Graphics News Review

Creative Imaging Inc. is growing its customer base and self-publishing book business after it recently installed a Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX) iGen3® 110 Digital Production Press. At the current pace of growth, volume is expected to double by the end of the year.

“The iGen3 press helps us win new business by keeping us ahead of the competition,” said Bernard Bahn, president, Creative Imaging Inc. “With digital color printing, we are better able to adapt to meet growing customer demands for high-quality, personalized, short-run jobs produced in one to two days.”

For example, the 110 page-per-minute Xerox iGen3 press has provided Creative Imaging with more opportunities in the advertising and creative professional communities. “They can be a very demanding group of customers, but they think the quality of the iGen3 press is superior to the competition. The speed and reliability of the digital press is also able to meet their last-minute deadlines,” said Bahn.

According to Bahn, the image quality of jobs produced on the Xerox iGen3 press looks like offset printing. “The iGen3 press sets a new quality standard for on-demand color printing.” Bahn said that the digital color press also gives customers genuine press proofs so clients know exactly how the job will look when it’s printed. Read more

Bitstream to be One of the First to Demonstrate Pageflex Software for VDP and Cross Media Marketing Campaigns on This Exciting New Press at Graph Expo 2006

Bitstream Inc., (NASDAQ: BITS, www.bitstream.com and www.pageflex.com) announced today that through its partnership with Canon USA, Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), Bitstream’s Pageflex will demonstrate one of the first cross media and variable data printing applications for the new Canon imagePRESS C7000VP digital press at GRAPH EXPO, October 15-18, in Chicago, Illinois. In the Canon booth (#1253), Canon will be using the Pageflex Persona™ Cross Media Suite software and the PPML output standard to demonstrate the production printing of personalized medical appointment reminder cards on the new imagePRESS C7000VP.

Anna Chagnon, Bitstream President and CEO, comments, “We are excited to be one of the first software vendors to drive the new Canon imagePRESS C7000VP. The Pageflex products offer the most robust and versatile software available for producing all forms of variable communications. It is very appropriate that at Graph Expo, the major printing event of the year, attendees will be able to witness first hand the positive impact that the pairing of these two technologies can bring to their businesses and customer bases.”

“The Canon imagePRESS C7000VP digital press is going to be a revolutionary product, representing one of the largest R&D investments to date for Canon,” said Sam Yoshida, director and general manager, Product Marketing, Imaging Systems Group, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “Partnering with key digital production solution providers, like Bitstream, will help complement the imagePRESS C7000VP and help print providers better meet the demanding needs of their customers.”

Cross Media Demonstration

Representatives from Pageflex will be available in the Canon booth to demonstrate how Pageflex Persona can be used to design a print document—in this case an appointment reminder postcard—with variable components. A database of recipient information then will be used to customize the text and images on each individual postcard. Pageflex Persona will produce a run of customized postcards in PPML format, which will then be printed four-up on the imagePRESS C7000VP digital press in the Canon booth. Pageflex Persona also will be used to produce a follow-up customized HTML email using the same project components and data file. Attendees will be able to watch every step of this process and walk away with a printed sheet of postcards.

PPML is an XML-based industry standard for high-volume personalized digital printing developed by PODi (www.podi.org) with active participation by Bitstream and Canon. It allows personalized print to be more flexible, easier to use and more affordable to produce.

Pageflex Persona Cross Media Suite

Pageflex Persona is a desktop application incorporating award-winning variable data and cross-media functionality from industry-leader Bitstream. It serves as campaign central for cross-media marketing programs ranging from print personalization, to variable-length documents with 100% content customization, to personalized emails.

Pageflex Persona provides an easy entry point for printers, service providers, small business owners, and corporate marketing departments beginning to use variable data and personalized emails, while offering powerful features not found in other variable data extensions or applications. Among the compelling features in the product are its easy-to-use variable data interface, variable-length document capability, flexible layouts, and support for more than 60 languages, including Japanese and Chinese

Pageflex Persona has been designated by Canon U.S.A. as “Canon Compatible” under the Canon U.S.A. Alliance program. The product is marketed through Canon USA’s dealer channel.

As a company’s capabilities and needs grow, Pageflex Persona projects are fully compatible with Pageflex server-class products enabling, for example, instantaneous deployment to an online Web-to-print storefront or online customization and interactive editing by remote staff.

Full Pageflex Product Line

Representatives from Bitstream will be available to demonstrate Pageflex Persona in the Canon booth (#646), and the full Pageflex product line in the Pageflex booth (#4846). In addition to Pageflex Persona, the product line also includes two server-based products:

• Pageflex™ 5.0—a brand new variable publishing platform that enables companies to produce All Things Variable™ from one modular application, including data-driven document customization, cross-media publishing, interactive online editing of documents, and Web-to-print document customization portals;
• Pageflex Storefront—a powerful solution for creating and managing Web-to-print document customization sites through an easy to use Web-based interface.

About Bitstream

Bitstream Inc. (NASDAQ: BITS) is a software development company that makes communications compelling. Bitstream enables customers worldwide to render high-quality text, publish all things variable, browse the Web on wireless devices, select from the largest collection of fonts online, and customize documents over the Internet. Its core competencies include font technology, browsing technology, e-commerce technology, and variable data publishing technology. You can visit Bitstream on the Web at www.bitstream.com.

Bitstream is a pioneer and technology innovator in the variable data printing market starting with its introduction of variable data software in 1997. Bitstream’s Pageflex software enables template design, flexible layouts, personalization, customization, document scaling, variable-length documents, Web-to-print portals, interactive online editing, cross media marketing, and personalized emails and web sites. Pageflex provides the capability to produce all things variable for printers, advertising agencies, marketing services companies, and corporate marketing departments worldwide.

Bitstream is a registered trademark. Pageflex, All Things Variable, Persona, and the Bitstream logo are trademarks of Bitstream Inc. Other technologies and brand names are used for information only and remain trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Print Management System joins forces with Xerox workflow tools to drive efficiencies

Avanti Computer Systems, a leading provider of business management software for in-plant and commercial print shops, today announced its Print Management System has been designated “Optimized for FreeFlow(TM)” by Xerox Corporation.

Only a select number of Xerox Business Partner’s products carry the Optimized for FreeFlow title, earned by tightly integrating their solution with related Xerox components to provide advanced workflow benefits for customers.
“Avanti’s Print Management System, working in tandem with XeroxFreeFlow ™ Digital Workflow Collection, gives our customers the necessary tools to further increase productivity and efficiency in their print environments,” said Mike Salfity, Vice President, Xerox Workflow Business Unit.

The Print Management System allows print providers to seamlessly and automatically submit jobs and bi-directionally pass JDF job instructions, job costs, job status, and job processing information through printing workflows for both digital and offset environments.

“This solution provides an immediate productivity gain and eliminates transcription errors as data does not need to be re-keyed. This allows for faster turnaround on quote requests and real-time access to job status via the Internet - a real benefit to printers looking to streamline their workflow,” said Patrick Bolan, President, Avanti.

Avanti’s solutions are available through the Xerox North American sales force, adding significant strength to the Avanti sales channel.

About Avanti

Avanti provides JDF-based Business Management Software that runs commercial and in-plant print facilities. In business for more than 22 years, Avanti’s sole focus is on providing comprehensive, fully integrated software tailored to the unique way each printer does business.

With more than 350 installations, Avanti specializes in solutions for Sheetfed, Web, Digital, Large Format, and Binderies with integrated modules extending from the Internet to the Shop Floor through to CRM and invoicing.

For more information, visit Avanti’s website at http://www.avantisystems.com