Print Business Going Global

High-profile announcements show an increasingly global print marketplace. Imaging giant Schawk, Inc., Des Plaines, IL, closes this month on an acquisition of Winnetts, a $40-million prepress unit of U.K.'s Weir Holdings, with operations also in Spain and Belgium. Netherlands' Van Gennep-M.A.C. gets a minority stake from Quad/Graphics, and will sell its PlanSystem3 planning, workflow, editorial and process management system to Quad customers. Heidelberg Druckmaschinen begins work on a 50-employee folder plant next month, either in Beijing or Shanghai. Wholly owned by Heidelberg, it may later build smaller presses. Heidelberg has exported 3,000 machine units to China since 2001. Baldwin will open a new 86,000-sq.ft., purpose-built production plant and training center in Augsburg, Germany, by 2006, increasing capacities for cleaning systems, consumables, fountain solution systems and web products. Baldwin Germany GmbH employs 200. MAN Roland says its Offenbach, Germany workers have agreed to cost-saving measures and, as a result, it will not spin off its sheetfed press sector—which had been under consideration. In return it agreed not to lay off any operational staff to the end of 2006. In-line finishing supplier Gämmerler realigned operations, erasing regional geographic boundaries. Senior level global managers are: Gunter Gämmerler, CEO; Mark Legac, Sales & Marketing; Ronald Meisel, Engineering; Götz Leschonski, Logistics & Production; Stefan Kröger, Finance; and Annett Hildebrandt, Project Management.