Océ Announces Call for Applications for its 
Second Annual 'Green Reprographer of the Year' Award

Océ announced its Wide Format Printing Systems division will begin accepting applications for its second annual “Green Reprographer of the Year” award. Applicants will be asked to submit, in writing, their achievements in the area of green business practices and explain how these efforts have assisted their customers to meet their own sustainability goals. The application deadline is March 27, and the winning reprographer will be announced on April 30.

Creation of this award was driven by Océ’s longstanding commitment to help reprographers reach their sustainability goals, and those of their customers, through large format printing solutions that are environmentally conscious without sacrificing print quality.

In an effort to highlight those reprographers that have embraced a forward-looking approach to incorporating sustainability into their business model, all applicants will be considered by Océ for future publicity opportunities regarding their sustainability efforts, including interviews and contributed articles with leading reprographic industry publications. READ MORE

Xerox Names Tameran 2008 Business Partner of the Year

Tameran Graphic Systems, Inc. was named Xerox Corporation 2008 Wide-Format Partner of the Year for its continued contribution to Xerox, its customers and the printing industry. The award was among 16 Xerox presented to 15 partner firms for superior digital workflow software and finishing solutions.

Tameran, the premier supplier of automated folding and finishing systems for wide-format documents, was named Wide Format Partner of the Year for the second year in a row. For more than 30 years, Tameran has provided solutions to companies needing to distribute primarily engineering drawings and related documents. Originally a manufacturer of micrographics equipment, Tameran currently provides wide-format finishing products, aperture card scanners, book scanners, document conversion and distribution software as well as document conversion and archive services. Tameran’s Printfold Series of automated in-line and off-line folders for wide-format documents, SureStak High Capacity Stackers and aperture card printing solutions are compatible with all of Xerox’s wide format digital printing systems.

The Xerox Business Partner of the Year awards are presented annually by the Xerox Global Business & Strategic Marketing Group, which brings to market the full portfolio of document solutions, software and systems for production and office environments. The awards honor business partners that contributed most significantly to the business success of Xerox and its customers.

Xplor International Names Océ Innovator of the Year for its JetStream Full Color Printer with Integrated MICR

Océ North America has been named 2009 Innovator of the Year by Xplor International. This award honors an individual, company or organization that has conceived and developed an original concept leading to a significant advancement in the industry.

Océ and the Océ JetStream solution with integrated MICR were chosen out of 18 nominations Xplor received. According to Xplor selection requirements, the chosen Innovator has advanced a new program product or technology that notably enhances the capabilities of electronic document systems. The Océ JetStream system is the first to integrate MICR ink into a full process digital ink jet color engine as an all-in-one solution to support both high-volume color inkjet printing and MICR applications on a single platform. As a result, print professionals can produce convenience and full-color checks with complete reliability, security and error recovery. Enhancements like MICR printing and Océ multi-level printing for output versatility give customers more ways to leverage their investment in high speed color technology.

The award was presented March 4 during the 2009 Xplor Global Conference and Exhibition being held at St. Pete Beach, Florida.

Mutoh America Appoints John Mitchell as Manufacturer Representative for Canada

Mutoh America Inc. appoints John Mitchell as Manufacturer Representative for the Canadian territory.

John will provide sales support to Mutoh Dealers by engaging in customer relations and offering color management consultations. He will play a significant role in marketing to fortify exposure and presence in Canada by communicating Mutoh’s excellent promotions, updates, and events.

“I am enthused to have John on board and I am confident that he will contribute to substantial growth in the Canadian Region,” shares Randy Rickert, General Manager of Mutoh America.

Frank Arevalo Joins C2 Reprographics as Hub Store Manager

Production pro Frank Arevalo has been hired by Costa Mesa-based C2 Reprographics as hub store manager. He is in charge of daily production at C2's main Orange County location.

A decorated Army veteran who served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Arevalo has a deep background in printing and imaging production. He worked as a production supervisor for Ford Graphics in Los Angeles for four years, then branch manager at Reliable Graphics' Costa Mesa location for 12 years before being hired by C2.

“We're lucky to have Frank on board -- he's the best production head in the Southern California market,” says C2 President Gary Crisp.

U.S. Demand for Printing Inks to Approach $4.8 Billion in 2012

U.S. demand for printing inks is forecast to increase 1.8 percent annually to $4.8
billion in 2013. Downward pricing pressures will continue to limit market value. However, demand will benefit from shifts toward more environmentally friendly ink formulations and digital inks, as well as increased use in the packaging market. Additives and colorants are expected to experience advances, reflecting demand for better performing printing inks with brighter colors. These and other trends are presented in Printing Inks, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry research firm. READ MORE

Mutoh Appoints Rep for Canada Mutoh America

Mutoh America Inc. has appointed John Mitchell as manufacturer representative for the Canadian territory.

“Mutoh America's product line is a fantastic showcase of the most innovative products available to the print market. I can now offer a complete solution my Dealer channel for their customer's production requirements,” said John Mitchell, COO, 3deltaE.

Mitchell will provide sales support to Mutoh Dealers by engaging in customer relations and offering color management consultations. He will play a significant role in marketing to fortify exposure and presence in Canada by communicating Mutoh's excellent promotions, updates and events.

Ed Rodham named President/COO at Precision Blue, Inc.

Ed Rodham has been named president and chief operating officer at Precision Blue Inc.

Rodham assumed his new position Feb. 2, at which time Al Rank, president and owner of the company since it was incorporated in 1977, became the company’s CEO/owner.

Rodham brings more than 20 years experience in strategic, tactical, digital and financial leadership experience to PBI, including an extensive digital marketing background with a track record of leveraging technology to improve business results and a proven ability to excel in both new and established organizations.

Prior to joining the management team at PBI, Rodham was employed by United Stationers, Deerfield, Ill., as vice president of Marketing. United Stationers is a $4.6 billion wholesale business products distributor with more than 67 North American distribution centers. While there he orchestrated large-scale strategic projects from original concept through final deployment, including cultivating alliances with companies such as AT&T and Hewlett-Packard.

In announcing the new position, Rank said, “I look forward to Ed's leadership and experience in taking this company to the next level of technology and growth.”

Roland VersaCAMM VP-540 is Grand Prize for CorelDRAW® International Design Contest

Roland DGA Corp. recently announced that the Roland VersaCAMM VP-540 54” inkjet printer/cutter has been selected as the grand prize for the 2009 CorelDRAW® International Design Contest, celebrating 20 years of design innovation with CorelDRAW.

Open to current and new CorelDRAW Graphics Suite users around the world, the contest is accepting entries in six categories at www.corel.com/coreldrawdesigncontest through May 31. Winning entries will be announced in July 2009 and displayed on www.coreldraw.com, the CorelDRAW community site.

“We are proud to partner with Corel and to participate as a sponsor of the company’s International Design Contest,” said Rick Scrimger, vice president and general manager for Roland DGA Corp. “Our best-selling VersaCAMM VP printer/cutter line is designed from the ground up to enhance the productivity of creative professionals everywhere – from marketing departments and retailers to sign shops and screen printers. It is a great addition to any CorelDRAW business.