Jan 4 -- MAN Roland’s trail to an all-time record sales year in 2006 traveled at a gallop through the company’s western district, where major press purchases continue to be on the rise as 2007 begins. Schawk Goes Long MAN Roland’s extra-extra large press is about to go extra-extra long at the Los Angeles production facilities of branding image leader Schawk. The company is set to install the world’s first 8-color-plus-coater version of the ROLAND 900 XXL, a 73-inch press that is scheduled to be up and running this quarter. The flexibility the ROLAND 900 XXL provides was a major factor in Schawk selecting the press. High-quality books for car manufacturers, in-store retail signage and outdoor advertising for blockbuster movies will top the ROLAND 900’s list of assignments at Schawk. The press’ 73-inch format makes it ideal for billboard and bus shelter work. Carl Taylor, Managing Director of Schawk’s LA facility sees the outdoor market heating up in terms of increased media buys. He also envisions the print quality and production speed of the ROLAND 900 XXL as helping him serve the growing segment. “With bus shelters, the work is physically closer to the viewer,” he says. “That requires the highest print quality. And movie industry campaigns are very time sensitive. The consolidated workflow we’ll realize with the ROLAND 900 XXL reduces manufacturing, which translates to an increase in speed-to-market.” In a related development, Schawk Los Angeles has received certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) in recognition of its environmentally sound production practices. “FSC certification represents Schawk’s commitment to the proper management of our natural resources,” Taylor says. “It will allow us to use the FSC logo to let our clients know that we are playing our part as responsible global citizens.” An Elite ROLAND 700 Elite Color Technologies in Gardena, California has purchased a five-color-with-coater ROLAND 700 to step-up to 40-inch printing. The press is scheduled to be installed this month. “We have a 29-inch six-color MAN Roland press and we’re very comfortable with it,” explains Jae Kim, Manager. “It runs well, it delivers fast makereadies, and it produces first rate quality on a wide variety of stocks.” The problem: While business is good for the half-size format, opportunities to produce jobs suited to 40-inch equipment are passing Elite by. “About 50 percent of my current customers have 40 inch jobs, but they have to send them to someone else, because while our quality is great, we can’t beat the 40-inch prices. With the ROLAND 700, we’ll be able to pick up that work.” Full Color Gets a ROLAND 500 Full Color Printing in Las Vegas, Nevada has invested in a new five-color ROLAND 500 with an inline coating unit and an extended delivery. The ROLAND 500 can accommodate substrates up to 40 pt. thick and as thin as onionskin at a top speed of 18,000 sph. That equips it to productively handle carton production, label production, in mold labels (IML), blister packaging, book production, publication printing, and plastic printing. It can even print on microflute and corrugated, without options or accessories. ROLAND 700 Set for a Marrs Launch A new six-color ROLAND 700 with inline coating, perfecting and an extended delivery is set for a February installation at Marrs Printing and Packaging, Inc. in City of Industry, California. The new press will augment a pressroom that is anchored by two six-color 41-inch MAN Roland systems, a four-color machine and a two-color model, as well as an array of other presses. “The first reason we selected a ROLAND 700 is to increase our printing capacity,” says Scott Marrs, Vice President. The 41-inch ROLAND 700 does that productively, offering the fastest makereadies in its class and a run rate of 16,000 sheets per hour. “The second reason is that the new ROLAND 700 will bring UV capabilities to Marrs Printing and Packaging,” he adds. “That will expand what we can offer to our customers. The ROLAND 700 is the printing platform upon which hundreds of printers worldwide have successfully launched new UV-enhanced products. These profit-boosting applications include labels, packaging and a wide range of high-gloss items. A Special Press for Special Effects Big3D.com Worldwide of Fresno, California has ordered a six-color ROLAND 500 press with inline coating and an extended delivery from MAN Roland Inc. The privately held company is the industry leader in lenticular and three-dimensional printing processes. The versatility of the ROLAND 500, which can handle the widest range of substrates in the industry and stock thicknesses from onionskin to 40 pt board, will be put to good use on lenticular jobs at Big3D.com. The technique involves placing special lenses over a two dimensional print, allowing the eye to simultaneously view alternating sections of multiple images. “Offset litho lenticular projects offer amazing ROI opportunities for direct mail, packaging, and retail/POP projects that can not be duplicated with traditional two dimensional printing,” says Bradley Fitzhenry, Marketing Director at Big3D.com. “As the leader in 3D/motion lenticular graphics printing, we are excited at being able to offer additional capabilities as a result of purchasing the ROLAND 500.”