JEFF JACOBSON, PRESSTEK CEO, HAS LEFT THE COMPANY to take up a new position at Xerox. He will become head of worldwide strategy, operations, product development, marketing sales and support for its production systems portfolio. In short Jacobson becomes Xerox’s Mr Print.
It strengthens Xerox’s commitment to production printing at a time when the company has been making acquisitions in document management following the take over of ACS which seemed to set a strategic direction for the business. It also comes as Xerox is rolling out the solid inkjet CiPress 500 reelfed printer as a machine to challenge HP and Kodak in the transactional, book and direct mail sector.
ARMANDO ZAGALO DE LIMA, PRESIDENT XEROX TECHNOLOGY, says: “Jeffrey brings to Xerox deep customer and industry knowledge and relationships, extensive business acumen and insightful strategies to ensure Xerox remains a respected leader in helping graphic communications clients profit and grow their businesses with our digital printing solutions.”
Prior to joining Presstek in 2007 Jacobson was chief operating officer of Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group. At Presstek he pushed to increase sales of Presstek’s plate technology and set goals to challenge his former employers, but had little impact on increasing Presstek’s share price. Latterly the company has begun to ship the Presstek75DI which was introduced at the last Drupa.
AT PRESSTEK, JACOBSON IS SUCCEEDED BY FORMER FUJI US chief operating officer Stanley Freimuth as chairman, president and CEO. The financial director post is filled by ex Creo vp Amon Dror. Freimuth has been a board member at Presstek since 2009.
Although best known for its DI press technology, Presstek has a substantial plate and consumables business built around its own plate technologies and acquisition of the old AB Dick distribution network in the US. It is this that has helped Jacobson in his departing press announcement to predict that Q4 results would be 8-10% up on the Q3 figures.
WHEN XEROX IN 2000 WAS SHOWING SOME INTEREST in offering litho printing technology, it teamed up with Presstek to develop a two page unit construction DI press. It was shown at Drupa that year, but never brought to market. Xerox continues to run projects in litho plates for example, but has not brought technology to market.
