A new digital press; the anatomy of a new acquisition…

So you are in the market for a new digital press? Well then you are in luck as you have many choices to look at. With offerings from every major player in the market the job of making an intelligent choice is quite daunting. No one machine can be perfect for every situation and no one manufacturer can be everything to everyone.
Before walking down the digital printing isle to chose something off the shelf, you will want to review carefully at your current customer base and the jobs that they are providing to you, the skill sets of your people and the current equipment capabilities and capacity and your business as they are today. A bit of dream building and having a clear vision of what you want to accomplish both in the near term and the future can be a job by itself.

Take into account that a digital press acquisition in not an inexpensive one and is a decision that you will have to live with for a while. Whether you purchase or lease and what options you chose will have a lot to do with the current state of your business and your short and long term vision is for your company. A solid business and marketing plan are essential when undertaking such an expense.

Environmental considerations, Electrical needs, Space requirements, Speed, Reliability, Output Quality, Throughput, Substrate Handling, Duty cycle, Image Processing in both Accuracy/Power & Speed, Initial Acquisition Price, Cost to operate, Serviceability, Operator Control, Uptime, Training & Ongoing Support, Color Management and the ability to put this new asset in line with a workflow system or MIS system are all considerations that you must take into account when shopping. Companies that cannot answer your questions and provide you with a reasonable level of confidence cannot be considered seriously.

Let’s face it digital printing has come of age and is a serious rival to offset lithography. Run lengths for digital are getting longer while the average run lengths of offset lithography are getting shorter. At the GATF/PIA training I received in PA last month we were told the national average has dropped to 5000 sheets per run. At the same time the digital printing technology has evolved to the point that the delta between digital and offset has risen significantly from on average 1500 sheets to the 2500 sheet neighborhood. Even with the industries greatest achievements and innovations set up times are still 30 to 45 minutes on an average 4 to 6 color press. Highly skilled labor, Chemicals, Plates, Make Ready are still serious pricing components to any offset job. The systems required to drive these new offset presses are expensive and have many cost factors associated with them as well.

Now that the economic pressure has put companies on alert CMO’s are being pressured to do more with less both in marketing budgets and in labor. Companies are reaching out to find new ways to increase ROI of their marketing campaigns and are seeking to increase revenues without increasing the money spent to bring in those revenues. Marketing and Communication departments have redefined what “good looks like” and have looked to the science of timing and relevance to increase response to their offers.

With this science the advent of cross media advertising and elaborate relevant campaigns have become the norm. Print service providers have also had to redefine themselves and have been stretched from selling a commodity in their chosen craft to becoming a practitioner of a manufacturing science and participating in a solution based sale. Reaching out to expand their horizons the common print service provider has had to look for new revenue streams and retool their staff in their transition to marketing service providers.

Now many printers are selling a product based service instead of just a cost center product. With 1 to 1 marketing and the ever increasing sophistication of conditional variable data printing the choice of a digital press has become a very important one indeed for the printer that intends to be around in 2020. With many companies looking at variable data printing the ability to print long digital runs has changed the way to make a digital press choice.

So where do we start in the dissecting of a digital press acquisition? Well let’s start with the workflow surrounding a digital press. Many companies have already invested or will invest in a make-ready/workflow tool. Whether you use something simple like a suite of applications, or something more advanced like a server based solution there are many options available; one must look at what solutions are supported by the equipment and what training and ongoing support is also available.

If your sales rep and his/her team do not have a strong resume and experienced background you cannot take them seriously in their recommendations for your business. As important as the attributes of your press are so is the connection to that company both from a training and support side and from a recommendations side. You cannot spend enough time to know everything therefore you have to have a relationship that is strong enough to be able to count on their recommendations at a certain level. Sure you have to be a student of the business but the reality is you have way too much on your plate to learn about everything involved.

Pick a company that locally has a strong presence both in production print and in the ancillary services and has the relevant knowledge to help you become successful. Make-ready tools, Workflow systems, Business Development, Hardware setup and support, Business system integration, Initial training and long term support along with the typical financial services and flexible billing options are all key elements to take into account. Listen for people with vision but that are not unrealistic or that sound like “perfection in a bottle.” People that don’t talk about the risks associated with a solution are not being realistic. You should always be presented with options and a well thought out upgrade path so you are not caught off guard.

Make sure to know what level equipment you need and that the company you are looking at has a sufficient upgrade path for you and your business. Make sure to take the time to understand all of the cost elements and product limitations and upgradability. Digital presses can cost from $50,000 to millions of dollars. Ensure that your system is modular and has a way to add feature sets as your business adds new revenue streams and takes on new offerings. The last thing you want to do is short change yourself by buying the cheapest machine on the market without taking into consideration what you may be doing in 3, 5 and even 10 years.

Companies that don’t show interest in your business processes and rush to offer a “solution” without taking the time to observe and ask questions are not going to be good business partners now or in the future. Reluctance to slow the process down to seriously talk to you and your key operators and production managers are not going to offer anything but a nightmare down the road. Without a true understanding of your current capabilities, capacity and business offerings any proposal given to you would be futile.

Look for companies that not only have a good product but have local talent that understands both your needs and business model. Listen to the questions being asked and the level at which they communicate with you and their responsiveness to your requests. Be willing to give a serious contender the time to be able to fully grasp both your current situation and your future vision. Companies that are not interested in your future will under or over sell you and compromise you and your company.

Many a printer has gone out of business by over extending themselves. There are almost as many companies that have gone out of business by not taking new technologies seriously and not having the firepower to compete in the marketplace effectively. The effective use of technology is a delicate balance and sometimes it takes someone from the outside to help. Look to sound organizations that can help like the GATF/PIA who have a broad understanding and membership that crosses all sections of the industry. Whether you are a specialty printer or a general commercial printer they can offer invaluable advice as they see things from a 50,000 foot view.

After you have narrowed the field to a manageable list of potential suitors it is time to look closely at the hardware and software solutions that are being presented to you. In the next segment we will look at the hardware considerations of a digital press and what options are available.

Pirate Mike

When it is ok to quit; and other excuses we accept the unraveling of pirate logic.

When it is acceptable to quit? Have you ever really thought about that before? All of us have our own cross to bear and as a foot soldier my orders are different but not dissimilar to the orders that are given to my associates or superiors. In fact really I would guess that all of our orders are very similar both at work and at home. So when it is ok to just set the sword down and quit fighting the fight? Is there ever a day that you can rest?

I ran into a situation that caused me to think. I had a system configuration that was not going to work on several levels but do to circumstances it was one of my only options. I could see the frustration in everyone’s eyes when I took one of our best technicians out of the field to “test a non supported never tried before theory.” In fact everyone around me seemed to be quite irritated that I was not ok with what all the literature said and what the advice of everyone in our technical organization. “Well in theory Michael that might work.” “Well then,” I said we will try every option till we prove it cannot be done successfully. A day went by and I was unable to get the configuration to work no matter what I tried.

At the end of the day when most thought I had completely wasted not only my day but the resources of many in our branch I sat down to write an email. I sent it to every business development liaison that I have ever met. Most only casually but none the less I built my business case on why we should look into the engineering that stops us from achieving our business objectives. Within an hour I heard back from the director of business development for production. The message was upbeat, positive and simple. I love having an impact even if the ultimate decision is that it is not worth making the change globally in a system that is aging. What I do like is that those around me have no limits to their mind and what is conceivable and they are willing to work for it.

I am always trying to achieve this mythical work-life balance that I have heard about in writings. What I do know is that we often times sell ourselves short by not walking something all the way through. As I make career and personal decisions I hope that I always keep an open mind to the possibilities and am able to achieve the level of success that makes me happy, not what someone else thinks is what I deserve but what I have earned. As the business environment gets ever increasingly difficult and my chosen industry narrows the field even more I hope to always be referred to as the one that will “carry the ball.” I never want to just block and tackle but respect those that do.

I hope to meet the people needed in my life who can help me be a “great ball carrier.” Even as I sit typing, I have been sick for almost 3 weeks now, I am planning to travel again next week for more training. I hope that my attitude settles in on the troops that I serve and that I set a good example of what “good looks like.” And in those many moments when I do not, I hope to have someone in front of me that does! I have 44 people that depend on me for my part of the game and I hope that in the second half that it is what becomes the “game changer” or at least to play and contribute to the winning team.

So every day we need to look at our behaviors and examine have we become hardened by not seeing change implemented successfully? Just because it didn’t work before are we not going to try again when it is the right thing to do? At what point do we hang up our professional opinions and just not give input anymore? I hope never…

NO you cannot drive the advanced finishing accessories with the C5501 but doesn’t mean you will never be able to… Just not now… Thank you for everyone that helped me and allowed me to act foolish without shame.

“Our real discoveries come from chaos, from going to the place that looks wrong and stupid and foolish.” - Chuck Palahniuk (author of the Fight Club and many other novels)

Sorry to be so philosophical but our attitudes drive our behaviors and as consultants our behaviors determine our success, the success of our solutions and ultimately our clients.

Looking Up; Kodak see's a light at the end of the tunnel, they just hope it's not a train!

Kodak Reports 2nd-Quarter 2010; Digital Profits Continue to Improve


2nd Quarter Revenue of $1.569 Billion; Company’s Digital Commercial Printing and Consumer Inkjet Businesses Show Continued Strong Growth, Outperform the Competition; Kodak Ends 2nd Quarter with Cash Balance of $1.3 Billion; Cash Usage in Line with Company’s Seasonal Pattern; GAAP Earnings (Loss) from Continuing Operations Improves by $24 Million; GAAP Earnings (Loss) Before Interest, Other Income (Charges), Net, & Income Taxes Improves by $19 Million; Digital Earnings (Loss) from Operations Improves by $17 Million

ROCHESTER, N.Y., July 28 -- Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) today reported second-quarter results that reflect continued acceleration of the company’s major growth businesses in commercial and consumer inkjet, unit growth in the company’s largest digital businesses, the continued decline of its traditional business, and operational improvements. Revenue from the company’s digital commercial printing businesses grew 9% in the second quarter, including 18% growth in commercial inkjet printing. Consumer inkjet printer and ink revenue grew by 50% in the second quarter. Profits from the company’s digital portfolio showed year-over-year improvement for the third consecutive quarter.

Second-quarter sales totaled $1.569 billion, an 11% decrease from $1.766 billion in the second quarter of 2009. Revenue from digital businesses totaled $1.103 billion, a 6% decrease from $1.173 billion in the prior-year quarter. Film, Photofinishing and Entertainment Group revenue totaled $466 million, a 21% decline from $593 million in the second quarter of 2009.

On the basis of U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the company reported a second-quarter loss from continuing operations of $167 million, or $0.62 per share, compared with a loss from continuing operations on the same basis of $191 million, or $0.71 per share, in the year-ago period. Items of net expense that impacted comparability in the second quarter of 2010 totaled $31 million after tax, or $0.11 per share, primarily due to legal contingencies and restructuring charges. Items of net expense that impacted comparability in the second quarter of 2009 totaled $75 million after tax, or $0.28 per share, due primarily to restructuring charges and tax related items. (Please refer to the attached Items of Comparability table for more information.)

“We continue to gain share in our growth businesses, maintain cost discipline, and drive improved profitability,” said Antonio M. Perez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Eastman Kodak Company. “Our new digital businesses, particularly consumer and commercial inkjet, continue to gain traction, with sales growth outpacing the competition. Digital commercial printing revenue, for example, grew 9% in the second quarter, consumer inkjet printer and ink revenue grew 50%, and operating margins improved in the majority of our digital product lines and for our digital business in total. We remain focused on building a leaner, more competitive company powered by innovative products that compete in large, new markets. Given the solid digital unit growth that we saw in the first half of the year, we continue to target full-year revenue of $7.5 billion to $7.7 billion, reflecting the increasing strength of our digital portfolio."

Other second-quarter 2010 details:

• The company’s second-quarter loss from continuing operations, before interest expense, other income (charges), net, and income taxes was $100 million, a $19 million improvement as compared to a $119 million loss in the year-ago quarter. This was driven by operational improvements, including productivity gains, and lower restructuring charges.

• Gross Profit improved to 19.3% of sales, as compared to 18.5% in the year-ago period. This increase in margin was driven by continued productivity improvements.

• Selling, General and Administrative (SG&A) expenses were $313 million in the second quarter, down 3%, from $324 million in the year-ago quarter.

• Research and Development expenses were $81 million in the second quarter, as compared to $84 million in the year-ago quarter, as the company focuses research dollars on its core growth businesses.

• Second-quarter 2010 cash generation, before restructuring payments, reflected a use of $170 million. This compared with cash usage on the same basis of $136 million in the year-ago quarter. This corresponds to net cash used in continuing operations from operating activities on a GAAP basis of $173 million in the second quarter, compared with net cash used of $161 million in the second quarter of 2009. As has been the case in previous years, the company expects to generate the majority of its cash flow during the second half of the year, consistent with its historic seasonal pattern.

• Kodak held $1.3 billion in cash and cash equivalents as of June 30, 2010, compared with $1.1 billion as of June 30, 2009.

• The carrying value of the company’s debt stood at $1.3 billion as of June 30, 2010, with total debt maturities of approximately $1.4 billion, including amounts classified as equity.

Segment sales and earnings from continuing operations before interest, taxes, and other income and charges (segment earnings from operations), are as follows:

• Graphic Communications Group second-quarter 2010 sales were $656 million, compared with $670 million in the prior-year quarter. Second-quarter earnings from operations for the segment improved by $28 million to break-even, compared with a loss in the year-ago quarter. This earnings improvement was primarily driven by lower raw material costs, increased volumes of digital plates, and improved operational performance, particularly within Digital Printing and Prepress Solutions, partially offset by negative price/mix.

• Consumer Digital Imaging Group second-quarter sales were $447 million, compared with $503 million in the prior-year quarter. Second-quarter loss from operations for the segment was $110 million, compared with a loss of $99 million in the year-ago quarter. This decrease in earnings was largely driven by the expiration of a significant Retail Systems Solutions customer contract and increased advertising investment, partially offset by improved profitability in Consumer Inkjet Systems and Digital Cameras and Devices.

• Film, Photofinishing and Entertainment Group second-quarter sales were $466 million, a 21% decline from the year-ago quarter, driven by continuing industry-related declines. Second-quarter earnings from operations for the segment were $29 million, compared with earnings of $51 million in the year-ago period. This decrease in earnings was primarily driven by industry-related declines in volumes and increased raw material costs, partially offset by cost reductions across the segment.

2010 Outlook

For 2010, Kodak remains focused on three key financial goals, which the company first announced at its February investor meeting: digital revenue growth, earnings from operations, and cash generation. The company today provided an updated outlook for 2010 performance against these metrics, recognizing the uncertainty created by the global economic environment. Kodak’s ability to achieve its full-year 2010 goals is predicated upon modest improvement in the global economy, stabilization of foreign exchange values, the introduction of new, higher-margin digital cameras and devices, and continued execution of the company’s intellectual property licensing program.

• For 2010, Kodak continues to target total company revenue of $7.5 billion to $7.7 billion.

• The company expects full-year digital revenue at the high end of its previous forecast and full-year traditional revenue slightly below the previous forecast.

• Kodak is targeting 2010 segment earnings from operations that will be within the previously communicated range of $350 million to $450 million. This equates to GAAP earnings from continuing operations before interest expense, other income (charges), net and income taxes of $275 million to $375 million.

• Kodak continues to forecast 2010 GAAP loss from continuing operations in the range of $50 million to $150 million, including the impact of the $102 million net charge for early extinguishment of debt, related to the company’s financing transactions in the first quarter of 2010.

• For full-year 2010, the company remains focused on its goal of achieving positive cash generation before restructuring payments. On a GAAP basis, the company is targeting net cash provided by continuing operations from operating activities in the range of $50 million to $150 million.

• The company continues to target a year-end cash balance of $1.8 billion to $2.0 billion, after taking into account all cash actions, including modest debt payments due during 2010.

Form 10-Q and Conference Call Information

The Management Discussion & Analysis document is included as part of the company's Form 10-Q filing. You may access this document one of two ways:

1. Visit Kodak's Investor Center page at: www.kodak.com/go/invest and click on SEC filings

2. Visit the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission EDGAR website at: www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml and access Eastman Kodak under Company Filings

In addition, Antonio Perez and Kodak Chief Financial Officer Frank Sklarsky will host a conference call with investors at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time today. To access the call, please use the direct dial-in number: +1 480-629-9818, ID 4320279#. There is no need to pre-register.

The call will be recorded and available for playback by 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, July 28, by dialing +1 303-590-3030, ID 4320279#. The playback number will be active until Wednesday, August 4, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

For those wishing to participate via the webcast, please access our Kodak.com Investor Relations webpage at: http://www.kodak.com/go/invest. The webcast audio will be archived and available for replay on this site approximately one hour following the live broadcast.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SAFE HARBOR PROVISIONS OF THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995

Certain statements in this document may be forward-looking in nature, or "forward-looking statements" as defined in the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For example, references to the Company's expectations regarding the following are forward-looking statements: economic conditions; currency exchange rates; revenue; revenue growth; cost of goods sold; gross margins; earnings; cash generation; new product introductions; electronic component supplies; potential revenue, cash and earnings from intellectual property licensing; liquidity; and debt.

Actual results may differ from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include, among others, the following risks, uncertainties, assumptions and factors as described in more detail in this report under the heading “risk factors” and in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2010 and June 30, 2010 under the headings "Risk Factors," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," and "Cautionary Statement Pursuant to Safe Harbor Provisions the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995" and in other filings the Company makes with the SEC from time to time:

• Continued weakness or worsening of economic conditions which could continue to adversely impact our financial performance and our liquidity;

• Whether we are successful with the strategic investment decisions we have made which could adversely affect our financial performance;

• Whether we effectively anticipate technology trends and develop and market new products to respond to changing customer preferences which could adversely affect our revenue and earnings;

• The competitive pressures we face which could adversely affect our revenue, earnings and market share;

• Whether our commercialization and manufacturing processes fail to prevent product reliability and quality issues which could adversely affect our revenue, earnings and market share;

• Whether we are successful in licensing and enforcing our intellectual property rights or in defending against alleged infringement of the intellectual property rights of others which could adversely affect our revenue, earnings, expenses and liquidity;

• Whether we are able to provide competitive financing arrangements or extend credit to customers which could adversely impact our revenue and earnings;

• Whether our pension and post-retirement plan costs and contribution levels are impacted by changes in actuarial assumptions, future market performance of plan assets or obligations imposed by legislative or regulatory authorities which could adversely affect our financial position, results of operation and cash flow;

• Whether we are successful in attracting, retaining and motivating key employees which could adversely affect our revenue and earnings;

• Changes in currency exchange rates, interest rates and commodity costs which could adversely impact our results of operations and financial position;

• Our reliance on third party suppliers which could adversely affect our revenue, earnings and results of operations; and

• Whether we are required to recognize additional impairments in the value of our goodwill which could increase expenses and reduce profitability.

The Company cautions readers to carefully consider such factors. Many of these factors are beyond the Company’s control. In addition, any forward-looking statements represent the Company’s estimates only as of the date they are made, and should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s estimates as of any subsequent date. While the Company may elect to update forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so, even if its estimates change.

Any forward-looking statements in this document should be evaluated in light of the factors and uncertainties referenced above and should not be unduly relied upon.

Download an ADOBE Acrobat version of the Second Quarter 2010 Results Non-GAAP Reconciliations (pdf).


Yes there is a point to reposting a Press Release from a company's website. But you will just have to wait and see what it is!
 
Pirate

bits & bytes; The Truth About Xerox “2400 dpi”

Have a customer confused by the advertised DPI Resolution or Bit Depth of Xerox DocuColor production color systems? Most of the new DocuColor models advertise that they offer 2400dpi.

Here are more details on what they are talking about:

The print controller on the Xerox (be it Fiery, Creo or Xerox FreeFlow) sends 600x600dpi at 8 bits per pixel to the print engine, therefore the process is NOT truly a 2400dpi process.

• The print engine uses VCSEL technology which stands for Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser, meaning that 32 beams of laser light are used to create the image using 8 micron sized toner particles.

• The print engine takes the instructions from the print controller for one dot, and divides it into 16 quadrants. For example, in an area that is supposed to show 25% cyan, rather than dimming the laser to create the needed fill in the pixel, the Xerox VCSEL engine places a pattern in the 16 quadrants to simulate the 25% fill using a screening method.

In summary, each 8 bit 600dpi pixel byte sent by the computer through the RIP print controller is converted in the Fuji-made engine to 1 bit 2400dpi binary pixels.

- This may be a bit outdated, I am curious who might have more infomation on this subject. Go ahead and help us understand the math!

Exit Stage Left... Elvis has left the building and the sinking ship....

I thought that this was already old news but people seem to keep asking about it so here it is:

From: M.Espe

Sent: Friday, June 25, 2010 7:21 AM
To: DL-All US Users
Subject: Thank you


It is with mixed emotions that I am announcing my departure from Ricoh. It was an extremely difficult decision for many reasons, particularly because of all the momentum we have built and the strong opportunities in front of us. Most of all, I am going to miss the dedicated and energized employees that make up our great team. I have forged many close working and personal relationships with many of you over the years, and I will always look back fondly at the time I have spent at IKON and Ricoh. I am very grateful for all that you have done to position Ricoh as a leader, and the work I know that you will continue to do in the future to create an even stronger organization.


The opportunity to take on the CEO role at Armstrong, a publicly traded NYSE company headquartered in Pennsylvania, was a great fit for me both personally and professionally, and one that I could not ignore. Knowing that we have a strong leadership team in place with Kevin Togashi and the Ricoh Americas staff, and that our leaders in Ricoh U.S. now have the vision, strategies and support to carry our integration planning in the U.S. forward, made the decision easier. I leave knowing that you have a strong leadership team, the best employees in the industry, and by far the strongest portfolio of technology and solutions to offer our customers and dealer partners.


You should all be proud of the work you are doing and the company that you all help shape. The past eight years at IKON and more recently as part of Ricoh have been extremely satisfying for me, and I remain energized by your commitment to Ricoh’s continued success and the opportunities you have to create something great. I know you will build on the foundation you have to strengthen the company, grow revenue and increase market share. Most of all, I know that you will continue your intense focus on the customer and dedication to Ricoh’s success.

I want to thank all of you for your support over the years, and for the privilege of working with this great team. I wish you all the best in the future and know that Ricoh’s best days are ahead.


Thanks,


Matt Espe

So really what does this mean? Why would Matt leave a pretty solid position with Ricoh Americas to move along to well I had never heard of Armstrong so I have no idea what his motivation is. What I will say is that quite a few of Ricoh's leadership have popped up at places that I have been and they were all pretty tight lipped but have all left the building. Matt on the other hand has left the building and the industry. Probably a good move. I have no other qualifications but to stay and wait for the next round of acquisitions and mergers.
 
So what is going on out there? Things have gotten very quite about Canon and the Oce... Not much on the home front as I still am struggling to get my arms around my next steps. What I can say is that I have gone from Champagne to a glass of water with lemon please...
 
So tell me what is a pirate without his ship?

IPEX 2010: Fujifilm's Xerox Color 1000 press will be showcased...

The Xerox Color 1000 press is the big brother to the 800 and can produce 100 pages per minute and uses Xerox's low-melt, EA (emulsion aggregation) "Dry Ink." Unlike the iGen units, these new models use polymerized toner using the emulsion aggregation method so they do not use a fuser oil.

Fuser oil has been used for a long time to allow for proper fusing at speed, the newer presses that are worth considering do not use the "fuser oil" and give the user more post process options. Fuser oil can be very undesirable. From making it hard to get a print laminated to the application of coatings there are a lot of variables to take into consideration when you work with prints from a device that utilizes the fuser oil technology. Typically it is undesirable especially since there are devices that do not use an oil in the fusing process.

The Xerox 1000 is claimed to print on substrates from 55 gsm to 350 gsm without slowing down like the Canon imagePRESS (will only allow up to 300 gsm) and the Konica Minolta Bizhub PRESS C8000 which will also go all the way to 350 gsm . The press has the ability to print a clear toner as part of its fifth print unit like the Canon imagePRESS C1 plus.

Xerox will also be showing the Xerox 700 and Docucolor 7002 presses, XMF Workflow and Web2print systems in an integrated production area designed to showcase digital print systems.

The Color 1000 press is claimed to print at 2,400 x 2,400dpi, but it is not true 8 bits per pixel as the Xerox calculation just takes a pixel from a 600 dpi data stream and divides it into 4 quadrants to get to 2400dpi. The "Dry Ink" EA Toner is claimed to provide an offset-like finish like the Canon imagePRESS or Konica Minolta Bizhub PRESS C8000. There are very few manufacturers that use a true 8 bit color depth in their digital presses. Konica Minolta and Kodak both use a true 8 bit per pixel depth which is why you see their prints with a richer more well rounded gamut than the competition. Some manufacturers use as low as 2 bits per pixel which typically offers a much smaller gamut and a much lower image quality.

The press has a lot of finishing options from a GBC advanced punch, high-capacity stacker (single or dual) with removable carts, Xerox standard finisher with optional C-Z folder or booklet maker finisher and Squarefold trimmer. Xerox has just launched the Color Press 800 and 1000 so there are still options that will be available in the future but are not currently ready to deliver like the Xerox tape binder, GBC Ebinder 200 and Plockmatic Pro 30 professional booklet maker.

The Xerox Color Press 800/1000 will print onto sheet sizes up to 13 x 19.2in (33 x 48.8cm). This size format is very common among digital presses that use electrostatic toner technology. It is becoming a very common term to call toner "Dry Ink" Kodak and Xerox refer to their toner as a dry ink to further close the gap with commercial printers by using their lingo.

It will be interesting to see how consistent the color is on these new devices.

IPEX claims to be the second largest print show on the planet with an attendance of well over 100,000 visitors. The show only comes around every 4 years. This year the show will cover over 100,000 square meters and have over 1000 vendors.

Color Calibration is the Key to Consistency; the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things seen!

Talk to ten people about color management and you will get ten (or more) different answers. I really like the commentary that Frank Romano wrote for WhatTheyThink.com.

Frank suggested that "color management is the ultimate oxymoron. You can no more manage color than you can manage light or nature (or even teenagers)."

Unclutter your mind, Standardize your equipment

We all know that the same color image looks different when viewed on different monitors, printed on different proofers and printers, on different brands of paper, or even viewed under different lighting environments. Yet this is the task that we are given to accomplish. Color management is about characterizing color imaging devices. It is about understanding color space and the creation and proper use of profiles, both input and output. Color management is about achieving color portability and predictability so that you can count on the result.

If you are working in the digital world, you have to manage color somehow, whether by eye or by making a substantial commitment to hardware, software and training. Regardless of how far you have traveled down the color management path, you know this isn't easy. Don't forget, every color device and every combination of ink and paper has its own color "signature" requiring separate profiling and calibration to achieve the best results. (Perhaps this is why my hair has gone gray way before it's time.)

While many of the people selling color management solutions would like you to believe that installing their group of widgets and software will give you perfect color all the time, I prefer to look at color management as a way to achieve repeatable, consistent results. No matter what you have done to set up your color managed workflow, there will be some colors that you just can't reproduce or that are out of gamut for your suite of devices. A good color management system will allow you to deal with this in an efficient manner. So consistency is the key to the overall success. So how do we arrive at consistency you ask? Good process control!

Getting to Consistency

How sophisticated do you need your color management system have to be?

If you are working on in-house newsletters or printing real estate flyers on a color laser or inkjet printer, you may not need to do anything more than calibrate your monitor. Working with the default settings on your digital camera, scanner and printer may be producing acceptable results as is. There are many ways to set up your color managed workflow, there are a lot of options none of them are 100% right or wrong. There ARE things though you should do and things you shouldn't do; but you have a lot of options.

One thing that is very important regardless of which color space you work in or what or what color output profiles you assign is you do have to use the SAME settings across all of your cameras, scanners, and software applications etc to maintain consistent results. If you have multiple designers or pre press people that have their own computers you have to ensure that both are working in the same color space and using the exact same settings or jobs coming from both of them will ALWAYS look different.

If you are working in a photography/design studio and someone else has to output the files you may want to see what they are using and how much sense it makes to adopt their system for consistency sake (always ask for some help from your printer). I have found most printers are pretty happy to explain how they like their files set up before they start on the job. This will usually go a long way when it gets to press time. They may even have custom profiles for the equipment you are using, making the process even easier. If you know who will do the final output you can call ahead to find out what they will run the job on and ask them if they have the output profile for their device or how they would like the file setup and delivered.

Printers have a hard time of it as they deal with so many clients that it many times is impossible to "train" all of their parters to provide them with exactly what they need in the format that they need it. Hence the Pre Press department earns their keep. There are a lot of things that must be done by printers to ensure consistent color job to job so that the Pressman do not have to be "Artists." Web submission has helped this by taking files and processing them in a consistent and predictable manner you know that the fonts and graphics are there as the customer submitted them.

Many times printers are using a particular standard like SWOP or GRACol or using a particular methodology like G7. Most of the time they will be more than happy to put their geeks with your geeks to save them time in the long run. Everything you do will get closer to what you are aiming for and over time you can perfect the "art" of color managing your systems to work with theirs.

If it exists, It exists to be Calibrated

If you are going to implement a color management strategy in your print center and start down this many times slippery path, you need to manage it all. Calibration is a way to ensure process control. Calibration is not color management but you cannot color manage what is not controlled! But it will help allow you to implement a system of color management that will ensure consistent, predictable and repeatable results. Color calibration is a requirement for all devices taking an active part of a color managed workflow. You cannot arbitrarily pick one element to "Control." For instance calibrating your monitor is not enough. You will need to calibrate and profile all of your monitors, or have just one dedicated color workstation that everyone works from. All devices that are part of the system need to be controlled! Maintaining process control will allow you to implement a successful color management program.

Consistency is one of the major keys to color accuracy; so whenever you can standardize equipment do so – that will make your job a lot easier. You will need to profile every combination of printer and substrates (paper) that you use, because of the differences between them. This is work but once you get started things get a lot easier and when you quit having to redo things to get colors right you will be thankful. First, you must calibrate your monitor – using your flavor of color calibration software along with a spectrophotometer that you will attach to your screen.

For the most accurate results you will want to have your monitors in a subdued light environment to be able to discern color. The walls of the room should be a neutral grey so they do not add ambient color to the images you are viewing.



The light recommended for the ultimate viewing your prints in production uses yet another standard called Kelvin. Daylight is considered to be 5000K or 5000 Kelvin.

You will want to look at the papers you use and standardize a bit. Pick a good smooth proofing sheet that you can always use to look at comps etc. This day and age it is hard to find a good digital sheet that isn't completely saturated in optical brighteners which give the sheet a slightly bluish hue.


Optical brighteners are additives that paper manufacturers put into paper in order to help a paper look "whiter." They do this to compensate for the yellowish or brownish tinges of the low quality paper. It is an optical illusion though and is to fool your eye into thinking the paper is a bright white. This many times is factored in with the "Brightness Factor" you see mentioned on the package numbers over 100 indicate a high level of optical brighteners have been used.

L* is also another term used for the quality of a sheet and refers to it's "Lightness". L is one of the components of the L*A*B* or CIE (Commission Internationale De l'Eclairage ) LAB color space. Paper has a profound effect on the ultimate appearance of the image as a sheet with an L* of 80 will be several shades darker than a paper with an L* of 90 and so on. This make makes a huge difference when printing on such papers, as the sheet with an L* of 80 will add a 22.75% K component to the image your printing where as an L* of 92 only adds 9.41%.

Moral of the story, pick a good sheet that you like it should have a brightness of at least 98 (only adds 2.35%) to minimize the effect of the added K and profile the paper; many times you do not have to re-profile do to adjustments in thickness but you do for finish changes like from matt to satin, to gloss to uncoated. Uncoated papers have a different gamut that they can produce do to the propensity of the toners, dry inks, offset inks and other pigments to absorb into the paper fibers and not lay on top like a well coated stock.

The next step in process control after you have done your monitors is to calibrate your printer(s). Most of the higher end systems with print controllers will have their own targets and process to accomplish this but there are many that can be used as a standard like the IT-8.7 target. Then you can move on to whatever input devices you use, i.e. scanners, digital cameras, etc. Once your input devices are calibrated, you have a closed loop, calibrated system that should make it easy to achieve files and prints with outstanding color fidelity. Many times your equipment vendor will have a couple great targets to use and can show you what they should look like considering your setup.

Printers like other equipment need to be continually calibrated to be brought back to a baseline. Characterization profiles (output profiles) can be used to maximize what is known about your particular system. As you change key components of your printer like replace ink, toner, drums, or any other color critical component you need to recalibrate. As things like corona wires get older they take charge differently and this will change your color if you do not calibrate your machine routinely. After long runs you may want to recalibrate as well. Whether it is daily, weekly or whatever you need to put a process in place to ensure it gets done and in the same fashion each time.

Easier said than Done

The sad thing is that it is all easier said than done, as Frank Romano put it, "There are many standards committees, organizations, and vendors working on "standardized" approaches to color reproduction. It seems that the more standards we have, the more chaos there is." For the most part this is true but if we do nothing at all we will have customers upset and operators that have no hair! We have to start somewhere. Your equipment vendors will have ideas that will guide you in the right direction in the end you will have to put together a system that makes sense for you. There is no end to color management so it can get involved. You need to work out a process that is duplicate-able and predictable. Keeping things simple enough that everyone can follow the process and use the system will greatly help your success. Human error can also lead to color infidelity so having a system that is understood and always followed is key!

Even when you apply science to every input, viewing, and output device we still cannot control how the client or end user will see the finished product under what lighting conditions etc. The reality is that color management albeit full of science is still a highly practiced art form.

Bon Appetite


Pirate Mike