Westmont, Illinois — Yves Rogivue, CEO of MAN Roland Inc., has called on press manufacturers to disclose the names of printers who bought equipment during Graph Expo 2002, rather than just providing estimates of the number of presses sold. "With our industry at the threshold of a recovery, this is not the time to exaggerate numbers when it comes to announcing press sales," Rogivue declared. "Printers need real facts about who’s buying what, not estimates or guesstimates." Rogivue offered to release the names of companies who bought MAN Roland equipment during Graph Expo, whenever the other major press manufacturers agree to do so. "In the meantime, we will offer a preliminary list of accomplishments that we’ve achieved at the show," he said. "We will announce the names and locations of the facilities when the equipment is actually installed." MAN Roland’s preliminary Graph Expo activity list declares that: - Approximately 20 DICOweb projects have been started. DICOweb is the revolutionary technology that prints without plates, and is offered to facilities with a high demand for short-run color offset. - Seven new six- and eight-color Roland 300 and 700 presses were sold at Graph Expo. Both the 29 inch 300 and the 41 inch 700 were demonstrated at MAN Roland Graphic/Training center during Graph Expo. - A new ROTOMAN six-color is going to a new facility in North America. - A CROMOMAN web press system as well as a new LITHOMAN Insert web press were the subjects of letters of intent to purchase. - Several PECOM packages were sold to upgrade current MAN Roland facilities. PECOM’s JobPilot and PressMonitor modules enhance the Computer Integrated Manufacturing capabilities of PECOM. They recently received the 2002 InterTech Award from GATF. - More than 2,000 registered attendees saw the new Roland 500 make its North American premiere in a special Graph Expo theater. A significant number of them have requested personal demonstrations of the world’s fastest multi-color sheetfed press. - The first Roland 500 in North America will be installed during the first quarter of 2003. - Five complete Wohlenberg/Baumann cutting systems were ordered at Graph Expo. - Two Kama die-cutters were purchased at the show. - More than 50 Press Operating Profitability (POP) analyses were completed during the show. POP provides printers with an accurate assessment of how a variety of full-size sheetfed presses will perform in their home pressrooms. The complimentary analysis service was well received at its Graph Expo introduction. "Our customers and several industry leaders also applauded us for our stand against the dangers of creative financing," Rogivue added. MAN Roland distributed a brief by CFO Eric Belcher at the show, which details how aggressive financing deals by a number of press manufacturers are hurting the industry by subsidizing "non-viable" printing facilities, and thus contributing to overcapacity. "With financing and with show sales figures, we all have to make sure the numbers make sense and are realistic," Rogivue said. "Above all else, it’s important to maintain a high level of integrity for our industry. Our customers deserve nothing less."