Toronto, Ontario — With registration up, floor traffic increased and the quality of leads more on target, the 2006 edition of Graphics Canada ranked as the best in the past ten years, according to MAN Roland. “This year’s show was much better for us because this is the first time we ran a live press at Graphics Canada,” said Paul Tasker, General Manager of MAN Roland Inc. in Canada. “It was a Ryobi, and most of those who saw its demo were amazed. They had no idea Ryobi makes such a great press.” The system performing at the show was a four-color 524GX with in-line coating — a 15” x 20” model. In addition to showing off its automation-driven advantages, the machine also demonstrated the time-saving and operational benefits of Fuji’s new processless plates. “A lot was going on in our exhibit. For instance, this was our first major show since MAN Roland became the exclusive distributor of Ryobi presses in Canada,” Tasker explains. “A number of key Ryobi executives visited us from Japan. They were thrilled by the exposure we gave them, and they were happy to see how we’re standing behind the Ryobi name in Canada with our high caliber of sales, service and support. We’re set to close deals on a number of these presses.” That’s not to say the MAN Roland systems were overshadowed. Throughout the show, interested visitors were transported to Toronto’s Forham Printing for a hands-on look at that company’s six-color coater-equipped ROLAND 500 — the first of its kind in Canada. “We had great demos at Forham,” Tasker recalls, “and we saw a lot of interest in this 500’s abilities to handle a variety of substrates at high speeds, especially among packaging printers.” The one negative noted by showgoers was that there were too many “virtual” displays and digitally driven exhibits, and not enough real equipment at the expo. “Many visitors to our booth told us that they were relieved to see our production innovations in action,” Tasker says. An MBO buckle plate folder and a Moll folder/gluer were also demonstrated continuously at the MAN Roland exhibit, according to the MAN Roland GM. “We have exceeded their expectations in terms of sales, especially with our success with the Moll folder/gluer.” Of course, MAN Roland also emphasized the importance of digital connections at Graphics Canada. It partnered with MIS-provider HIFLEX and prepress giant Kodak to provide daily seminars on the benefits of computer integrated manufacturing (CIM). “Executives from many of our larger accounts attended and expressed interest in MAN Roland’s ability to deliver complete CIM solutions,” Tasker notes. “Our service and support capabilities were also well represented at Graphics Canada. We want our customers to know that we have them covered with an array of parts and service offerings.” MAN Roland also participated in general session events. Yves Rogivue, CEO of MAN Roland Inc., delivered a presentation titled “The Optimism of Change.” In it, he documented how innovative printers in Canada and elsewhere are thriving in a competitive environment by properly implemented CIM. “Companies like internet print provider VistaPrint are validating the optimism of change,” he said. “They’re showing how you can overcome the commodity pricing trap by differentiating your business from the rest of the pack. That means making targeted investments in technology that let you better address specific market needs.”