SHELTON, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Baldwin Technology
Company, Inc. (AMEX: BLD) a global leader in accessories and
controls technology for the printing industry, announced the
passing of the company’s Chairman
Emeritus Harold W. Gegenheimer. He was 95.
Baldwin Chairman and CEO Gerald A. Nathe said,
“We are saddened by Harold’s
passing, but we are pleased that Harold lived a full life, well. He
played key roles in the invention of products that were vital to the
post World War II growth of offset printing as press speeds and
color print quality improved and web and sheetfed printing grew.
“All of us at Baldwin owe so much to
Harold for his leadership and creativity. We extend our sincere
condolences to his family,” Nathe said.
Gegenheimer graduated from Georgia Tech in 1933 with a degree in
mechanical engineering and athletic and scholastic honors. He then
joined the Baldwin Company, where the new college graduate became
its fifth employee. In 1937, he left Baldwin to work for the next 15
years in other print-related organizations where he became involved
in press design, product development and general management.
Following World War II, Gegenheimer returned to the graphic arts
and made an important contribution to sheetfed offset printing by
inventing the sheet-reversing concept that is used today on
convertible offset presses. Many consider it one of the major
sheetfed press innovation of the past 60 years.
Gegenheimer rejoined Baldwin in 1951, overseeing the development
of such inventions as the Automix, Balcontrol and Automatic Cloth
Blanket Cleaners. Gegenheimer retired as chairman of Baldwin in
1983. Since 1986, he has served as Chairman Emeritus.
In addition to his business career, Gegenheimer found time to
build a long record of service to the industry. From 1977 to 1979,
he was president of NPES: The Association for Suppliers of Printing,
Publishing and Converting Technologies. His efforts eventually lead
to the joint founding of the Graphic Arts Show Company in 1982 by
NPES, NAPL and PIA. In 1982, he received the Robert F. Reed and GATF’s
Society of Fellows’ Award for his
contributions to the technical development of the graphic
communications industries and the Byron G. Culver Award presented at
Rochester Institute of Technology for his contributions to graphic
arts education. RIT named him “Graphic
Arts Man of the Year” in 1983. In 1993,
the board of directors of NPES recognized him by creating two
service awards in his name. He served as chairman of the Graphic
Arts Technical Foundation's National Scholarship Trust Fund, and
later as GATF’s Society of Fellows Chair
from 1993-1995. He was elected to Georgia Tech's Engineering Hall of
Fame in 1995, and later that year endowed the development of an
annual Lecture Series on Innovation at his alma mater. In 1996, he
received GATF’s Award of Excellence for
Education and Training in Industry. In 1997, he was honored with the
Soderstrom Award in recognition of his many contributions to the
industry’s advancement.
About Baldwin
Baldwin Technology Company, Inc. is a leading international
supplier of offset printing press accessories and controls for the
newspaper publishing and commercial printing industries. Baldwin
offers its customers a broad range of market-leading technologies,
products and systems that enhance the quality of printed products
and improve the economic and environmental efficiency of printing
presses. Headquartered in Shelton, Ct., the company has sales and
service centers, product development and manufacturing operations in
the Americas, Asia and Europe. Baldwin’s
technology and products include cleaning systems, fluid management
and ink control systems, web press protection systems and drying
systems. For more information, visit
http://www.baldwintech.com.
