xpedx Printing Technologies/Ryobi

The 2010 In-Plant Printing and Mailing Association (IPMA) conference brought close to 100 in-plant managers to New Mexico's largest city. The topics, speakers and enthusiasm were almost as hot as the weather.

IPG Editor Bob Neubauer recently visited four different New York City in-plants to learn about their operations.

EVEN AFTER installing an HP Indigo 1050 digital color press four years ago, San Diego State University ReproGraphic Services still found it challenging to reach portions of the four-color market. Longer-run jobs were not cost effective on the 1050, so the in-plant was using its aging computer-to-plate (CTP) system and two-color presses to produce them. It was not the most efficient setup. So in 2006, Leslie Rutledge, manager of the nine-employee in-plant, made the decision to install a Presstek 34DI direct imaging press. Life has not been the same since. The chemistry-free, waterless offset press images plates directly on the press, saving time, improving quality and decreasing costs.

On Monday, xpedx is set to open an 11,000-square-foot Technology Center in its metro Cincinnati headquarters. It will provide U.S. print professionals with a single location to learn about and test new equipment and technologies from top manufacturers. The exhibition center will spotlight technology covering all aspects of offset and digital printing, including creative, pre-press/workflow, press and post-press/fulfillment. Printers can evaluate new products, technologies and production techniques from major print industry suppliers in a live print production environment.

Sustainability starts at the corporate level. Several vendors are taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, use alternative energy sources, recycle and more.

xpedx is expanding its commitment to U.S. printers with continued investment in its capital equipment strategy. The company has named two national sales managers who will grow Ryobi® press sales and help customers develop new opportunities via prepress equipment and workflow technologies, as well as bindery, finishing and mailing equipment.

FRITZ SIMS’ dedication to his customers is best illustrated by an anecdote he tells while sitting in his Camden, N.J., office.  A year or so before he became supervisor of Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) Printing Services, he overheard his previous boss turning away a customer who had brought in a two-color job—even though the shop had recently installed a two-color ABDick 9870 with a T-head.  Sims was shocked. The next day his boss went on vacation. Sims called the customer back and invited him to bring in the job. That customer became one of the in-plant’s greatest advocates, and Sims later went on to become supervisor of the six-employee DRPA in-plant. Satisfying customers has been his goal ever since.

LOVELAND, OH—August 13, 2007—xpedx parent International Paper Co. today announced that xpedx will acquire Central Lewmar, Strategic Paper Co., and all other Central Lewmar companies. Privately held Central Lewmar is a large Newark, NJ-based distributor of printing and publishing papers with more than $900 million in 2006 revenues. It will become a division of xpedx. xpedx said that North America printers and publishers would not see any immediate changes following the close of the acquisition in about 30 days. The company said the planned acquisition would enable both Central Lewmar and xpedx customers to continue to access a wide choice in supplies

Ryobi Graphic Systems, of Hiroshima, Japan, plans to begin construction on a new press manufacturing facility in January 2007. The new facility will be the third at Ryobi’s Hiroshima East central production center. Ryobi also recently reported that its second factory, completed earlier this year, is running at full operation. Ryobi’s newly expanded 215,000-square-foot manufacturing center—known as Hiroshima East Plants 1 and 2—generated a 60 percent increase in production capacity when the second plant became fully operational in late October 2006, according to the company. Ryobi officials said the newest facility, Hiroshima East Plant 3, will be at full-scale operations in September 2007. It

HIROSHIMA, JAPAN/LENEXA, KS—November 21, 2006—Driven by strong U.S. and worldwide demand growth for offset printing presses, Ryobi Graphic Systems of Hiroshima, Japan, said it will begin construction on a new press manufacturing facility in January 2007. The new facility will be the third at Ryobi’s Hiroshima East central production center. Ryobi also recently reported that its second factory, completed earlier this year, is running at full operation. Ryobi is one of the world’s leading producers of multi-color, mid-size offset printing presses. Ryobi’s newly expanded 215,000 square foot manufacturing center—known as Hiroshima East Plants 1 and 2—generated a 60% increase in production capacity when