Manroland

Any in-plant manager lucky enough to be in Chicago last month for Graph Expo got to witness some significant developments in the world of graphic arts. Dubbed “The Inkjet Graph Expo” by some, the show featured more inkjet technology than most in-plant managers had ever seen in one place.

In order to enable "lasting independence," manroland announced a corporate growth strategy that focuses on leveraging the dynamic growth in certain emerging markets. The measures will reduce staff levels by about 500, mainly in administration, but are expected to produce 50 million euros in annual savings beginning in 2013.

Printing a catalog of art pieces is an extremely difficult project because the customer is comparing the proofs to the original works of art. But University of Oklahoma (OU) Printing Services pulled it off with style last June when it printed an exquisite catalog of Native American art for a show at OU's Fred Jones Museum of Art.

When University Printing Services at Texas Tech University made the decision to step beyond two-color production and into high-quality offset printing a few years ago, the Lubbock-based in-plant  chose a six-color ROLAND 300 perfector press with aqueous coating, from manroland. As word spread, more work flowed in and the in-plant pushed that press to its limits. Now, nearly six years and 48 million impressions later, Printing Services is preparing to add a second ROLAND 300.

In an interview with Frankfurter Allgemaine Zeitung published last Friday, manroland AG Chairman of the Board Gerd Finkbeiner discussed the company’s debt position, industry consolidation and technology. Addressing the marketplace for graphic arts capital equipment, Finkbeiner said manroland and its investors were well-prepared ahead of the industry’s downturn.

TO BE FAIR, the sorry state of the economy made it almost impossible for PRINT 09 to be a rousing success. Show floor traffic was so slow on the opening day (Friday), it was speculated that someone forgot to flip the sign in the front window at McCormick Place from "closed" to "open for business." And one had to question the logic of conducting a long, weekend-wraparound show on the first week of pro football season, when no one (it was presumed) would be coming to Chicago, let alone spending.

Little new information has emerged over the past week about rumors that Heidelberger Druckmaschinen and manroland AG may be holding merger talks.

Roughly 50 trade journalists, consultants and analysts converged on Chicago's Sheraton Hotel & Towers Tuesday and Wednesday for PRINT 09 Media Days, a preshow glimpse of the technologies that will be on exhibit at PRINT 09. The Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC), which manages the event, was among 14 exhibitors that provided presentations in advance of PRINT 09, which kicks off Sept. 11 at McCormick Place and runs through Sept. 16.

WE RECEIVED 420 entries this year for In-Print 2009, the only printing contest exclusively for in-plants. Sponsored by both IPG and the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association (IPMA), In-Print was judged again this year in the Salt Lake City offices of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Printing Division.

AS RANDY Smith sees it, the only way his in-plant can ensure a quick response to its customers’ needs is by doing the work in-house—and that means having the necessary equipment on hand, ready for action. “I try so hard to do as much as I can under this one roof,” says Smith, director of University Printing Services at Texas Tech University. In pursuit of that goal, the 35-employee in-plant has added an impressive array of equipment over the last few months. At the top of the list is a new HP Indigo 5500. Installed in late July, it is the in-plant’s first digital color press.