Fujifilm Graphic Systems U.S.A.

Taizo Mori has been named president and CEO of Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. Additionally, Hiro Sakai has been promoted to the position of senior executive vice president and general manager of Fujifilm USA’s Imaging Division. Enovation Graphic Systems, a Fujiflm company, is a part of these organizations. Mori succeeds Atsushi Yoneda, who will serve as senior advisor in order to ensure a smooth transition of business operations and then is to return to Japan. “Taizo Mori’s sound leadership and in-depth knowledge of the Fujifilm organization and culture will serve him well in his new role,” observes Yoneda.

A year after Drupa, what new surprises do graphic arts vendors have in store for in-plants? Here's an advanced look. In-plant managers eager to see the latest graphic arts technologies can't do much better than Print 05 & Converting 05. Held in Chicago once every four years, this is the printing industry's main event. Larger than last year's Graph Expo show, Print 05 will feature nearly 800 exhibits covering more than 725,000 square feet of floor space. To help in-plants prepare, many of the industry's key vendors offered a peak at the products they plan to display in Chicago. Offset Boasting

A look at some of the latest workflow solutions. By Mark Smith The digital revolution was already on its way to making "workflow" a catch-all term in prepress, when the rise of computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) extended its use to the entire print production process. As a result, an ever-wider array of products can now be called "digital workflow solutions." For our purposes, the definition is being limited to the evolution of what used to be called prepress systems. Vendors have responded to this trend with a shift toward marketing workflow solution brands as much as specific products. Modularity and flexibility are at

In-plant managers got a chance to see the technologies they've been reading about at the recent Graph Expo show. For the many in-plant managers in attendance, the recent Graph Expo and Converting Expo 2004 show in Chicago was a graphic arts fantasy land. "I felt like a kid in a candy store," observes Mike Renn, of Mellon Corporate Publishing, in Philadelphia. "I went to take a look at the latest direct-to-plate systems and software management packages and came away with numerous options." Attendance this year was pretty healthy, he adds: "I had to wedge myself between bodies to check out the latest gear." Other managers agreed. "I

Installing CTP means rethinking your proofing methods. When the State of Washington Department of Printing decided to add a Creo Lotem 800 II Quantum platesetter last fall, the in-plant had to start thinking about proofing in a whole new way. Without film, its DuPont Waterproof system wouldn't be much use. So the in-plant added Creo's Iris4Print ink-jet proofer, with an eye toward upgrading to the new Creo Veris 1,500x1,500-dpi proofer this spring, according to Dan Maygra, interim prepress manager. The same thing happened at Arkansas State University Printing Services when it added a Heidelberg ProSetter 74 in September. The in-plant went with

More than 38,000 people attended this year's expo. Here's a glimpse of what they saw. By Bob Neubauer Integration was the big theme of this year's Graph Expo and Converting Expo. Individual manufacturers like Heidelberg and MAN Roland showcased computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) technologies connecting prepress, press and finishing. And vendor partnerships, both small and multi-faceted, foreshadowed future integration between multiple vendors' systems. Notably, at a large press conference touting the Networked Graphic Production initiative, 27 companies proclaimed their commitment to defining, developing, testing and delivering JDF-based integration between their systems. They plan to define a standardized set of interfaces to create plug-and-play solutions

Computer-to-plate technology has certainly cut a few steps out of the printing process. But plate manufacturers want to eliminate the processing, as well. By Mark Smith Computer-to-plate (CTP) production is all about removing steps, variables and labor from the workflow. So it naturally follows that people would look to eliminate the chemistry-based plate processor. The leading plate manufacturers have very similar takes on the future of this development. Their shared vision begins with a focus on non-ablative switchable polymer and/or on-press development systems. Presstek, however, is an exception. The Hudson, N.H.-based company has pioneered the market with its current generation of chemistry-free plates and

Many in-plant managers are finding that computer-to-plate isn't the wave of the future—they need it right now. By Mike Llewellyn IT ISN'T easy to convince management to invest in large equipment, particularly not when it transforms an in-plant's workflow. But it was just that vigilant attention to the bottom line that led Ken Volz to prepare his in-plant's offset operation for a digital workflow. "We were still doing small-format film and we wanted to get a large-format platesetter," says Volz, director of Printing Services at the University of Cincinnati. So just over a year ago, the Ohio in-plant brought in an Agfa Apogee prepress

Whether they're on-screen or in your hand, today's proofs are more accurate than ever. By Mike Llewellyn FEW AREAS of imaging technology have seen the advances and diversification that have accompanied proofing. Hard-copy proofs have given way, at least partially, to "soft" proofs available for viewing in real time, over the Internet, on your customers' computer screens. On-screen densitometers can check the color accuracy of your computer screen. Those hard-copy proofs that remain are being produced with advanced ink-jet technology, mimicking an offset press to create a proof that's accurate down to a halftone dot. Patrick Floody, marketing manager for Creo, explains that while

With digital cameras rising in popularity, and drum scanner lines being pulled from the market, is there a future for scanners? by MARK SMITH When Heidelberg announced it was discontinuing "all scanner development and production operations," it sent a few shock waves through the industry. After all, high-end scanning used to be all but synonymous with Hell drum machines, a tradition Heidelberg inherited when it acquired Linotype-Hell. According to Heidelberg, the market for scanners has experienced a downturn in recent years, with declines as great as 20 percent in 2001 alone, depending on market and product. "This move is a timely