Consumables

QuadTech strengthens commitment to graphic arts industry with expanded sales force

Wednesday 23. March 2011 - QuadTech, Inc. is forging ahead with a dedicated and reinforced sales network through the appointment of a number of new sales managers in Europe and the US. The sales professionals draw on a breadth of experience and market knowledge to benefit customers and enhance product awareness in their territories.

Caroline Zimmer, Paul Burger, Angelo Mazzacani and Bill Dennis are the most recent appointments to the QuadTech sales force, operating out of France, Germany, Italy and Western USA, respectively. In addition to maintaining the momentum of sales into traditional QuadTech strongholds such as newspaper and commercial web offset print sectors, the new recruits are tasked with growing market share for QuadTech color control and inspection systems designed specifically for packaging production.
Based in Dallas, Texas, Bill Dennis was recently enlisted to the QuadTech team as Western Regional Sales Manager covering Southwestern, Western, and Northwest states of North America, also including Alaska and Hawaii. Dennis has extensive experience in commercial web offset press equipment, packaging production and in-line finishing and die-cutting processes. Most recently he was working for a QuadTech competitor.
Building on his recent experience selling register and ink control systems, closed-loop solutions and inspection systems, Dennis is particularly pleased to be now supplying the “leading-edge products” in so many of these areas. “Most manufacturers have a flagship product or technology but I find it impossible to single out any one product for praise over the others,” comments Dennis. “SpectralCam color measurement is certainly a unique and superior product, while our data reporting capability has great appeal to customers. The main challenge for me will be to develop awareness of QuadTech’s exceptional offerings in the packaging sector to equal our more traditional markets where we are widely known for delivering on promises.”
According to Dennis, regardless of how deeply they have been impacted by the economic recession, all the sectors in his experience currently have one key objective: “Because price increases are tough to pass on to the end user, all markets share a common mission to reduce costs in production processes in order to save on materials and labor. QuadTech is in a strong position here due to the superiority of its technology. It means that we are able to deliver guaranteed and quantifiable long-term benefits that will enable customers to compete even with the tightest margin.”
Caroline Zimmer is newly appointed as Regional Sales Manager for France and French-speaking parts of North Africa. Most recently with newsprint manufacturer Norske Skog, Zimmer has experience across a variety of print processes, both in sales and technical support roles. Through her most recent position and extensive service within the thermal paper division at Ricoh, Zimmer has amassed specialized knowledge of paper and paper-based substrates, their behavioral properties and suitability for different applications. Zimmer is now exploiting this know-how in her new role in discussions with companies running newspaper, commercial web and packaging operations that require 100% inspection and color control across the widest range of substrates.
According to Zimmer, the timing of her new position comes as the QuadTech range of products is more relevant than ever. “Many sectors of the printing industry in France, like in most of the developed nations, are suffering from general over-capacity-which means that competition is fierce and margins are tight,” says Zimmer. “It is against this backdrop that QuadTech has such a powerful proposition for customers in offering technologies that significantly improve overall efficiency and enhance competitiveness.”
Zimmer believes the biggest challenge among her new duties is to grow share in the packaging market. But that the opportunity also offers huge personal satisfaction through the potential for real technological impact on an industry. “Expert opinion is pointing to France potentially being one of the highest growth packaging print markets in Western Europe over the next few years, so this is the perfect time for me to begin work. I want to ensure that the QuadTech name becomes synonymous with excellence in packaging printing, just as it is in the other major print sectors.”
Based in the Netherlands, Paul Burger takes on varied responsibilities in northern Europe. As Area Sales Manager for northern Germany he is assigned to handle sales into the newspaper and commercial print markets, while in the Benelux countries he is additionally responsible for the packaging portfolio. Prior to joining QuadTech, Burger worked for press and auxiliaries supplier Graphic Web Systems BV, based in the Netherlands, and before that has been an instructor at both Pro Mark and BST inspection systems.
Burger believes that despite different economic conditions and industry developments in each of the countries for which he has been appointed, QuadTech has unique technology and corporate characteristics that are of equal value across the board. “The German market is certainly well advanced and has recovered from recession more quickly than most, but this is creating heavy competition. In this climate, the benefits from installing the most precise, efficient and sophisticated color controls and inspection systems can make the difference of survival.”
According to Burger, current conditions in the Benelux countries are on the whole less critical, but there is still significant potential: “With a preponderance of smaller, family-run businesses in certain regions, many companies are poised for growth. QuadTech’s strong company ethic of long-term support and collaboration with customers means that we can help these printers to introduce new efficiencies that will ensure and maintain the highest quality production as they grow.”
Assigned the role of Area Sales Manager for Italy, Angelo Mazzacani brings a wealth of experience in large-scale print production to his new role at QuadTech. As a plant manager for Arvato before joining QuadTech and production manager for Mondadori before that, Mazzacani has on-the-ground knowledge of the pressures involved in meeting the wide range of customer demands. Sales experience gained working for the energy company COIM complements his technical expertise.
According to Mazzacani, it is his production background and passion for technology that motivate him in the new role with QuadTech. “The products are second to none and the ingenuity with which QuadTech technicians approach a production problem is fascinating. I’m excited about the whole process of working together with customers in eliminating the areas of weakness that cause press downtime and unnecessary waste.”
“QuadTech has strong competition in Italy,” he continues. “We lost ground in the past and don’t enjoy the same market share here as in other parts of Europe. But I’ve been on the other side of the fence and I know from my own experience that Italian printers relish working with the best equipment and technology. It is my challenge to ensure they can recognize it.”
Commenting on all the new appointments, QuadTech President Karl Fritchen says, “We are strengthening our commitment to our customers by adding even more depth of expertise to our sales team. The economic downturn caused many printers and, frankly, many of our competitors to pull back on research and development. We’ve taken the opposite approach, investing heavily on developing innovations that will increase our customers’ profit margins. We’re very excited to have Bill, Caroline, Paul, and Angelo helping QuadTech to bring critical new technologies to the market.”