2006 InterTech Technology Awards Announced

The Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (PIA/GATF) has announced the recipients of the 2006 PIA/GATF InterTech Technology Awards. Thirty-five nominations were submitted, and eleven technologies were selected to receive the award.

The 2006 InterTech Technology Award Recipients include five technologies of particular interest to digitally oriented shops:

* Adobe PDF Print Engine, Adobe Systems (www.adobe.com): A next-generation printing platform based on the same PDF technology as Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Creative Suite software, this allows PDF files to be rendered natively throughout the workflow, eliminating the need to flatten transparent artwork, and enables a complete, end-to-end PDF workflow.

* DALiM MiSTRAL, DALiM Software GmbH (www.dalim.com): Project-management and job-tracking system that allows everyone concerned with the production of a piece of print to have complete real-time visibility with every aspect of the job. All those concerned can log into the system and see the exact status of every element.

* WebCenter, Esko-Graphics (www.esko.com): A tool for collaborating and communicating between all partners in the printing supply chains, WebCenter permits users to work virtually, in real-time, with internal creative, marketing, package design and engineering groups, external vendors and suppliers, and internal personnel.

* DeskDirect, PrintSoft (www.deskdirect.net): Allows for documents such as customer letters, direct mail, purchase orders, forms or explanation of benefits to be created in WYSIWYG software installed on the user’s PC, and then electronically sent to the print provider or in-house print center for production and insertion in the mailstream.

* XMPie uImage, XMPie (www.xmpie.com): Produces and integrates image-prsonalization effects with variable data publishing; Adobe Photoshop CS2 and Adobe Illustrator CS2 users can produce personalized images and graphics, and seamlessly merge them into XMPie variable publishing, in print and online.

Other 2006 InterTech Technology Awards went to: Microsystems Microcip Software Module, C&P Microsystems; The Magnum Ink Formulation Dispenser, GFI Innovations; Zero-slip Nip Enhancement , Goss International Americas; KBA Genius 52 UV Sheetfed Offset Press, KBA North America; Man Roland InlineFoiler, Man Roland; and Liberty Sheetfed Inks, Sun Chemical.

Awards will be presented at the 2006 PIA/GATF Fall Administrative Meetings, November 9-12 in Milwaukee. A technology review booklet showcasing all 35 of the current year’s nominated technologies will be produced for Graph Expo, to be held October 15-18, in Chicago.

PIA/GATF

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