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Resolve to Be More Efficient...
IRgA to Hold Free Webinar for Members February 7
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The IRgA will continue its practice of offering education by audio and video with a webinar on the topic of operational efficiency, scheduled for Wednesday, February 7. The webinar will begin at 11:00 a.m. Central time in order to maximize participation across the various time zones.
Take a look from inside and outside the box. Learn from two efficiency experts on how to make your operation perform more efficiently. Take advantage of this free offering to IRgA member companies. As a service to the reprographics industry, IRgA non-member companies can also participate for only $99 per location.
Our speakers: The speakers will be Charles Freidrichs, Owner of Project Web Portal Co. and Quality Management Systems Co. in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and Jim Hertle, Director of Operations for Perkinson Reprographics in Phoenix, Arizona. |
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Freidrichs has 11 years of experience in construction and quality management and more than 20 years of experience in manufacturing and quality management. He has served in various capacities, including corporate quality assurance manager, and more recently heads up his own quality assurance company.
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Steve Bova, CAE
Executive Director |
Hertle has 18 years of experience in the semiconductor manufacturing and capital equipment industry, and has held numerous leadership positions in engineering and manufacturing. He recently joined the reprographics industry from Freescale Semiconductor/Motorola. Jim received his BS degree from Central Michigan University, MBA from University of Phoenix and is a certified Six Sigma Green Belt. Before joining Motorola, he was a mechanical engineer at Advanced Semiconductor Materials and General Signal Thinfilm Company.
Registration now open online: Click here for more information and to register for the webinar now! Registration will be available to IRgA member companies until the webinar begins, but advance registration is always appreciated. Non-member companies must register by the close of business on February 6, one day before the webinar. There will be subsequent email reminders, with more information, to remind you about registration in the coming weeks.
Looking for some QC Experts: After the Annual Convention & Trade Show being held May 9-11 in Dallas, the IRgA will continue its webinar series on June 6, focusing on the topic of quality control. The IRgA Education Committee wants to tap the vast talent pool from within the reprographics industry. If you are interested in presenting, or know someone who would be a good presenter on the topic of quality control, please forward the information to IRgA's Education Coordinator, Anthony Salas, at asalas@irga.com. The committee is looking to pair one or two experts from within our industry - perhaps representing a diversity of reprographics perspectives (e.g., large shop and smaller shop) with a quality assurance expert from outside our industry.
Start 2007 on the right foot and make a commitment to participate in the IRgA webinars. Everyone from within your company is welcome to participate from your conference room!
The IRgA welcomes your feedback through info@irga.com, or you may contact me directly at sbova@irga.com.
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Inside the IRgA
Register for the IRgA 2007 Annual Convention & Trade Show
Registration for the IRgA 2007 Annual Convention & Trade Show, May 9-11, 2007 in Dallas, TX, is open online! Click here for more information and to register now! The IRgA Web site also includes the most current information about educational programming, the schedule of events, the annual golf tournament, the trade show, signing up as an exhibitor, hotel and travel, and convention press passes.
Please indicate source code EM3 when you register online.
Trade Show Discount Ends January 31; Show 86% Full
If you're an exhibitor, now is the time to start planning for the 2007 Annual Convention & Trade Show. Don't delay, 86% of the trade show space this year has already been sold! Exhibitor information, including sponsorship opportunities, is now available on the IRgA website. Click here for more information on exhibit space and sponsorship. To view the PDF of the 2007 Exhibitor Prospectus, click here. Note that January 31, 2007 will be the LAST day to receive 2006 early bird exhibitor rates.
Last Call for Bukovsky Award Nominations
Now is the time to submit your entries for the 2007 Bukovsky Award, our industry's highest honor. The Bukovsky Award honors the memory of George K. Bukovsky, who worked in the reprographics industry for over 30 years. During his long career, he was actively involved in the IRgA and worked to further the industry. The award was established after his death in 1990 to honor his outstanding contributions, and in 2007, the IRgA will celebrate 16 years of recognizing the individuals, reprographers and vendors, who have also made a lasting impact on the industry. There are several well-deserving candidates, so don't be shy. Nominate a friend or colleague today! This is the last reminder that nominations are due by January 31, 2007. Click here for award criteria and a nomination form.
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NEW! IRgA Member Benefit Feature-Online Membership Database
Happy New Year from the IRgA! Make it your New Year's resolution to start utilizing all your IRgA member benefits. We'll help you by featuring a different piece of the IRgA member benefit package in each issue of the IRgA News Digest.
IRgA members are part of an interactive online membership database that provides all active members with a free comprehensive listing on the IRgA Web site. If you haven't already done so, make sure your company is a part of the membership and update it with details on your business. Make sure you provide a link to your company Web site and communicate the types of services your company offers. In addition, you can utilize the membership database to exchange ideas with other reprographers around the world.
The IRgA will be promoting this searchable IRgA member company database to the AEC community this year, so make sure your business is represented!
Those interested in IRgA membership can contact us at info@irga.com.
IRgA 2007 Media Kit Available Online
The IRgA also has several advertising opportunities in various association publications, including REPRO REPORT, the IRgA News Digest, and the IRgA Membership Directory. The 2007 Media Kit features advertising opportunities, detailed editorial information, and submission material specifications. Secure your 2007 positions today! To request a copy of the 2007 Media Kit, click here.
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Industry News
A&E-The Graphics Complex Acquired By Thomas Reprographics
A&E-The Graphics Complex has been acquired by Thomas Reprographics, Inc. This acquisition increases Thomas' position as the second largest reprographer in the country. A&E, estimated to be one of the 10 largest companies in the reprographics industry, has been acquired by the second largest company in the industry and will become Thomas' largest division. A&E will maintain the name that its customers have come to know in Houston, and the three Thomas locations in Houston will also take on the name, A&E-The Graphics Complex, A Division of Thomas Reprographics.
"We are very excited about the opportunities [the acquisitions] will provide us and the employees of both Thomas and A&E in Houston," says Chuck Gremillion, president of A&E. "My brothers and I look forward to the opportunity of growing with Thomas, both locally and nationally." The number of combined A&E and Thomas locations will total seven in the Houston area.
Thomas also has locations in Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Phoenix, Tucson, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and Southeast Florida and employs over 900 nationally. "The acquisition enhances the abilities of both Thomas and A&E customers," says Bryan Thomas, president of Thomas Reprographics. "They will have unparalleled production capabilities, more convenient access to services, and Thomas customers will have access to longer hours of operation. We are positioned well to continue growing, and we are poised for future expansion." For more information, visit www.aecomplex.com or www.thomasrepro.com.
PLP Digital Systems, Inc. Launches New Version of Workflow and Business Intelligence Solution
PLP Digital Systems, Inc. announced the release of OpCenter 2.0. Designed for reprographics firms serving the AEC community, OpCenter enables customers to quickly transition from a traditional analog workflow to a streamlined digital workflow. This release provides owners, managers and operators the command-and-control functionality required to optimize productivity and return-on-assets across the enterprise.
From a single browser-based interface, authorized employees can monitor both real-time and historical production data in every location and on every printer. The new data-mining module, OpCenter Analytics, allows production managers and executives to visualize and analyze production data using interactive charts and graphs. Business trends and productivity metrics may be displayed by quarter, month, week, day or by the hour. OpCenter exposes systematic production bottlenecks, chronic equipment problems and underutilized assets. The production module, OpCenter Timeline, allows operators and production managers to view the status of every job, on every printer, in every location. For more information, visit www.plp.com.
B&H Industries Acquires FXie and Will Merge with FXWB Reprographics
B&H Industries in Chicago, IL announced its acquisition of FXie, a technology-oriented reprographics company, also located in Chicago, IL. On February 1, 2007, B&H will subsequently merge with FXWB Reprographics of Waukegan and Vernon Hills, IL to form a new company, BHFX LLC, resulting in a network of eleven locations to provide reprographic services throughout the Chicagoland area. Mike Tackett, President and CEO of FXWB, says that with the merger, "Operational efficiencies will come first, while diversification as well as sales and marketing synergies will strengthen the new company in the long term. The combined resources will better meet constantly changing customer needs in an expanding digital economy." For more information, visit www.bhindustries.com or www.fxwb.com.
ONYX Graphics, Inc. Names New Vice President, Worldwide Sales
ONYX Graphics Inc. announced that Clint Green has been named Vice President of Worldwide Sales. Green will be responsible for sales of the company's line of workflow solutions products through direct channels, distributors and dealers around the world. ONYX Graphics' direct sales representatives in the U.S. as well as sales management in Germany and Australia report to Green. He will be based in the company's London office until his relocation to Salt Lake City, UT later this year. For more information, visit www.onyxgfx.com.
What is JPEG2000?
Julie Shaffer, director of the PIA/GATF Digital Printing Council (DPC) and head of the Digital Business and Technology Center, explains that JPEG2000 is a newer international standard for compressing image data. JPEG2000 is not meant to succeed JPEG but is a totally new form of compression. Although the compression is more efficient than JPEG, JPEG2000 is PDF 1.5/6 and Acrobat 6/7 compatible only. JPEG2000 supports alpha channel transparency, 16-bit color, and a lossless compression option. Distiller offers six levels of JPEG2000 compression: minimum, low, medium, high, maximum, and lossless. These options refer to image quality (most compression) and lossless is the highest image quality (least compression). The biggest problem with JPEG2000 compression is that many RIPs still on the market cannot process files containing images compressed in this way. (This information was taken from the 11/27/06 issue of Galley Proof, a weekly newsletter of The Printing Industry of Illinois-Indiana Association in Chicago, IL. Their Web site is www.pii.org.)
Roland Expands Its Executive Management Team
Roland DGA Corporation announced an expansion of its executive management team. Brian McLeod has been named vice president of corporate marketing, responsible for Roland DGA marketing in North and South America (excluding Brazil). Additionally, McLeod will assist the company's global marketing initiatives in coordination with Roland joint ventures and affiliates around the world. Rick Scrimger will join Roland DGA as vice president and general manager for the Color Products Division, responsible for sales, distribution and product management for the company's inkjet line. Joe Dawson has been promoted to the position of director of sales for the Color Products Division. Mike Pender has been named regional sales manager for the company's newly created Great Lakes region. For more information, visit www.rolanddga.com.
In related news, Roland has announced its 2007 workshop schedule featuring additions to its course offerings. For more information or to register for a Roland University workshop, call Roland directly at 800/542.2307 or click here.
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Feature
Superwide Color Printing Comes of Age
Is it right for your shop?
By Scott Cullen
Bigger is better. That's indeed the case with a relatively new generation of superwide-format color printers that can print on textiles and other flexible materials. Superwide, or "grand format" printers, as some manufacturers still call them, fill a nice little niche within the printing industry-although they're not yet for everyone.
Before we look at what's new in superwide or grand format and how one graphics house is using the technology, let's define the product category.
Ain't that Grand Format?
Definitions seem to vary among manufacturers as to what makes a grand-format printer versus what's considered superwide. "Grand format is over 100 inches," says Cory Brock, director of marketing for Gandinnovations. "I really don't see a lot [of printers] under 100 inches that print on fabric."
Dave Bartram, marketing director, Nur Macroprinters, offers a slightly different take. "Superwide is more of a roll-to-roll reference, and grand-format encompasses both the 10' and 16' roll as well as the 10' flatbed," explains Bartram.
Meanwhile Sal Sheikh, vice president of marketing for the Wide Format Printing Systems division of Océ North America, defines grand-format as machines that can print images wider than 60-64". "They tend to be in the meter ranges," adds Sheikh. "Three meters tends to be superwide- or supergrand-format. That's how I segment the roll printers."
VUTEk uses "superwide" for printers that print 72" and higher. "That's basically agreed upon in the industry," says Jane Cedrone, marketing communications manager for EFI VUTEk. "'Grand format' isn't used anymore."
Confused yet? Okay, with those definitions in mind, we'll stick to the "superwide" designation when discussing the current crop of color printers that print on flexible materials and textiles. One more thing: the superwide color printers we're discussing aren't solely roll-to-roll machines, but encompasses flatbeds with a roll-to-roll option.
Read the complete article in the January/February issue of REPRO REPORT.
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For advertising information, contact IRgA Headquarters: info@irga.com or 800/833–4742. Or, click here to request a copy of the 2007 Media Kit.
Reprographic Industry Brand Mantra
Reprographers offer professional expertise in project-critical, large/wide format document distribution and management.
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