The battle for “religious freedom,” in the U.S. is heating up and print shops are being dragged into the discussion.
Former senator and potential presidential candidate Rick Santorum, a supporter of religious freedom legislation, made headlines this week with these remarks: >> continued
In order to improve the quality of its flexo printing and decrease its preparation time, Artcraft Label has installed an Esko CDI 2530 flexo plate imager with HD Flexo.
From left: Stacey, Lynda and Artcraft Label president, Alain>> continued
MET Fine Printers, a commercial printing company, will expand on its depth and scope of services by purchasing select Rhino Print Solutions assets, including its Calgary facility, which will now be integrated into MET’s operations.
MET president Nikos Kallas and his senior management group will lead the expansion and will be joined by senior members of the Rhino team—all business will operate exclusively under MET Fine Printers. The full terms of the agreement will not be disclosed. >> continued
Despite the positive numbers showing healthy growth, printing shipments are, in reality, closer to flat. Two factors account for the positive math: there was a small increase in the fall, but the larger reason for the positive showing in 2014, is that Statistics Canada resumed tracking shipments in Alberta, which were excluded in 2013. B.C., which had also fallen off the radar, is back for 2015.
Delphax Technologies Canada Limited, a global provider of high-speed digital printing equipment, is installing an elan 500 cut sheet MICR inkjet press, for Public Works and Government Services Canada in Quebec City. >> continued
Inkjet presses popped into our collective consciousness about seven years ago, at Drupa 2008. It was then that HP released it T-Series web presses, Kodak literally unveiled the Prosper (the press was kept behind a curtain which was lifted for presentations a few times a day), Fujifilm showed a prototype of its J Press 720, and Screen presented its Truepress JetSX.
The Wilfrid Laurier Press (WLU) will not have to phase out its services, as previously recommended. The Press will be integrated into the administrative structure of the Wilfrid Laurier University Library.
The director of the WLU Press will now report to the university librarian. The Press will become a part of the new vision for a Library Cultural and Learning Commons, and will aim to become a financially sustainable press without subsidy from the university. MIT, Stanford, Purdue and the University of Michigan are some of the schools that have also undergone a library-press integration. >> continued
Chinese manufacturer CRON and ECRM have formed a joint venture to sell CRON’s CTP product line in North America and Mexico. The new company, CRON-ECRM cut the ribbon on its North American headquarters and showroom in Tewskbury, Mass., earlier this week with CRON founder and board chairman Mike Xiang, ECRM executives, and local and state dignitaries in attendance.
“While others look to digital, CRON will focus on CTP. There are hundreds of thousands of offset presses in the world that will keep working for a long time to come and they will need CTP,” said Xiang. Mike Xiang founded CRON 20 years ago >> continued
The Canadian Printing Industries Association (CPIA) plans to recognize Richard Armstrong’s outstanding achievement and commitment to the printing industry by nominating him for a Honourary Life Membership.
Honourary Life Membership is granted as an expression by the association of its appreciation for distinguished services to or, in the interests of, the CPIA.
CPIA chairman Sandy Stephens will make the proposal during an annual meeting on March 25. >> continued
to sell CRON’s CTP product line in North America and Mexico. The new company, 
