In Brief

Richard Cowles joined ColorQuick LLC as a business development analyst.

KBA North America named Mark Hischar, president and CEO. He will officially begin his new post Oct. 1, 2009.

German regional newspaper publisher Nordwest Zeitung said it will roll out Methode software from EidosMedia to support its print and online operations.

The Beacon-News in Aurora, Ill., introduced its new tabloid format today. The Sun-Times Media Group paper is the second newspaper in as many weeks to convert to a tab, with the Post-Tribune in Gary, Ind., announcing its conversion effective Oct. 5.

McClatchy Co. said that all 30 of its daily newspapers joined AP Mobile. The Associated Press’ AP Mobile is a multimedia news portal that provides anytime access to international, national and local news.

Quark Inc. said will make all of its software available for purchase through DistributorX Inc. The agreement replaces a distribution agreement Quark formerly had with ThePowerXChange.com, Quark said.

Commercial printer Consolidated Graphics Inc. purchased two Xeikon 5000plus 1,200 dpi digital color presses. The presses are in addition to the Xeikon 6000s that CGI has already been using to produce high-quality dust jackets for photo books.

Mediaspectrum Inc. said its platform is now available as an Internet-delivered service accessible to users via a Web browser.


Pageflex, a division of Bitstream Inc. and Choice Software, a system integrator for the printing industry, announced that CPS Printing in Carlsbad, Calif., a commercial print enterprise, implemented an integrated production workflow that automatically transfers data between their online logistics solution, cor-Port (powered by Pageflex Storefront), and their MIS platform. The bi-directional integration was developed by Choice Software using their ChoiceICE connector product, which eliminates manual data entry by digitally transferring order, job, and shipping information between the two systems.


Protecmedia said it will unveil SHIPO, software based on geomarketing, designed to manage everything connected to the circulation of a newspaper, at IfraExpo in Vienna next month.
The app allows close control of delivery routes and sales outlets, obtaining data that, once cross-referenced, generates valuable results publishers can use to optimize performance, Protecmedia said.

Xeikon, a division of Punch Graphix, and Screen (USA) entered a joint marketing program. Through the program, Screen will be able to offer the Xeikon digital color solutions to its US-based clients for book publishing and transactional/TransPromo applications and Xeikon will be able to offer the Truepress jet 520.