JULY 2012

Toshiba Has Agreed To Abort Its National No-Print Day!
After receiving report of Toshiba's promotion titled National No-Print Day, Michael Makin, President and CEO PIA responded immediately. To respond, Bill Melo, Toshiba USA's senior vice president of marketing, services and solutions had a lengthy conversation with Makin. Melo was quite "concerned" with how the campaign had been received by the commercial printing industry and stressed it was never the intent of his company to disenfranchise or insult our industry. He explained to Makin that the campaign was always directed at the office marketplace where he opined there was needless waste.

In Makin's concluding remark, he restated the position of the printing industry that Toshiba abandon the notion of a No-Print day, and that if it wants to focus its eyes on the office marketplace, its campaign should be centered there and not by extension implicate or disparage America's printing industry. Mr. Melo did commit to going back to the drawing board and assured Mr. Makin the promotion on its website has been removed and that any re-launch of a campaign directed at office waste will explicitly explain that this in no way references the legitimate commercial printing industry and its importance to the American economy.

SignPro Systems Expands Sales Force
SignPro Systems, the modular wayfinding signage division of Orbus Exhibit & Display Group is pleased to welcome Eric Schmidt to its sales team. Schmidt's unique experience of owning his own business for the past six years brings insight that will be beneficial to SignPro's clientele.

"I am honored to be joining the SignPro team and look forward to growing with the company, as well as serving the signage community," said Schmid.

Graphic Arts Capital Merges With Connext
Graphic Arts Capital, an equipment financing company with expertise in the graphic arts industry, has been purchased by Connext, which provides equipment financing for a number of industries. The merger was announced by Connext president Ken Wuethrich, who said that, "The addition of Graphic Arts Capital and their team brings years of experience and deep knowledge of the prepress, printing and post printing industries to Connext. Combined with the funding capabilities and systems in place at Connext we stand ready to provide more services to the vendors and customers served by Graphic Arts Capital."

With the addition of Graphic Arts Capital's funding relationships, Wuethrich expects its stable of funding relationships to be greatly augmented and combining that with Connext's efficient systems will help their overall funding process to go faster. "That's one of the key benefits we're looking forward to giving our clients," said David Stearns, former Graphic Arts Capital president.

Bunting Magnetics Receives Business Honors
Bunting Magnetics-producer of precision magnetic products for the worldwide printing, automobile, plastics, food, and electronics industries-recently was honored for business excellence by several regional organizations: 1) For the second year running, Bunting Magnetics was a finalist for the 2012 Kansas Exporter of the Year award. 2) Bunting Magnetics received the 2012 International Business Excellence award from the World Trade Council of Wichita, Kansas. 3) Bunting Magnetics also won the 2012 Wichita Best in Business award presented by the Wichita Business Journal.

Commenting on the awards, the company's President Robert J. Bunting said: "We are proud to have been recognized by three separate organizations for our export activities. Bunting is known the world around for its magnetic products, which are used by manufacturers in many industries."

GASC Appoints New Program Coordinator For Must See 'Ems Technology And Product Recognition Program
The Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC), has announced the appointment of Hal Hinderliter, principal of Hal Hinderliter Consulting Services, as the new program coordinator for the annual MUST SEE 'EMS product and technology recognition awards program. Presented each year since 1999 at GRAPH EXPO (and PRINT), the MUST SEE 'EMS have become an industry-wide 'roadmap' to the most compelling new print production technology and products exhibited on the show floor.

"Mr. Hinderliter's knowledge of the industry and previous service made him the ideal choice," stated GASC President Ralph Napppi. .

Burnishine Celebrates 125 Years in the Pressroom
As dealers well know, there aren't many pressroom chemical companies that can boast 125 years serving the graphic arts industry. As the company president stated, "The reason for the company's longevity is the quality and consistency of its products and the dealer-partners that sell the Burnishine line of pressroom chemicals."

"The Burnishine brand was first seen when the J. C. Paul Company introduced a metal polish in 1887. The popularity of Burnishine Metal Polish prompted the company to use the Burnishine name on all its products. Shortly thereafter the company introduced Universal Putz Pomade, which was recommended for polishing hot metal in boiler plants. Printers used it to clean copper plates, and magazine publishers used it to clean rotogravure cylinders and linotype molds. Putz Pomade remains one of the best-selling Burnishine products after all these years."

Since 1887, Burnishine Products has manufactured a broad line of pressroom and related chemical products, including plate chemicals, blanket and roller cleaners, fountain solutions, and a line of related cleaning products all made in the USA.

Sakurai Summer Open House To Focus On Offset And Screen Press Automation
Sakurai USA will showcase offset and cylinder screen press automation and conduct live demonstrations featuring offset printing, specialty printing effects and printed electronics applications at a summer Open House to be held from 10:30 AM to 6:30 PM on Thursday, August 23, 2012 at the Sakurai Headquarters in Schaumburg, Illinois.

"The Sakurai team is looking forward to hosting our customers and prospects as well as select dealers, agents and suppliers for this day long, hands-on event featuring the new 15,000 IPH 80 SD Series offset press as well our ultra high precision Maestro MS-80SD and Maestro MS-102AII cylinder screen presses," said Greg Friesser, General Manager, Sakurai USA.

To learn more about the Sakurai Open House or to RSVP, contact Greg Friesser, General Manager, Sakurai USA, Inc., 847-490-9400 Ext. 202, greg@sakurai.com or visit www.sakurai.com.

Jon Zink Joins Xitron Sales Team As Eastern Regional Sales Manager
Xitron, a leading developer of open prepress workflow systems, announced that Jon Zink has joined the Xitron Sales Team as Regional Sales Manager responsible for the eastern United States and eastern Canadian provinces.

THIS IS HOT! Can it be an Opportunity for Imagine Dealers?
In the June 11 edition of the GreensheetBIZ, is an interesting write up by guest contributor Wayne Perry - email TalkBack@GreensheetBIZ.com.

Straight from the Drupa Show, Perry reports .... "The First Inkjet Sheet Fed Press That Got It Right, speaking about the Konica Minolta KM-1. This system has got both the potential as well as the application of what inkjet technology can really do in a sheetfed press. It's a joint development between Konica Minolta and Komori. It prints with Kyocera inkjet heads and does UV printing 4/C simplex or duplex utilizing a transfer cylinder. It can print 3,300 sheets per hour simplex, and half that duplex. Its sheet size is B2 27.8 x 19.7. And, it prints on both gloss and coated paper." Replies by email to TalkBack@GreensheetBIZ.com.

Family Business Succession Planning
GreensheetBIZ April 16: A succession plan contains two main parts-your plan for transferring control, or management of the business, and your plan for transferring the assets of the business. Part of it is art. Part of it is science. But as a start, it requires an acknowledgement that if you want the business to continue forever (who views their business as having a life expectancy?), you have to plan for the day when you are no longer there.

Management succession takes much planning and effort, but at the end of the planning, it must be implemented. The next generation's leaders must be mentored, encouraged to interact with peers from similar companies, challenged often and given additional authority over time. THINK ABOUT THAT....then write to GreensheetBIZ.com and ask how to obtain the complete article written by associate editor Bill Woods, an attorney and adviser to print entrepreneurs.