December 1, 2003 -- Toronto, Ontario — The sales and leads MAN Roland gathered leading up to and during Graphics Canada signify a significant upturn in the Canadian graphic arts industry, according to the press leader. A four-unit ROLAND 200e was purchased at the show by The Printer of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Company President Ron Ford says he bought the machine to increase the efficiency of four-color production in his facility. Currently, The Printer runs a two-color ROLAND 200 as its primary press. The track record of that system prompted The Printer to stay with MAN Roland as its equipment supplier. “We have been running the two-color ROLAND 200 for over 10 years and we’ve put more than 49 million impressions on it,” Ford says. During that decade-long performance, Ford estimates that the press experienced less than 14 days of cumulative downtime. “Its reliability and quality are unbelievable,” he said. “Getting another MAN Roland was never a question. We are so happy with product quality and serviceability that we’ve experienced.” The new four-unit 200 will give The Printer one pass productivity on process color jobs. “The ROLAND 200 is the perfect machine for us,” notes Ford. “Despite its compact size, it gives us many of the advanced features of the larger MAN Roland presses, including an integrated inking system and advanced controls. Plus its 29 inch format provides extra flexibility in terms of size of the products we can offer our customers.” Price was another issue. Ford points out that the total scope of the Nova Scotia market is under a million residents. “The affordability of this press allows us to bring advanced four-color production to a smaller market.” The Printers’ new press is scheduled to be installed before New Year’s Eve, a date that Ford is anxiously anticipating. “My feeling is that the MAN Roland engineering and development of equipment far outpaces the other press manufacturers out there,” he declares. “They’re a very aggressive and forward thinking company when it comes to advancing production. I’m looking forward to very good success with this press.” Wide Preview At Graphics Canada, show goers got an advanced peak at the new ROLAND 900 XXL, which will be officially introduced at drupa in May. At 73”, the XXL is the widest new sheetfed press in the industry. It was represented by a full-size printing unit at Graphics Canada, one that dwarfed all other equipment at the show. Friesens Corporation bought two 50” ROLAND 900s, both four-color machines. Andrew Fennell, the company’s Administration Manager, reports that the two new presses will join an existing 900 at Freisens, one that is configured identically to the new presses. “Through an evaluation process, we found that it made the most sense for us to purchase ROLAND 900s rather than some other machine,” Fennell says. “The efficiency the 900 offers is the main reason. In addition, its PECOM operating system will let us network the two new presses to our existing MAN Roland press so we can benefit from the advantages of centralized control.” The focus of Friesens’ evaluation led right back to the company’s pressroom. “The biggest factor in our decision was the good experience we’re having with our existing ROLAND 900,” Fennell observes. “We’ve cut our makeready times and increased our run speed considerably.” Friesen’s two new 900s will join the current MAN Roland press in one of the company’s production facilities in Altona, Manitoba to specialize in book manufacturing -- producing up to 64-page signatures, all in four-color. Three for Ten Just months before Graphics Canada, Dollco Printing, with its head office in Ottawa, purchased a 10-color ROLAND 700 perfector. The 41” machine is equipped to produce 5/5 work in a single pass and is equipped with a roll-to-sheet feeder. Dollco is one of the largest privately held printers in Canada, with an extensive arsenal of sheetfed machines and three heatset web presses. The new 700 is the company’s first experience with MAN Roland technology. “We sent two of our people with years of experience in production and selecting equipment to Europe and to the U.S.,” says Kevin Nicholds, Dollco’s owner. “They reviewed them all extensively, and found that the ROLAND 700 would deliver the most productivity and highest quality compared to other presses that they looked at. “The ROLAND 700 was our third choice going in and our first choice coming out. After we reviewed the field, we learned just how good this press is.” Dollco’s newest printing system is scheduled for delivery in early January. “With the roll to sheet feeder and the perfector, the 700 is almost a hybrid press,” Nicholds notes. “You get the advantages of both a sheetfed and a web. We purchase a lot of rolls so we can benefit from volume savings in paper. And we’ll get the advanced productivity and flexibility of a sheetfed press thanks to the ROLAND 700’s quick makereadies.” Another pre-show press purchaser was AIIM (Avant Imaging & Information Management Inc.). That company is also scheduled for a 10-color ROLAND 700 perfector with a digital roll to sheet feeder. “What sets the ROLAND 700 apart is its PECOM operating and automation system. PECOM ties in nicely with our Printcafe MIS so we can fully benefit from all the advantages of Computer Integrated Manufacturing,” says AIIM President Frank Giorgio. Commenting on the ROLAND 700’s roll-to-sheet feeder, Giorgio notes: “The sheeter allows us a better yield out of the paper for each job by sheeting at the most economical size. This will definitely make us more competitive than we already are in the marketplace.” A third 10-color ROLAND 700 was recently commissioned at Quebecor World Graphique-Couleur in Laval, Quebec — this one with in-line coating. The system is replacing two presses at the company. Operating with a staff of 235 and a 42,000 sq ft plant, Quebecor World Graphique-Couleur produces a wide range of high-end products, including annual reports, brochures, publications and packaging for industries ranging from advertising to pharmaceuticals. According to Operation Manager Pierre Paré, the new press will put the company in a league of its own: “We always have been renowned for our quality work in annual reports. The 700 will help us continue in this trend, but more important, it will give us the opportunity to offer something unique in the Quebec market: 10-color production in one pass. We will be a step ahead of our competition.” Paul Tasker, General Manger of Sheetfed Operations for MAN Roland’s Canadian Region, cited pent-up demand from prepress, press and post press for the surge in orders surrounding the Graphics Canada show. “There’s an overall optimistic outlook despite the fierce competition,” he says. “Printers continue to adopt CTP which will enhance their Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) capabilities. Smart printers recognize that the industry will turn around and they want to be ready for the surge.” In cooperation with PrintCafe/EFI and Creo, MAN Roland conducted one of its CIM in Print seminars at Graphics Canada. “CIM is necessary to allow print to continue to be an effective method of communication,” Tasker says. “I think generally that customers still think CIM is an idea. MAN Roland has to continue to aggressively promote and demonstrate that this is a reality. The leads and the sales we’ve acquired surrounding Graphics Canada are an indication that we are making good headway in that regard.”