Presstek Reports on Progress of ABDick Integration
April 19 2005 - 3:54PM
PR Newswire (US)
Presstek Reports on Progress of ABDick Integration -- Three Phase
Plan of Integration Ahead of Schedule -- HUDSON, N.H., April 19
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Presstek, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRST), a leading
provider of direct digital imaging technology, announced today that
the integration of its newest business, ABDick, is progressing
ahead of schedule. "The union of Presstek and ABDick fuses a
high-value products and technology company with a market leader in
a very important market segment," said President and Chief
Executive Officer Edward J. Marino. "It not only extends the
distribution capability and channel support for Presstek, but also
delivers a broad array of digital solutions and services into
ABDick's served market." Marino continued, "Our efforts in early
2005 have been focused on the restructuring of our operations in
order to leverage each of our business's areas of expertise.
Accordingly, we have restructured ABDick to operate as the sales,
marketing and customer service arm of the company. We have combined
its well-respected sales and service organization with our existing
channels of distribution to create synergies not previously
available to either of our companies. Presstek is now structured to
operate as a source of product, leveraging its competencies as a
high tech research, development and manufacturing company. With so
much progress under way, we felt this would be a good time to
provide an update on the achievements made in the implementation of
our plan of integration." Plan of Integration Presstek's
three-phase plan of integration is designed to provide (1)
operational excellence; (2) transformation; and (3) growth for our
company. The Operational Excellence Phase of the integration
addresses the realignment, restructuring and rescaling necessary to
achieve profitability and strengthen the operating foundation
across the ABDick business. It also includes the integration of
certain functions between the Presstek and ABDick businesses. The
Transformation Phase covers a wide range of business improvements
including significantly strengthened digital solutions offerings,
expanded digital competency in the workforce, infrastructure
improvements, and continued gains in the company's overall
efficiency resulting in reduced operating costs. The Growth Phase
is expected to drive organic growth within the company's ABDick and
Presstek businesses. Marino continued, "We are pleased to report
that our progress in the Operational Excellence Phase of our plan
has been better than expected. We have filled a number of key
management positions and we are executing well on our plan. At the
same time we have strengthened our overall efficiency and
effectiveness in both ABDick and Presstek by examining and
redesigning a number of key processes. This progress in the first
phase has also allowed us to begin to work on the Transformation
Phase of the integration plan ahead of our original schedule.
Consequently, we recently introduced several Presstek
computer-to-plate and direct imaging products to our expanded
ABDick sales and service force, which were originally planned for
introduction late in the second quarter." Key Management
Appointments Presstek recognized the need to expand and strengthen
its executive leadership team with the completion of its recent
acquisitions. As a result, the company has made a number of key
appointments over the past several months, resulting in very strong
and capable executive management teams at both Presstek and ABDick.
Key operating executive level appointments at Presstek Corporate
include: * The promotion of Moosa E. Moosa to the position of
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; * The
promotion of Michael McCarthy to the position of Senior Vice
President of Operations; * The appointment of Peter Bouchard to the
expanded position of Vice President and General Manager Direct
Imaging and OEM Businesses; * The appointment of Diane Bourque to
the position of Vice President, Integration; * The appointment of
Tim Turner as Vice President of Research and Engineering; and * The
promotion of Eugene Langlais to the position of Chief Technology
Officer. In the company's European Operations, Quen Baum has been
promoted to the newly created position of Managing Director for
Presstek Europe. Ray Hillhouse has assumed Quen's previous position
and been promoted to the position of Managing Director of ABDick
UK. Presstek's ABDick, North America business has also strengthened
its management team, with the following key operational
executive-level appointments: * Susan McLaughlin as President
ABDick NA, and Senior Vice President of Presstek; * Joe Musgrave as
Vice President Service Operations; * Emile Tabassi as Vice
President of Sales; and * David Vanderwiel as Vice President
Customer Support and Operations. These new appointments further
strengthen the existing executive leadership team and position the
company to effectively capitalize on near and long-term growth and
development opportunities. Manufacturing and Engineering Operations
Presstek has successfully integrated all manufacturing, research
and engineering operations to Presstek Corporate, including the
former ABDick and Precision Lithograining resources, under the
leadership of Michael McCarthy. The company expects to achieve
additional operational improvements and cost savings as a result.
Included in the integration is the relocation of all Rochester, NY
engineering and manufacturing operations to Presstek's Hudson, NH
facility. European Operations Under the direction of Quen Baum,
Presstek has integrated its European and ABDick UK operations into
its Brentford, U.K. location. This move is intended to streamline
European operations and again result in operational improvements
and cost savings. Sales and Service Integration Several important
improvements have been made to integrate and streamline Presstek
and ABDick NA sales and service and dealer resources under the
leadership of ABDick NA's Emile Tabassi. This unified sales unit
now has full responsibility for all direct and indirect sales
operations. Presstek and ABDick NA's service operations have been
integrated under the leadership of Joe Musgrave. As part of the
service integration, ABDick NA will assume all service
responsibility for the maintenance and support for the Dimension
CTP system line, which had been previously provided by a
third-party service vendor. The new unified sales and service force
is better prepared to present and deliver the company's array of
print solutions to customers, and be more responsive to customer
needs. It also creates the opportunity for Presstek to introduce
its full line of digital print solutions through a greatly expanded
direct sales and service network. Product Introductions Presstek
recently began offering its Dimension and Anthem Computer-to- Plate
(CTP) solutions for sale through its ABDick NA direct sales and
service force. This move complements the company's existing network
of graphic arts dealers, and is expected to result in the continued
growth of the company's CTP product lines. In addition, Presstek
has also announced that ABDick NA is working with Kodak's Graphic
Communications Group on the sale of Kodak-branded Direct Imaging
(DI) presses. This move greatly expands sales reach for DI presses
in the Americas and represents the first introduction of DI press
technology into ABDick NA. Presstek has also confirmed its plans to
introduce its new line of CTP solutions -- the Vector TX52 and
Freedom printing plate -- approximately mid- year. This exciting
new line of chemistry-free CTP solutions will be marketed and
supported through the company's new unified sales and service
network. Customer Support and Logistics A number of operational
improvements have been made in the areas of customer support and
logistics under the direction of David Vanderwiel. Among the
improvements, all customer support operations are being moved to
ABDick NA. This move includes the integration of Presstek's Hudson,
NH customer support organization to ABDick. The company anticipates
that its customer support organization will operate as a single
contact point for all customers. Marino concluded, "We are very
pleased with the progress of the restructuring and integration, and
proud of the efforts made by our newly organized leadership teams
and all of our employees who have worked hard to make our
integration efforts successful thus far. We have a lot more work to
do, but feel good about the progress to date and the prospects for
continued improvements." About Presstek Presstek, Inc. is a leading
manufacturer and marketer of environmentally responsible high tech
digital imaging solutions to the graphic arts and laser imaging
markets. Presstek's patented DI(R), CTP and plate products provide
a streamlined workflow in a chemistry-free environment, thereby
reducing printing cycle time and lowering production costs.
Presstek solutions are designed to make it easier for printers to
cost effectively meet increasing customer demand for high-quality,
shorter print runs and faster turnaround while providing improved
profit margins. Presstek subsidiary Precision Lithograining
Corporation is a manufacturer of high quality digital and
conventional printing plate products, including Presstek's
award-winning, chemistry-free Anthem plate. Presstek subsidiary
Lasertel, Inc., manufactures semiconductor laser diodes for
Presstek's and external customers' applications. ABDick, a Presstek
Company, manufactures and markets graphic arts and printing
equipment and supplies for all stages of document creation --
pre-press, press and post-press -- and provides continuing service
and support. Shop.abdick.com, an on-line order/tracking system.
"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995: Certain statements contained in this news
release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning
of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including
statements regarding the expected effects and benefits of the
A.B.Dick acquisition on Presstek's business and results of
operations; the expected benefits of successfully integrating the
two businesses; the anticipated growth of the combined operations
of Presstek and A.B.Dick; the ability to successfully integrate and
leverage management; the ability of Presstek to expand its long
term business and growth opportunities; the ability of Presstek to
obtain and maintain normal terms with A.B.Dick's vendors, dealers
and customers; Presstek's expectations regarding the sale of its
products in general; the market acceptance of Presstek's products
and/or technology; and the ability of Presstek to achieve its
stated objectives. Such forward-looking statements involve a number
of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which
may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the
Company to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by such
forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not
limited to, the ability to achieve the intended benefit of the
A.B.Dick acquisition, including realization of the projected cost
savings, the ability to successfully integrate the two companies,
the ability of existing and new management to effectively achieve
the Company's states goals, negative reactions to the A.B.Dick
acquisition from customers and partners, the ability of Presstek to
maintain its financing, including its ability to manage the A.B.
Dick acquisition in an accretive manner, and other risks detailed
in Presstek's Annual Report on Form 10-K and Presstek's other
reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The
words "looking forward," "looking ahead", "believe(s)," "should,"
"may," "expect(s)," "anticipate(s)," "likely," "opportunity," and
similar expressions, among others, identify forward-looking
statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date
the statement was made. Presstek undertakes no obligation to update
any forward- looking statements contained in this news release.
CONTACTS: Moosa E. Moosa Jane Miller Chief Financial Officer
Corporate Relations Manager (603) 595-7000 (603) 594-8585 ext. 3346
Email: DATASOURCE: Presstek, Inc. CONTACT: Moosa E. Moosa, Chief
Financial Officer, +1-603-595-7000, or Jane Miller, Corporate
Relations Manager, +1-603-594-8585 ext. 3346, , both of Presstek,
Inc. Web site: http://www.presstek.com/
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