December 6, 2004 -- PrintCity members have been working together in Russia to stimulate networking and commercial projects that will build up new European operations for printers and their customers. More than 100 printers and other specialists from the graphic arts industry took part in PrintCity’s first seminar in Moscow about modern high volume Heatset Web Offset for European country customers. The unique collaboration between world-leading companies UPM, MAN Roland, Gammerler, Sun Chemical and Megtec looks set to be the platform for other seminars to follow in other countries. The partnership – where latest technology and best practices have been tried out – was forged through PrintCity’s Web Publishing Activity Group, one of the specific interest platforms that were set up by the strategic alliance to forge innovative business solutions like this. Project leader Erik Ohls, Marketing Director Service and New Business Development for UPM, said: “Russia is one of the world’s fastest-rising economies in the printing industry – with average growth in the economy running at about 7% a year – which made it the ideal choice to launch this important initiative for the printing industry. “We expected a high-level audience of between 40 and 50, but this has exceeded all expectations with more than 60 people showing phenomenal interest in the best practices that we have been discussing. “In this seminar attendees received the latest information about the importance of matching components for high productivity and print quality. Key subject matter also involves the interaction between paper, ink and fountain solution in a modern high-speed press. “ Customers were also told about the importance of matching components for high productivity and print quality. Rainer Kuhn, Managing Director of PrintCity, said: “These are very exciting times for PrintCity in what is yet another world first for PrintCity, which follows on from our unqualified success at drupa. “The enthusiasm and desire to work together and to “connect” competences is stronger than ever. This is just one initiative that we have been working on as PrintCity’s reputation continues to grow as a foremost organisation within the graphic arts industry. These are exciting times for everybody involved – the co-operation has been fantastic.“ At the seminar on December 1, entitled “Experiences in High Volume Heatset Offset Printing”, there were presentations by each of the PrintCity member participating companies and one by Nigel Wells, Chairman of the Web Champion Group.