Enfocus and Alwan Color Expertise, leaders in PDF quality assurance, color optimization and standards compliance, have joined forces in the development of Alwan PDF Standardizer to bring simple, reliable PDF standardization and quality control to the graphic arts market. With the launch of Alwan PDF Standardizer, Enfocus and Alwan have created an entire new category of graphic communications software and standardization tools.

"Enfocus is a leader in bringing simplicity, reliability and accuracy to PDF workflows," says Peter Camps, Senior V.P., Enfocus. "Alwan has played a similar role in the color space. This joint effort provides a missing link between our respective offerings. With PDF Standardizer, publishers, agencies and other content creators can produce predictable, problem-free PDFs, and print service providers can more easily preflight and normalize source PDFs before placing them into production."

Recently introduced products from Kodak received a combined total of 10 Must See ‘ems, Worth-a-Look and Future Print citations at Graph Expo 2008. Winners in the program, which is sponsored by the Graphic Arts Show Company and conducted independently by the PrintCom Consulting Group, were selected from more than 5,000 entries. Must See ‘ems products and services represent the technology most likely to impact all types of print service providers, while products that don’t have as wide an application or broad impact on the industry yet are important for niche markets or selected groups of printers or converters are recommended to show visitors as Worth-a-Look.

Fujifilm Graphic Systems U.S.A., Inc. and X-Rite Inc., a global leader in color science and technology, have teamed up to bring Taskero Universe 2.0 (a suite of performance-analysis and monitoring tools) from the prepress area into the pressroom. Available immediately, the powerful solution combines the strength of X-Rite’s IntelliTrax 1.5 – the industry's fastest, automated color measurement system for press-side color control – with Taskero Universe’s enterprise capabilities.

The CTP system Xante showed as a design concept at drupa premiered in North America at Graph Expo 2008. The PlateMaker 5 XL is a total prepress system which images 16-up polyester plates and paper proofs up to 914 mm x 1219 mm (36” x 48”). Powered by Xanté’s Symphony Workflow, the all-in-one PDF workflow preserves file content and automates prepress tasks such as imposition and trapping. The PlateMaker 5 XL is the next addition to the company’s renowned PlateMaker 5 CTP series. The toner-based polyester platemaking solution is earth-friendly and requires no plate processing chemicals. Polyester plates can be imaged in about one minute and placed directly on the printing press without any further processing. The Platemaker is designed for single-color and spot-color work. Plus, the 16-up large format capability makes it an affordable and appealing solution for the newspaper and book publishing industry.

“We have had excellent feedback since we showed the concept for the PlateMaker 5 XL at drupa. Now we’re announcing that we’ve finished the product and met our goal to develop an affordable, fast, reliable, process-free and chemical-free, large-format CTP system,” says Xanté CEO Robert Ross.

Quark Publishing System 8 has broken new ground in automated workflow publishing. QPS 8 now supports QuarkXPress and Adobe InDesign within a single workflow at the component level. Quark recently announced the support of Adobe InDesign within QPS 8 at both Graph Expo and IFRA. The ability to use both (or either) graphic design and page-layout programs within QPS enables users to streamline their publishing process to save time and reduce administration, training and hardware costs. Other workflow technology providers do not enable users to use both programs at the component level.

Well-designed packaging can help companies profitably enter new markets, cut supply chain costs and demonstrate environmental responsibility. But to extract full return from their packaging investment, manufacturers must integrate complex issues such as design, structural engineering, automation, environmental science, distribution and transportation, says xpdex.

A top North American provider of printing equipment and supplies, the company has also helped clients with packaging-related services and delivery needs for several years. John Perrin, newly appointed V. P. of Marketing for Manufacturing, says that while many suppliers specialize in functions from design to distribution, few can provide expertise in all of these disciplines like xpedx does.

“Manufacturers and marketers need packaging suppliers that can go beyond traditional boundaries,” explains Perrin. “They need suppliers that will provide deep expertise from sustainable package design to final delivery-all to help them better distinguish their product in the marketplace, grow sales and cut the total cost of getting products to the customer.”

xpedx services include product or package design, line automation, sustainability, specification manufacturing, security packaging, contract packaging, kitting, fulfillment, supply chain management and distribution. The company has a network of more than 550 packaging specialists, representatives and technicians at more than 100 locations across North America.

The Globe and Mail, “Canada’s national newspaper,” is upgrading its newspaper publishing workflow with ppi Media, a subsidiary of manroland. At project’s end, all editions will be planned with ppi’s planning system, PlanPag, creating a smooth, end-to-end prepress production workflow. The company’s editorial and ad booking systems will be seamlessly integrated via modern interfaces.

Presstek Inc. has reported 3rd-quarter income for 2008 of $0.6 million ($0.02 per share) versus a loss of $2.7 million ($0.07 per share) in the third quarter of 2007. Results from continuing operations exclude Presstek’s Lasertel affiliate. “While the economic environment continues to challenge our revenues, we’re pleased that the aggressive business improvement actions and operating disciplines we initiated a year ago have resulted in our 3rd consecutive quarter of profitability,” says Presstek President and CEO, Jeff Jacobson. “Our continually improving financial position during these turbulent times has allowed us to remain focused on the execution of our strategic initiatives, which include the broadening of our product portfolio, international expansion and our migration into larger print establishments.”

As expected, the company completed the sale of its Lasertel land and building in Tucson, Arizona for $8.75 million. The net proceeds of this sale, as well as continued operational cash flow improvements, resulted in debt net of cash of $13.3 million at the end of the quarter, a $17.5 million or 57% reduction from the third quarter of 2007.