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Projecturf Brings Affordable and Simple Project Collaboration to SMBs

Editor — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 05:23:41 +0000

Los Angeles, California – July 21, 2009 – Small-to-medium sized businesses (SMBs) and freelancers often struggle to find an affordable and simple project collaboration tool that is not bloated and has a minimal learning curve to manage tasks and projects. Projecturf (http://www.projecturf.com) is the economical new web-based project collaboration software specifically designed for SMBs in all industries as well as freelancers with features that other PPM tools do not offer in one low-cost package. Features which differentiate affordably priced Projecturf from other on-demand project management solutions include:

* Unlimited file storage on all paid plans with no cap on users, project managers or features. Share and upload large numbers of files without storage restrictions, constraints or additional charges.
* Specific sections (designs, development and timecard), which can be easily turned on or off with one click, were created for designers and developers. The design section can be used to post, review, rate and approve designs. There is also a section for development, time tracking and billing.
* Projecturf offers a dynamic Gantt chart in simplistic form, providing users the Gantt view without requiring any setup or customization.
* The visually appealing design of Projecturf is vastly different from other web-based project collaboration solutions. The interface was refined after several years in development and feedback from hundreds of initial users, resulting in an extremely intuitive application with almost no learning curve. This enables users to quickly get up and running managing tasks and projects without wasting time on staff training. Projecturf was built based on user feedback.

“Before Projecturf our agency relied on emails to coordinate projects between clients and staff because we didn’t think we could afford a web-based project collaboration solution,” said Kyle Haapala, IT Director with TTC Creative Communications. “However, once we tried Projecturf’s Start-Up Plan, the ability to upload files with no limits or additional charges became invaluable to our small business – saving us time and money by expediting our project completion rate. We had also considered Basecamp, but found it was built from a developer’s perspective and was too cumbersome for our staff. The fact Projecturf was created by a team of developers and designers made it a completely intuitive simple project collaboration solution for our staff,” concluded Haapala.

“We chose Projecturf over Basecamp because of its simplicity, price point and intuitiveness,” said Rob Ragusa, Director of Technology at Digital Ink Technologies, Inc. “We also tried Clarizen, but we felt like we were using a complicated, bloated Microsoft product, and Huddle, GoPlan, and ActiveCollab didn’t offer everything we needed to manage projects in one low-cost package.”

All three Projecturf plans allow unlimited users and include all features as well as a 30 day free trial. Projecturf’s Start-Up Plan is $29.99 per month – manage up to 15 projects. The Business Plan is $59.99 per month – manage up to 40 projects. The Enterprise Plan is $159.99 per month – manage unlimited projects.

Visit http://www.projecturf.com for more information.

Xerox Business Development Programs Offer Print Providers Ways to Drive Profits

Editor — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 03:15:51 +0000

June 5, 2009 – Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX) has ramped up its commitment to help print and graphic communications providers navigate the difficult economy with a series of Webinars, workshops and online sales training sessions.

“Xerox’s business development program focuses on the real-life business issues facing print providers today,” said Gina Testa, executive host of the series and vice president, Worldwide Graphic Communications, Xerox Corporation. “We know our approach works because customers are sharing their success stories with us.”

During a recent 15-month period, Xerox iGen3® Digital Production Press customers who used Xerox Business Development Services saw their print volumes grow by 12 to 35 percent compared to 0 to 4 percent growth for those who didn’t. Jonathan Waters, owner, A-1 Printing Plus, is among those who have worked closely with Xerox to develop his business. “I tell people I bought a relationship,” he said.

Webinar Series

The Webinars will combine the independent views of InfoTrends analysts with the in-the-trenches perspectives of leading Xerox customers. The next Webinar, on Wednesday, June 10, titled, “Marketing Your Business,” will feature Barb Pellow, group director, InfoTrends, and Xerox customers Eric Cosway, chief marketing officer, QuantumDigital, Inc., and Jack Emery, vice president, Data Solutions Marketing, HammeriQ.

Upcoming Webinars, which are one-hour sessions starting at noon, Eastern time, include:

* Aug. 26 — “Pricing for your Digital Business”
* Sept. 23 — “What was HOT at Print ’09”
* Oct. 14 — “Marketing High Value Applications Upstream”
* Nov. 11 — “Emerging Applications”

Webinar attendees will receive a free InfoTrends white paper or report. For more information and to register, visit http://www.xerox.com/busdevwebinarseries.

Business Development Thought Leadership Workshops

Xerox’s Business Development Thought Leadership Workshops feature industry experts and Xerox executives in a day-and-a-half long program held in Rochester, N.Y.

Dates and topics for upcoming workshops are:

* Aug. 5-6 — “Sales Management and Value-Based Pricing”
* Oct. 19-20 — “Working Closely with Marketers, Agencies and Designers”

Print providers should contact their Xerox sales representative for information about these workshops.

E-Learning

Xerox is partnering with InfoTrends to offer Web-based, customized communications sales-training courses. Topics include solutions selling, variable-data print, Web-to-print and customized, transpromotional, transactional and multi-channel communications. The courses, developed by InfoTrends, can be taken anytime, on a self-paced basis. Discounted pricing is in place at $99 per course or $399 for the full seven-course series. For more information, visit https://www.infotrends.com/xerox/index.html.

About Xerox Business Development

Xerox takes a two-pronged business development approach. Xerox’s ProfitAccelerator® Digital Business Resources collection includes more than 100 “do-it-yourself” tools enabling print providers to grow their digital businesses. They are complemented by Xerox Business Development Services – fee-based services focused on sales and marketing, workflow and application development offered through a network of Xerox and external consultants.

Kodak Digital Printing Technologies Help Book Publishers Write Next Chapter

Editor — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 04:53:06 +0000

At the fourth annual INTERQUEST 2009 Digital Book Printing Forum on March 24, Kodak’s Kevin Joyce discussed new opportunities for book publishers to expand their capabilities and grow revenue with digital book production. Joyce and other panel participants discussed the major trends in book printing, including the prospect of moving from offset to digital printing.

“In the digital space, books represent one of the top three fastest growing applications,” said Joyce, Worldwide Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Digital Printing Solutions, Kodak. “Book publishing accounts for 25 percent of all printed pages, but only a small number of books are printed digitally, so there is tremendous potential for growth in this area.”

For print service providers, digital printing provides tremendous gains in productivity. “It’s a leaner process that also helps minimize the need for floor space, as complete book blocks are produced instead of signatures that need collating,” added Joyce.

For publishers, the process of digitally printing short runs on demand helps reduce print overruns, which cuts down on having obsolete products and the need for costly warehousing. Digital production also enables a high degree of customization, opening up many new creative opportunities for authors and publishers, and making it easier than ever to customize book content or covers for current marketing activities.

Kodak’s technologies and solutions for digital book production help publishers take advantage of these new opportunities in digital book production. The KODAK DIGIMASTER EX Production Platform, KODAK NEXPRESS Digital Production Color Presses, and KODAK Stream Inkjet Technology all help publishers “turn the page” on digital book production and make on-demand fulfillment and self publishing easier than ever.

The KODAK DIGIMASTER EX Production Platform offers book publishers exceptional flexibility with a wide range of robust system components that integrate seamlessly to produce high-volume black and white books. The inline folding, binding, trimming and on-demand book publishing capabilities give publishers full production power and flexibility to take on a broad array of high-value, high-volume applications—and deliver them with the quick turnaround, superb print quality, and a variety of finishing options readers demand.

Helping address the shift from black and white book printing to color is KODAK Stream Inkjet Technology, a continuous inkjet system that delivers offset class reliability, productivity, cost, and quality with the full benefits of digital printing for high-volume commercial applications. Kodak’s NEXPRESS Presses help publishers address the shift from black and white printing to color in photo books, textbooks and children’s books. The NEXPRESS Presses help book publishers produce consistent exceptional color quality, while incorporating higher value and higher margin photo press products into their book publishing operations.

KODAK Products are backed by KODAK Service and Support

New Océ Printers Improve Efficiency in the Office Environment

Editor — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 04:46:56 +0000

Océ, an international leader in digital document management, introduced today the Océ VarioLink™ 2221/2821 devices. These MFPs incorporate high quality black & white printing, copying, scanning and faxing, as well as extended document handling and finishing in one system. In combination with Océ PRISMA® software, users can improve their document workflow and device management throughout the office, which reduces costs while ensuring that employees have the documents they require.

“In today’s economic environment, our customers are concentrating on achieving their business goals more efficiently and cost effectively than ever before. The Océ VarioLink 2221 and Océ VarioLink 2821 are productive and affordable additions to the Océ VarioLink line-up that get copy, print and scan jobs done quickly and easily so users can concentrate on their core business,” said Thomas O’Neill, Vice President, Product and Strategic Marketing, Océ North America, Document Printing Systems. “With standard functions and features that were once expensive options and through the use of a variety of Océ PRISMA software, these devices handle the document workflow needs of small and medium sized businesses, or workgroups in large enterprises, reliably and efficiently. Their security features help customers manage access and usage to protect confidential information and meet increasing regulatory demands. We are excited to expand the new VarioLink line with these two models.”

Multifunctional

The Océ VarioLink 2221/2821 devices meet every document need in the office by copying, scanning, printing or faxing from one compact system. The devices allow printing on paper sizes from 4.25″ x 8.5″ to 11″ x 17″, from up to five paper trays and a bypass tray. They also provide value-added finishing: saddle stitching, crease fold, two and three-hole punching, multi-position stapling, stacking and mail bin sorting. With these features, all employees will receive the high quality documents they need.

Efficient and reliable

With 1,000 user boxes, up to 320 MB of RAM and an optional 40-GB hard disk, the devices are designed to stand up to the most demanding use. Print speeds of 28 ppm for the Océ VarioLink 2821 MFP and 22 ppm for the Océ VarioLink 2221 MFP and a scan speed of up to 70 originals per minute ensure that employees spend less time producing documents and more time performing their core tasks. The Océ VarioLink 2221/2821 devices are fully equipped with a standard duplex unit, a paper capacity of up to 3,650 sheets and a warm-up time of just 14 seconds to further boost document production.

Easy to use

The Océ VarioLink 2221/2821 devices accommodate people of all skills and abilities. The easy-to-read touchscreen, with its “Enlarge Display” function, reduces the likelihood of costly mistakes. The innovative operator panel tilts to 7, 26 or 43 degrees to accommodate users of all heights. The user-friendly construction also extends to system maintenance. Easy-access doors facilitate toner refilling and easy-grip drawers make paper loading a breeze.

Secure

It is easy to keep information safe and secure with the Océ VarioLink 2221/2821 devices. The systems can be set to use SSL, user profiles, secure printing and secure user boxes, so confidential information remains confidential. In addition, there is a hard disk password lock, random hard disk erase, optional hard disk encryption and IP address filtering to ensure that important information is secure.

Sustainable features

The Océ VarioLink 2221/2821 MFPs saves money while reducing the environmental impact. The polymerized toner fuses at a lower temperature, so less toner and energy are used per printed page. Low-power mode, sleep mode, and a 14-second warm-up time save energy. The systems also feature recycled components and internal toner recycling while meeting the toughest environmental standards, including Blue Angel, EPA ENERGY STAR® and RoHS.

Device management

Make your workflow more efficient with Océ PRISMAstart™ Box Operator, a PC-based solution to manage files stored in the user box on the MFP. There is also web connection, a web-based tool that shows you the status and settings of the Océ VarioLink 2221/2821 devices. With these and other Océ PRISMAstart and Océ PRISMAenterprise™ utilities, users are empowered with easier device operation and better integrated management of your fleet of devices.

Availability

The Océ VarioLink 2221/2821 devices are available now from Océ direct sales offices. A variety of acquisition plans are available, including sale, lease or rental. For more information, please visit www.oceusa.com.

About Océ

Océ is a leading international provider of digital document management technology and services. The company’s solutions are based on Océ advanced software applications that deliver documents and data over internal networks and the internet to printing devices and archives — locally and around the world. Supporting the workflow solutions are Océ digital printers and scanners, considered the most reliable and productive in the world. Océ also offers a wide range of display graphics, consulting and outsourcing solutions.

Océ employs around 23,000 people, with 2008 revenues of approximately $4.3 billion, operates in more than 90 countries and maintains research and manufacturing centers in the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Romania and Singapore. Océ North America is headquartered in Trumbull, CT, with additional business units in Chicago, IL; New York City; Boca Raton, FL; Salt Lake City, UT and Vancouver, BC. North American revenues represented approximately half of Océ worldwide business in 2008, and employment is approximately 10,000. For more information about Océ, visit www.oceusa.com. Outside the US, consult http://global.oce.com.

“Océ VarioLink,” “Océ PRISMAenterprise” and “Océ PRISMAstart” are trademarks, and “Océ PRISMA,” “Océ” and the Océ logo are registered trademarks, of Océ Technologies, B.V. All other product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks and are the property of their owners and are respectfully acknowledged.

Kodak Promotes Power of Targeted Print Communications in Integrated Marketing Campaigns

Editor — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 14:57:23 +0000

In today’s competitive environment, marketers look for creative ways to build one-to-one relationships with prospects and customers, and the process often starts with customizing content to reach target audiences. Print is a powerful vehicle to deliver effective communications. As a component of an integrated multimedia marketing campaign, print delivers content that’s truly relevant to an audience—and generates greater return on marketing investment (ROMI). That was the message delivered by Kodak’s Kevin Joyce at the DMNews Global Creative Jam in New York City on March 19.

“As part of an integrated campaign, print remains one of the most vital tools for marketing and communications,” said Joyce, Worldwide Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Digital Printing Solutions, Kodak. “Digitally printed pieces, personalized to each recipient, contribute to greater response for a multimedia communications campaign that may include web, email and other components. By offering these integrated services, print service providers become even more valuable to their customers as marketing services providers.”

Joyce also discussed the value of targeted print communications, and how the ability to create tailored messages provides marketers with opportunities to leverage CRM data. “Individuals now control from whom and what kind of information they are willing to receive; they ‘permit’ communication. Customer information enables the development of pertinent one-to-one marketing that increases response rate and revenue. Digital printing technology makes it possible for marketers to move from mass communication to mass customization,” added Joyce.
Kodak’s wide range of digital printing and campaign management solutions enable marketers to develop communications tools that elevate the benefits of one-to-one marketing. For example, the KODAK NEXPRESS Dimensional Clear Dry Ink provides marketers with enhanced capabilities to create 3D raised printing that creates tactile effects. In addition, marketers can generate personalized URLs as part of a multimedia campaign using the KODAK INSITE Campaign Manager.
The DMNews Global Creative Jam centered on the value of taking creative marketing risks, focusing on both the critical importance of standing out in the market, as well as the practical issues that can derail a creative execution.

KODAK Products are backed by KODAK Service and Support. KODAK Service and Support is made up of more than 3,000 professionals reaching more than 120 countries. It is a leading multi-vendor integrated services provider, delivering consulting, installation, maintenance and support services for the commercial printing, graphic communications, document imaging and data storage industries. KODAK Service and Support professionals are uniquely qualified to provide services that control costs, maximize productivity, and minimize business risk.

About DMNews
The DMNews franchise today includes the weekly print edition of DMNews, serving a BPA-audited circulation of 50,000 qualified recipients, along with this Web site, www.DMNews.com, and seven e-mail newsletters. These online editions collectively reach hundreds of thousands of readers per month. Over the years, DMNews has been highly successful in creating new print and online media products that reflect the new trends and technologies in marketing. The DMNews team of professional journalists, as well as contributions from key industry professionals, is uniquely suited to provide comprehensive coverage of the convergence of direct, database and online marketing and advertising.

About Kodak
As the world’s foremost imaging innovator, Kodak helps consumers, businesses, and creative professionals unleash the power of pictures and printing to enrich their lives.
To learn more, visit http://www.kodak.com and follow our blogs and more at http://www.kodak.com/go/followus.

Agfa Graphics and Canon join forces in UK

Editor — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 03:47:53 +0000

Agfa Graphics UK will market the Canon presses alongside its own inkjet solutions, prepress systems and :Apogee Suite workflow software. The alliance covers the wide range of the Canon imagePRESS family including the Canon imagePRESS C6000VP, the Canon imagePRESS C7000VP and the newly launched Canon imagePRESS C1+.

Laurence Roberts, Managing Director, Agfa Graphics UK said: “This agreement with Canon means we are in an even better position to help the British printing industry to make the right strategic choices for their continued business success. drupa was a confirmation of the success of Agfa Graphics’ inkjet solutions. Adding Canon’s toner based document presses to our portfolio will further boost our customers’ effectiveness. To maximize their profit they can choose between conventional and digital print in-house. Here Agfa Graphics demonstrates a leading role in the integration of digital print within traditional printing business.”

Agfa Graphics’ Apogee Prepress has been enhanced to also drive the Canon imagePRESS within a hybrid workflow. Irrespective of whether it is a print job, a re-run or a pre-series for approval, :Apogee Prepress will manage the data to create the proofs, the plates and the digital print. It sets parameters for media selection and the various finishing features using the CIP4 digital print standard JDF/JMF.

Andy Vickers, Managing Director UK and Ireland, Canon UK, said: “Digital print is a growth opportunity for commercial printers that can help deliver increased profitability. Canon is very pleased that Agfa Graphics, a leading prepress supplier, has chosen the Canon imagePRESS range for its pilot programme for digital press sales.

“The Canon Insight Report, published at drupa, clearly demonstrated that running litho and digital technology side by side is a route to increased profitability. There is a strong synergy between Canon’s print technology and Agfa’s prepress knowledge that will ensure commercial printers have strong partners to support their business growth. It will help to take printers along the Path to Profit, which is the focus of everything we do to provide printers with the business tools they need to prosper.”

Agfa Graphics will build the partnership with Canon in the UK in February 2009. First customer shipments are expected shortly after in Q1 2009.
For a copy of the Canon Insight Report, please click here.
About Canon Europe

Canon is a world-leading innovator and provider of imaging and information technology solutions for individuals and businesses.

A subsidiary of Canon Inc. of Japan, Canon Europa is the operational headquarters for Canon in Europe and is based in Amstelveen, the Netherlands. Canon Europa supports the activities of the entire Canon in Europe organisation, including all the national sales organisations based in countries throughout Europe. The main focus for Canon in Europe business activity is in two clearly defined markets: Business Solutions (developing IT products, solutions and services for both the office and professional print environments) and Consumer Imaging (Input solutions: photography, video and digital camera; and Output solutions: Bubble Jet Printers). Canon Europa employs almost 500 people in Amsterdam.

Further information about Canon Europa is available at:
www.canon-europa.com

Credit Suisse Chooses Kodak VersamarK VL2000 for Color Printing

Editor — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 06:29:37 +0000

LUCERNE, Feb. 18—If there is one Swiss city that merits the name of “international finance centre,” then Zurich is it. Credit Suisse whose head office is located in the country’s biggest metropolis has contributed significantly to this impressive reputation. This leading global financial services company operates a Print Centre at its Uetlihof Administration Centre, one of the three largest of its kind in the whole of Switzerland. Two Kodak Versamark VL2000 Printing Systems recently heralded in a new era in the production of complex financial reports, portfolio statements and other documents in full colour for private banking clients.

These new inkjet colour printing systems from Kodak, which are also used to produce “ordinary” daily and account statements, each feature a printing unit for full colour 2-up simplex. The two Kodak Versamark VL2000 models have replaced the three oldest of the bank’s eight existing continuous feed laser printers, which only print in one colour – black.

Efficient and secure – the Credit Suisse Print Centre

As a business critical area, the Print Centre resides in a special security zone together with an IT Centre. The department prints around 200 million A4 pages a year with highly personalized contents, then packs them and prepares them for mailing. 98 percent of the total volume runs on continuous systems that produce from roll to roll or from roll to stack.

All account statements and reports must reflect the values that underlie the excellent worldwide standing of this esteemed Swiss bank: discretion, credibility, and solidity. Particularly in the private banking and asset management sectors, these pillars are complemented by service functions that add value to customer documents, such as dynamically generated, personalized charts and portfolio graphics. The use of colour is a great advantage here. “Last year, our business make-up was such that we were compelled to enter into full-colour printing. We decided to invest in inkjet as a future-oriented technology, aware that in doing so we would be playing a pioneering role in Europe,” recalls Ralph Müggler, responsible for Print Processing & Engineering. “Since we cannot keep the new printing technology busy all of the time just with colour jobs, we were seeking a solution that also allows us to print about 60 percent of its total volume efficiently in black and white.”

Full colour and black and white – without inflating costs

Credit Suisse subjected the systems proposed by four major manufacturers to an in-depth value-benefit analysis. The main criteria were the capital and operating costs on the one hand and quality on the other. According to Ralph Müggler, the quality aspects included the ability to reproduce, and ensure the colour consistency of, pie and bar charts, which are an important part of so-called “Premium Integrated Reporting” for private banking customers. They also covered the resistance of the dried inks when exposed to a certain amount of moisture during folding into envelopes and packaging. “Our analysis showed that one vendor was able to offer a better compromise between quality and costs than its three rivals. That company was Kodak,” says Müggler.

The two Kodak Versamark VL2000 Printing Systems have been integrated in normal production since September 2008. Like all the other printers at the Print Centre, they process AFP data streams. The department’s 50 staff produce in three shifts from 6 a.m. on Monday morning thru to 3 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. Owing to the data processing processes, which take place overnight in batch mode, the heaviest load on the printing systems in regular daily service occurs between 6 and 10 a.m. “We have to allow an adequate safety margin when it comes to availability and output quality, which is why we don’t even utilize 50 percent of our overall printing capacity,” Ralph Müggler explains. However, there are exceptions to this rule. The printing systems have a chance to demonstrate exactly how reliable and productive they are in continuous operation whenever the quarterly and annual financial statements are due. Each time these peak periods come around, the account and portfolio statements of every single Credit Suisse customer have to be printed in a few days.

Year-end processing 2008: baptism of fire passed with flying colours

The year end processing for 2008 coincided with the debut of the two Kodak Versamark VL2000 Printing Systems, each of which is controlled by a Kodak Versamark CS300 System Controller. The inkjet systems, which were on duty around the clock for seven long days, printed almost five million out of the total 15.4 million pages. “Top marks in the test of fire,” was the general consensus at the Credit Suisse Print Centre.

Ralph Müggler and his colleagues also perceive further potential with regard to full-colour printing. Between 10 and 15 percent of the present volume is accounted for by the production of client documents on behalf of an insurance company. In the not-too-distant future, they are planning to introduce this customer to the advantages created by full colour printing with the VL2000 Printing System for TransPromo activities. As insurance providers periodically bring new products to market, integrating advertising messages into day to day client communications opens up attractive opportunities for efficient marketing of additional services.

In Ralph Müggler’s view, the use of colour simply to print company logos is uneconomical. For this reason, the Print Centre traditionally processes paper pre-printed in traditional offset on a large scale, mostly in the 90 g/sqm weight category. However, ways to leverage latent optimization potentials by exploiting the functionality of the new Kodak Versamark VL2000 Printing Systems and printing on white paper are already being investigated. “Digital full-colour printing can dramatically streamline certain workflows like payment slips. If we were to print these documents on white paper on demand with the customer data stream rather than using complex forms,” says Müggler, “we could achieve quite a saving in terms of turnaround times and costs. Among other things, the two-channel packaging line currently required for post-processing could be reduced to one channel. We would also benefit from a generally more secure document workflow by processing in the stream.”

The manager in charge of the Print Processing & Engineering department is in no doubt that Credit Suisse’s investment in the Kodak Versamark VL2000 Printing Systems marks an important step forward into the future. The next logical move, as he sees it, would be to upgrade the speed of the inkjet colour printing systems from the current 246 fpm (75 mpm). This would allow the number of printing systems to be gradually reduced to a small number of highly flexible and productive units.

About Credit Suisse

As one of the world’s leading banks, Credit Suisse provides its clients with private banking, investment banking and asset management services worldwide. Credit Suisse offers advisory services, comprehensive solutions and innovative products to companies, institutional clients and high-net-worth private clients globally, as well as retail clients in Switzerland. Credit Suisse is active in over 50 countries and employs approximately 50,000 people. Credit Suisse is comprised of a number of legal entities around the world and is headquartered in Zurich. The registered shares (CSGN) of Credit Suisse’s parent company, Credit Suisse Group AG, are listed in Switzerland and, in the form of American Depositary Shares (CS), in New York. Further information about Credit Suisse can be found at www.credit-suisse.com.

About Kodak

As the world’s foremost imaging innovator, Kodak helps consumers, businesses, and creative professionals unleash the power of pictures and printing to enrich their lives.

RPI Hits Three Million Milestone for Printed Photo Books

Editor — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 06:21:26 +0000

Seattle, WA – January 21, 2009 – RPI (www.rpiprint.com), a leader in automated, mass-customized manufacturing and fulfillment for the consumer print-on-demand market, today announced that it has set an industry record through the production of more than 1.3 million photo books in 2008. This brings its overall production tally to three million photo books since the product’s launch, representing a 60 percent year-over-year growth.

“Photo books is the most lucrative product category in photo merchandise, both in terms of revenue and growth opportunity, and is already generating more revenue than photo cards in both the U.S. and Western Europe,” said David Haueter, associate director of InfoTrends’ Photo Printing Trends Service. “InfoTrends estimates that photo books were a $300+ million market in the U.S. in 2008 and are predicting that revenues will grow over 25 percent compounded annually between 2008-2013. The amount of photo books ordered will grow over 30 percent for the same period. We’re convinced that the products in the merchandise category, particularly photo books, calendars and cards, are here to stay and will provide a boost to the market for the next several years.”

“RPI has one of the industry’s strongest partner programs, and we share this milestone achievement with them,” said John Perez, CEO of RPI. “Today, our online business-to-consumer partners control more than half of the total photo products market. Together, we are creating a dynamic pipeline for products such as photo books that meet the public’s high standards for quality, cost and on-time delivery.”

With its recent expansion of corporate and manufacturing space, RPI is positioned as the largest digital printer on the West Coast and is capable of scaling to meet the increasing manufacturing and fulfillment demands of the rapidly growing photo products market. By leveraging proprietary print and information technology and industry-leading manufacturing principles, RPI offers print fulfillment and logistics, product design services and end-user product configuration software to all of its partners.
About RPI

RPI is the leader in automated, mass-customized manufacturing and fulfillment for the consumer print-on-demand market. The company’s broad range of blue chip retail and online photo publishing customers rely on its consistent, reliable execution, creative design services and best of breed manufacturing for the rapid delivery of innovative products utilizing consumer-generated content. The privately held company is headquartered just outside of Seattle, WA. For more information on how RPI is helping fuel the rapid growth in the printing of personalized products, please visit www.rpiprint.com.

Major Update to “Digital Printing: Transforming Business and Marketing Models”

Editor — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:15:39 +0000

“Digital Printing: Transforming Business and Marketing Models,” a primer and training & marketing tool for creatives, marketers, and printers, has undergone a major update since its September 2008 release. The report includes nearly 20% more material and many updates to data and discussions.

Written from the perspective of the marketer, “Digital Printing” is a concise but comprehensive primer that looks beyond the technology to how the capabilities of these presses can change the way marketers look at their document management and marketing. Because it is written from the marketer’s perspective, the primer can also serve as a powerful aid to printers’ internal training efforts since the material is already presented from the perspective of their customers.

Like all of the Marketer’s Primer Series reports, “Digital Printing” contains three major sections: the technology, best-in-class case studies broken down into primary application categories, and best practices. New in this update is a section on how digital printing technology and key applications like 1:1 printing, personalized URLs, and Web-to-print help marketers “green” their print marketing programs and move toward greater environmental sustainability.

Other updates include:

• Discussion of the growth of digital print volumes
• New section on how digital print “greens” marketing
• Discussion of the impact of inline bindery
• Discussion of digital printing and survivability in the mail stream (based a summary of the results from the Digital Printing Council’s 2008 research study “Digital Printing and Survivability in the U. S. Mail Stream”)
• Updated data on percentage of printers offering digital printing, 1:1 printing, and Web-to-print

“Digital Printing” is available as a report and to be licensed for distribution for use in sales training, marketing presentations, client newsletters, and other sales and training efforts.

For more information, visit Digital Printing Reports.

About Heidi Tolliver-Nigro
Heidi Tolliver-Nigro has been a commercial and digital printing industry analyst, feature writer, columnist, editor, and author for nearly 20 years. She is known for her meticulous research and no-nonsense perspective. In addition to having written thousands of industry articles for top industry publications, she and Richard Romano have been the face of the well-respected industry research firm The Industry Measure (TrendWatch Graphic Arts) for many years. In her more than 13-year tenure with the firm, she has written countless reports on digital printing, 1:1 (personalized) printing, Web-to-print, personalized URLs, and other hot industry applications. She is also a long-time contributing editor and columnist for Printing News, for which she writes two monthly columns, including “Personal Effects,” which features monthly analysis of 1:1 (personalized) printing case studies. She is also the author of three titles for the National Association of Printing Leadership: Designer’s Printing Companion, Ink & Color: A Printer’s Guide, and Diversifying Via Value-Added Services. As a small, niche publisher (Strong Tower Publishing), she is active in utilizing these technologies in her own business, as well.

Everyone Prints Black… Now We Can Print ‘Green’

softwaretileguy — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:03:45 +0000

STANDISH, Maine — PRC Technologies is now shipping SoyPrint cartridges, the first laser printer cartridges using toner powder derived from soybeans. Cartridges for the most popular laser printers are available under the SoyPrint brand at prices comparable to brand name versions currently available. Soy ink has been available for some time but this is the first soy toner cartridge for laser printers.

Debe Overhaug, president of PRC Technologies, reports 95% of soybeans are grown for livestock feed. Soybean oil is released during the process as a waste product. “We’re pleased to have found a use for this product,” Overhaug said. “It takes about 2 liters of oil to product the toner in a single printer cartridge and U.S. businesses, schools, institutions and governments consume over 100 million cartridges per year. That means the United States consumes as much as 200 million liters of oil each year. Now every office employee can help reduce dependence on oil every time they put a toner cartridge in their printer,” Overhaug says.

PRC has completed months of extensive testing and reports the print quality and number of pages per cartridge match or exceed brand name versions. Overhaug also noted soy toner does not harm the printers. SoyPrint cartridges are manufactured in the US and will be shipped from warehouses all over the country.

SoyPrint cartridges will be easy to identify as each will be marked with SoyPrint labels. PRC refers its customers to recycled paper suppliers, recycles all empty cartridges and arranges for businesses to donate unneeded printers instead of discarding them. The SoyPrint Sustainable Printing Program includes a quarterly report to customers reflecting the oil saved and the pounds of heavy plastic recycled by using SoyPrint cartridges are returning them through a free recycling program.

“As we developed this soy cartridge, we realized if we looked at the entire printing process, any office can significantly reduce the environmental impact on our planet,” Overhaug said. “This is truly the most environmentally sustainable way to print.”

PRC Technologies has been in the printer supply business since 1992 and is pleased to bring this environmentally friendly product to market.