Shorts

The Graphic Arts Show Company reported that, four months before the upcoming Graph Expo and Converting Expo 2004 show, exhibitors have booked floor space that already exceeds the final amount for the entire show last year. The exposition, to be held October 10-13 in McCormick Place South in Chicago, features some 600 exhibitors and nearly 900,000 square feet, including a newly expanded Wide Format Pavilion and Mailing & Fulfillment Center. First-time exhibitors include Apple Computer, Quark, and Roll Systems.

Outlook Group Corporation, Neenah, Wis., has extended its current contract with Service Graphics, Inc. to provide direct mail services through 2007. The contract, valued at about $1 million per year, includes taking phone-in orders, then printing and distributing as many as 40 million personalized mailings in the first year.

GraphLine, Inc., Tamarac, Fla., called the nation's largest independent distributor of graphic arts products, has acquired CNI Graphics, Inc., gaining the exclusive rights to import, distribute, and convert CNI's Airdot offset blankets in North America.

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG of Germany reports that Klaus Spiegel has voluntarily stepped down as management board member responsible for the company's entire product portfolio and marketing arm. No replacement was named; however, Jürgen Rautert has joined the three-person board, responsible for engineering and manufacturing.

The Graphic Arts Technical Foundation, Sewickley, Pa., has released its new Bindery Training Curriculum and the sixth edition of its Web Offset Press Training Curriculum, which contains expanded content. Both products, designed for printers' on-site employee training, include instructor's and trainee's kits, plus a reference library. For details and prices, visit gain.net or call Christy Semple of GATF at (800) 662-3916.