Southern California

Superior Lithographics, a leading California-based large-format packaging printer, announced that its Founder & CEO, Doug Rawson, has been named 2011 Executive of the Year by the Printing Industries Association, Inc. of Southern California (PIASC). The PIASC is the largest affiliate of Printing Industries of America, the national trade association for the printing and graphic arts industry. The award recognizes Mr. Rawson's contributions to the industry as a longtime member of the PIASC board, and the visionary behind Superior Lithographics' innovation and success. "It is a tremendous honor to be recognized by my colleagues in the printing

News on printers to the package printing industry, including Sonoco, Topflight Corportation, The Printing Industries Association of Southern California, Menasha Packagin, and I.D. Images. 

DALLAS—Feb. 8, 2011—KBA North America announces that Foster Printing, a large-format trade printer based in Santa Ana, CA, has inaugurated its new 46,000-square-foot facility in southern California and started up its second KBA Rapida 162a 64˝ sheetfed press. The firm began printing in its new facility in early December 2010 with the new five-color conventional press alongside its 2008-purchased KBA Rapida 162a 64˝ six-press with UV capabilities. “Our new state-of-the-art facility, which we purchased late last year, along with a second large-format press from KBA is the culmination of two years of planning and exceptional growth,” says Kris Blackburn,

Pittsburgh, Pa.— The Ben Franklin Honor Society of the Printing Industries of America inducted 12 new members at its annual black-tie dinner and awards ceremony on Friday, November 14 in Las Vegas, Nev., during the Printing Industries of America fall board meeting.   The 2007 Naomi Berber Award recipient, Archer was the chairman of the board of Printing Industry Association of Georgia in 1998 and was named PIAG's 2005 Ben Franklin Award recipient for her tireless involvement and service to her business, the printing industry, and her community.   Dennis Balas co-chaired the research, development, editing, and publishing of the printing industry's consummate resources BRIDG'S and GRACoL 1-6, which brought process controls and proper upstream image preparation to the printing industry. Hirsch has served the industry as president of NAPIM, the founder/first president of Los Angeles Printing Ink Production Club, a past board member of PIASC, and a sponsor for many of PIASC's seminars, conferences, and annual meetings. Tom Saggiomo is president and CEO of Agfa Graphics in Ridgefield Park, N.J. Founder of Lastra America that was acquired by Agfa, Saggiomo was instrumental in the introduction of the computer-to-plate technology to the graphic arts industry. Steven Schnoll is managing director of Schnoll Media Consulting, New Providence, N.J. A highly respected consultant on new technology issues, Schnoll started his print career in the late 60s at Jersey Printing Company.

“The conference agenda addresses the myriad of issues and approaches to help participants understand and install sustainable procedures in difficult economic times,” said Harvey Levenson, head of Cal Poly's Graphic Communication Department. Because of the need to assist the graphic communication industry to ‘reinvent’ itself and grow in light of economic cutbacks, the conference will focus on ‘Being Lean, Green and Profitable in a Shrinking Economy.’

Foster’s inline UV capability will be used for both environmental benefits and fast turnaround times. Having the press equipped with UV capabilities will allow the firm to cure its printed sheets immediately, giving the company much more efficiency and throughput, but it will also help the firm to remain committed to the environment, a key consideration in Southern California.   In 1988, the Blackburn family purchased the assets from Walter Foster and restructured the company to include printing for the trade.