27 March 2015

North America narrow web press market heats up

The competition in North America has heated up for narrow web printing press manufacturers over the last few months. Leading regional players have made key leadership changes while international manufacturers looking for growth in the US are also making moves. Investments have been made in manufacturing facilities and demo centers have been improved to educate customers.

Most recently, Nuova Gidue appointed Lance Shumaker as its regional president. Shumaker brings a breadth of experience from Indigo and AVT, and long-standing relationships to the Italian company that recently installed a specially designed mid-web flexo press in Orem, Utah. Nuova Gidue has been actively demonstrating its standard ‘digital flexo’ machinery in Glendale Heights, Illinois, at All Printing Resources, a market leading distributor of flexo supplies and technical support.

MPS, headquartered in The Netherlands, has revealed its plan to start manufacturing printing presses in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in partnership with EMT International in an effort to speed press delivery and provide more customized solutions to fit the needs of the US market. Respected industry expert and FTA Hall of Fame member, Denny McGee, serves as president of MPS North America and is excited to have this physical support in the region.

In late 2014 Mark Andy established more independence when its former CEO and executive management team finalized a buy-out of the Chesterfield, Missouri-based press manufacturing business. At the same time the supplier revved its development of a Print Products division and Rotoflex to present a single solution to both the North America and international market. Additionally, its VP of sales and marketing, Steve Schulte, was appointed to TLMI’s board of directors.

Nilpeter strengthened its regional leadership team with the addition last year of Paul Teachout, who holds a plethora of knowledge about the printed packaging sector having spent numerous years with Aquaflex and Harper Corporation. As of 2014, he is TLMI’s label award judging committee chairman. The Danish company has been manufacturing presses in Cincinnati, Ohio, since 2001 and recently updated its demo facility, looking to produce more of its advanced presses in the US.

With strong engineering and design backgrounds, and compelling leadership with developed relationships, which press manufacturer will win the race in North America? Most likely it will come down to the reliability of each supplier – the service and support infrastructure and support staff that will make the difference.