Big Show for A Big Region

The 29th annual Gutenberg Festival, called the only exposition for the full spectrum of graphics, prepress, printing, and converting professionals in the nation's busiest and best-equipped regional printing market, will return to the Long Beach Convention Center in California May 17-19.

Organizers say the exposition is ideally matched to the size of the region and the continuing importance of the printing industry in Mexico. "The western United States, particularly California, continues to be one of the world's foremost arenas for both technological innovation and business growth," notes Regis J. Delmontagne, president of the Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC), Reston, Va., producer of the event.

California, he explains, leads the nation in the number of installed sheetfed presses, with slightly more than 3,000, more than all of New England. The state also has more than 10,000 duplicators and some 525 web presses, both regional bests. This active market, he adds, is well served by a busy trade show like the Gutenberg Festival.

GASC mounted a special promotional campaign to attract industry leaders from Mexico to the show, and portions of the accompanying educational program will enable participants to explore business opportunities in that country.

The Printing Industries Association, Inc. of Southern California, Los Angeles, in cooperation with GASC, has organized nine full-day educational sessions and 29 half-day sessions, to benefit business managers, graphic designers, prepress professionals, and press and bindery operators. Seven of the full-day sessions are to take place on Wednesday, May 16, the day before the show opens, with the remainder set for May 17 and 18.

Organizers say the exhibits appeal to showgoers in specific areas. Graphic designers and creative directors will be able to see advancements in PDF, electronic prepress, computer publishing and technology, optimized PostScript, job proofing, and security inks, plus software, scanners, RIPs, and substrates.

Digital printing solutions include computer-to-plate developments, direct imaging presses, prepress software, preflighting, new paper grades, color copiers and digital duplicators, and variable-data software.

Quick printers will be interested in exhibits displaying PDF solutions, optimized workflow capabilities, on-demand finishing systems, e-business opportunities, digital scanning, variable-data printing, and laser and ink-jet imaging.

For complete show information, visit gutenberg.com or call GASC at (703) 264-7200.

Randy Quiring, owner of Rapid Printing Company, Ventura, Calif., plans a return visit. At last year's show, he bought two A.B. Dick systems, a two-color 9995 press and a DPM2340 computer-to-plate (CTP) unit, which boosted his capacity and delivered a quick return on his investment.

He says, "By cutting out film, the CTP system began paying for itself as soon as we put it into operation. It also serves as a great selling tool when I show customers how easy it is to go from approval to print using high-quality polyester plates."

So what's next? "We'll be back in Long Beach in May with hopes of acquiring a four-color press," says Quiring.

Emanuele Barelli, owner of Digital Color World, Los Angeles, also plans a return visit.

He says his company, which had always emphasized prepress and design services, previously outsourced its four-color printing. But at last year's show, he bought a new Heidelberg Quickmaster DI 46-4, a four-color direct-to-press system, to bring the capability in house.

"Our gross margins jumped 30% as a direct result," Barelli reports. "Makeready takes 10 to 15 minutes and not having to send out for film separations saves us about $2,000 a month. We also gain complete control of every job, from design to print."

This year, Barelli plans to look for shrink-wrap or boxing equipment and possibly an aqueous coater.