Thomas Bittner our seventh president

Joe Piot engaged McKinsey & Co. to evaluate Polychrome Europe business.     Thomas Bittner,  the head of the investigating team, later came to run Polychrome Europe           Through acquisition and house cleaning he was able to show well run business in Europe at the time of Mel's departure, and the contrast between European and US business must have been the basis of his elevation to become our seventh president.
His message "simple and honest" was easy to digest and his optimistic and technology friendly views along with his McKinsey trained business acumen made him a very popular and successful president.      The company was transformed under his watch from an old traditional analog products company to a modern digital products company for a renewed growth.
Unfortunately for Polychrome, he chose to return to France when his wife was tapped to become an editor of a very prestigious fashion magazine.       On his return to France he ran a large paper company there.          He has achieved his dream, he said during our reunion dinner in 2012, of owning a winery.       He now produces his own wine as well as olive oil.

1988 study of ps plate business

In the process of transforming  Mr. Halpern's start up company to medium to a large multinational company, business consultants were hired to analyze our business.       This Nov. 1988 study by a well know consultant was one of many to follow.         It did not predict the digital revolution soon to come and transformation of industry into digital age.         The study, however, shows our competitive advantages and disadvantages as well as our industry position at the time.        It is interesting to read the executive summery;  a bit  pessimistic on Polychrome's future..        The entire presentation is HERE. 

Just a snapshot from 1987

As licensing agreement was to expire in 1988, DIC started to plan own production of PS plates based on Polychrome technology.        This was one of the meetings held in Tokyo Graphic Center.     Late Umemoto is seen far left front, standing in the middle is Dr. Oe who spierheaded the project and later became president of DIC, to the left of Dr. Oe is Mr. Hayakawa who lead the R&D in Gunma ever since.      Ever young looking Simon Chu is sitting next to me.

Date marker says Feb. 3rd 1987

Meetings, meetings and meetings

Yes we had meetings all the time and here is a glimpse as to how many meetings some of us attended.
HERE is the planned meeting list for the year 1991.

On the Upbeat January 1987

Upbeat report acquisition of Sun Chemical Ink business by DIC.        DIC later made the Sun Chemical as the core unit and Polchrome became then a subsidiary of DIC.          Ken Porter was honored for his record breaking sales of $178,000 in a single month.        Read all other interesting sales stories HERE.