ExScite

Nagler’s Aprion raises $5m. from Japan’s Toyo Ink

Analysts estimate the deal is based on valuation of $100m, significantly higher than Aprion’s value of $50m. in 7/2000.

Aprion raises $5m. from Japan’s Toyo Ink

By Digital Israel Staff (March 4, 12:55)

Aprion Digital, an art inkjet printing technology developer, said today that it has raised $5 million from Toyo Ink, a Japanese developer and manufacturer of chemicals, materials and printing inks for industrial applications. Analysts estimate that the deal is based on a company valuation of $100m., significantly higher than Aprion’s value of $50m. in its previous round of financing in July 2000.

Under the terms of the agreement Toyo will also exclusively develop, manufacture and distribute printing inks to be used with Aprion’s Graphic Arts products in the Japanese markets.

Aprion is currently preparing to launch its first line of industrial digital printing products, and intends to accelerate development of additional advanced products based on its leading inkjet printing technology. Aprion’s technology is about to begin its Beta testing.

Major shareholders in Aprion include Scitex Corporation, Clal Electronics Industries, Discount Investment Corporation, the Israel Infinity and the TDA venture capital funds, Bank HaPoalim, CDI, and now, Toyo Inc.

Aprion Digital was spun-off from Scitex Corporation, one of the leading pioneers of digital pre-press and digital printing. Aprion develops, manufactures and markets digital printing presses and specialized water based inks for industrial applications. Based on Aprion’s patented MAGIC (Multiple Array Graphic Inkjet Color) drop-on-demand piezo inkjet technology, these include; home and commercial furnishings, packaging, large format indoor and outdoor signage, book and document printing.

The company raised $15.5m. in September 1999, based on a company valuation of

ExScite’ment in CheckPoint

Jorge Steinfeld jorge@checkpoint.com has been appointed VP Information Systems at Check Point. Prior to this appointment, Jorge served as Check Point’s director of Information Systems. Before joining Check Point in 1998, Steinfeld worked for 10 years at Scitex as corporate applications manager where he was responsible for all applications for the corporate office in addition to all Scitex subsidiaries. In addition, he spent two of the ten years as Economic Department Manager, responsible for financial reports, budget preparation and control.
Eyal Desheh is the Chief Financial Officer at Check Point. Prior to joining the Check Point in May 2000, Desheh served as chief financial officer for Scitex. Before joining Scitex, he served in numerous finance management and business development roles including VP Business Development and Strategy at Bezeq, The Israeli Telecommunications Corp., Deputy CFO of Teva Pharmaceuticals , President of H.L. Financial Services and VP of Bank Hapoalim New York.
Check Point Software Technologies http://www.checkpoint.com (NASDAQ: CHKP) Ramat-Gan, Israel is in the business of securing the Internet. The company’s provides the infrastructure that enables secure and reliable Internet communications. In 12/2000 the company has been added to the prestigious Nasdaq-100 Index®

Hanan Yosefi- CEO of ComView Visual

After 13 years at Scitex, Hanan Yosefi hanany@comview-vs.com has moved on. He has been appointed CEO of ComView Visual Systems. Hanan has held various positions at R&D, application and product management in Scitex, Israel. His last position at Creo/Scitex was VP Workflow division in Israel the largest division in Creo/Scitex, responsible for wide variety of Data management and digital front end solutions for both prepress and digital printing. ComView Visual Systems of Raanana, Israel www.comview -vs.com (founded in 1996) applies breakthrough optical technology (patent pending) to the development and production of high definition, large screen displays, both for rear projection and front projection applications, using solid-state projection technology.

George Carlisle moves on

Seybold reports that ECRM’s Bill Givens (ex-president) has moved back taking charge of operations, replacing George Carlisle, who has resigned.

March 7, 2001

Givens Back at ECRM Helm After Carlisle Resigns

(Source: Seyboldreports.com) Bill Givens has moved back in charge of operations at ECRM, replacing George Carlisle, who has resigned. George was the president of STA in Bedford MA in the ’80s. The change reflects slower-than-expected sales resulting in part from the slowdown in the economy and in part from the slow rate of adoption of computer-to-plate systems as ECRM of Tewksbury MA shifts its market focus from imagesetters to CTP. The slow sales volume made it inexpedient for ECRM to have two high-level executives, as we understand it. Givens, who remains chairman of the board, is resuming the roles of president and CEO that he relinquished to Carlisle more than two years ago. Carlisle guided the company’s move to CTP, where it has installed nearly 100 systems, we were told. However, that isn’t enough to compensate for declines in imagesetter sales, not only at ECRM, but also around the industry, where, according to one source, imagesetter sales have dropped to about half of what they were five years ago.

VIC Stalam to head VIO

Vic Stalam was named VP, Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer, of Kodak Polichrome Graphics KPG www.kpgraphics.com , in January 2001. Vic was most recently President and Chief Operating Officer of VIO North America a JV of Scitex in NJ, and prior to that, he was VP, Marketing and Sales, of the digital printing company Xyan.com.
For seventeen years, he was with Kodak in positions including: GM & VP– Digital Products and Systems, Kodak Professional Division; Director and VP – Integrated Imaging Solutions, Kodak Professional & Printing Imaging; Marketing and Sales Manager, Kodak Graphics Imaging Systems Division – Digital Color Proofing; and Marketing Manager, High Volume Printers, Kodak Copy Products Division.

Rami Gilboa climbs up

Is Rami Gilboa rami_gil@netvision.net.il having fun, or what?
For the 8 years since he left Scitex Israel, Rami drives off road and runsto tell the guys. He is freelancing a weekly column in Maariv, and plays a main role in Israel’s only 4×4 magazine: “Hegee”. He has also published “The Jeep” book, a comprehensive 4×4 guide. Doing so he drives monsters like the one in the picture here (to the see a large monster click: http://www.rozin.com/exscite/gossip/RAMI_4x4big.jpg). Rami has been seen lately 4-wheeling in Greece, Turkey, the snow-covered French Alps, Namibia, Thailand and Patagonia. InMarch 2001 he plans to drive snowmobiles in Lapland and in June he plans on18 days 4×4 expedition to the Indian Himalayas & Ladack. Ah… by the way, Rami also manage a marcomm consulting business (print-production coordination) in Ramat Hasharon, Israel.

Itzik Savariego Managing Director, Adwise Europe

Itzik Savariego

Itzik Savariego itzik_savariego@adwise.net is Managing Director, Adwise Europe in Paris. Before joining Adwise, Itzik served as VP Sales and Operations at STE in Brussels. Prior to STE, he was Director of Corporate Marketing Planning at Scitex Israel. Itzik came to Scitex from Tadiran where he managed operations.
The Ramat-Gan based Adwise www.adwise.net , established in 1998, provides advertising infrastructure solutions for the management and delivery of scalable and targeted advertising and e-commerce offerings across the Internet.

Mike Grossman managing Magna Biz Dev

Mike Grossman

Dr. Mike GrossmanMike@MagnaBizDev.comis managing Magna Business Development www.magnabizdev.com, of Herzlia, Israel. Magna is a consulting group dedicated to serving the business development needs of early stage technology companies and work with investors and industrial partners in Israel and abroad.Mike joined Scitex in Israel in 1979, as Corporate Marketing Manager and later went on to develop and manage the Asian, South African and Oceania division. After 5 years at Scitex, Mike managed several technology startups before he started Magna Business Development in 1992.

Dov Shacham-director of engineering operations at EMC

Dov Shacham shacham_dov@emc.com is the director of engineering operations at EMC near Boston MA. Dov was 10 years at Scitex, applications manager in Herzlia ’84-’90 and Response center manager at STA ‘90-’94. From ’94-’97 he was sales & marketing manager at Indigo, and until ’99 he was the managing director of the Israeli based Scopus Optical.
EMC² of Hopkinton MA www.emc.com is the world leader in mass storage solutions. The company designs, manufactures, markets and supports a wide range of hardware and software products and provide services for the storage, management, protection and sharing of electronic information.

Gideon Hazam – Founding Partner at the Emicom Group

Gideon Hazam gideonh@emicomgroup.com is a Founding Partner at the Emicom Group of Ramat-Gan, Israel.
Gideon was the director of Information Technology for the European and Israeli operations of Scitex. He was at Scitex for 13.5 years. After leaving Scitex, Gideon served as VP of international operations at Memco, responsible for the company’s IT services, human resources and general administration. Memco was recently sold to Computer Associates. Earlier, during his military service, Gideon was responsible for mainframe computer operations at the IDF Computing Center.
Emicom Group http://www.emicomgroup.com invests in promising technology start-ups, teaming with them, accelerating their time-to-market and propelling them to become leaders in their field.