a prepress application used to manage quality control for print jobs. The solution provides both native file and PDF preflight checking. FlightCheck is designed for creative designers, prepress departments, customer service representatives and graphics professionals in the digital print and publishing industries. The software helps prepare PDF and other documents for commercial printing. It helps save printers and publishers

KENNESAW, GA—August 7, 2007—Heidelberg will showcase its commitment to small print shop owners at Graph Expo 2007 with a dedicated Small Business solutions area in booth #1200 at McCormick Place in Chicago from September 9 -12. Small business printers can now find everything they need from one place, and Heidelberg will demonstrate many of their small business solutions, including prepress, press, postpress and workflow products, at the show. “Small businesses are the engine of the printing industry, and Heidelberg offers them the best technology available to remain competitive,” said Joerg Daehnhardt, director of product management for general commercial print, Heidelberg USA. “We recently added many

Companies to consolidate their global market position in pre-production products and services for packaging and printing GENT, BELGUIM—August 2, 2007—Esko and the three principal shareholders of Artwork Systems (Euronext Brussels: ARTS) today have reached an agreement whereby Esko and Artwork Systems will combine their operations. The resulting new entity, with estimated 2007 revenues in excess of EUR 180 million and a combined workforce of close to 1,000 professionals, consolidates the market leadership of both companies in packaging and printing pre-production products and services in Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific. On August 2, the three principal shareholders of Artwork Systems Group NV signed an

PARAMUS, NJ—JULY 24, 2007—In a July 20, 2007, letter to Adobe Systems, Inc. CEO Bruce Chizen, Joseph P. Truncale, president and chief executive officer of NAPL (www.napl.org), the trade association for excellence in graphic communications management, and Steve Johnson, president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Quick Printers (NAQP), stated that their position regarding the Adobe/FedEx Kinko’s agreement remains as follows: Adobe should extricate itself from the agreement and remove the FedEx Kinko’s logo and embedded link from Adobe software in a timely manner. The letter followed a July 17, 2007, Print Advisory Forum held in San Francisco, CA, and