Presstek is stepping up to seize the day. In the wake of Heidelberg’s departure from the direct imaging market and the elimination of the popular Quickmaster DI 46-4 Pro and larger-format DI presses from its product portfolio, Presstek in February announced the first Presstek-branded DI press, the Presstek 52DI, a highly automated, 52cm (20") landscape press designed to meet the demand for short-run, fast-turnaround, high-quality color. The company followed up this week with the introduction of the Presstek-branded 34DI A3 (13.39" x 18.11") portrait press. Both presses are having their worldwide debut at IPEX 2006, April 4-11. (The 52DI will be available stateside later this year; the 34DI initially will be available only in Europe.)

The first DI press was a marriage of Presstek imaging and media and Heidelberg press technologies, with the first products coming to market in the early 1990s. The new product launches come as Presstek has assumed control of its channels to market, as well as the responsibility for delivery and support of its technology to the customer.

WhatTheyThink spoke with president and CEO Ed Marino about the Presstek-branded 52DI, the evolution of digital offset technology and why now, more than ever, the technology, which some prematurely judged to have been yesterday’s news, is back in the headlines again.