Unique one-stop shop

Economies of scale

Partnering at its best8 12 19

Sel

ect

ISSUE 15. 2015

Magazine

Seeking New Opportunities 8From Vehicle

Graphics to the Milan Expo6EFI’s Inkjet

Strategy 4

Applications for profitability

The APPS logo, AutoCal, Auto-Count, Balance, Best, the Best logo, BESTColor, BioVu, BioWare, ColorPASS, Colorproof, ColorWise, Command WorkStation, CopyNet, Cretachrom, Cretaprint, the Cretaprint logo, Cretaprinter, Cretaroller, DockNet, Digital StoreFront, DocBuilder, DocBuilder Pro, DocStream, DSFdesign Studio, Dynamic Wedge, EDOX, EFI, the EFI logo, Electronics For Imaging, Entrac, EPCount, EPPhoto, EPRegister, EPStatus, Estimate, ExpressPay, Fabrivu, Fast-4, Fiery, the Fiery logo, Fiery Driven, the Fiery Driven logo, Fiery JobFlow, Fiery JobMaster, Fiery Link, Fiery Prints, the Fiery Prints logo, Fiery Spark, FreeForm, Hagen, Inktensity, Inkware, Jetrion, the Jetrion logo, LapNet, Logic, MiniNet, Monarch, MicroPress, OneFlow, Pace, PhotoXposure, Printcafe, PressVu, PrinterSite, PrintFlow, PrintMe, the PrintMe logo, PrintSmith, PrintSmith Site, Printstream, Print to Win, Prograph, PSI, PSI Flexo, Radius, Rastek, the Rastek logo, Remoteproof, RIPChips, RIP-While-Print, Screenproof, SendMe, Sincrolor, Splash, Spot-On, TrackNet, UltraPress, UltraTex, UltraVu, UV Series 50, VisualCal, VUTEk, the VUTEk logo, and WebTools are trademarks of Electronics For Imaging, Inc. and/or its wholly owned subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or certain other countries. All other terms and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners, and are hereby acknowledged. © 2015 ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING | WWW.EFI.COM

Welcome to the final issue of Select for 2015. What better way to end the year than to focus on profitability? As you read through the pages of Select, you will find many Applications for Profitability—from producing textiles for the fashion industry (page 8) to selling labels online (page 16). Staying profitable also requires maintaining a lean operation. Read how you can do that on page 3.

The amazing casino façade shown on the cover is another example of a profitable application. Using an innovative “day and night” technique, M2 Printing (the Netherlands) produced and mounted over 300 m2 of foil on the 60 metre tower of the Van Der Valk Hotel. Visit http://efi.com/select if you want to learn more.

There is something else you can do within your organisation to boost the bottom line. What I have in mind is less obvious than the traditional practices, such as cutting costs. It involves motivating your employees, but not just to be more productive or less wasteful. It incentivises them to participate in the development of profit-generating practices.

The idea is to reward employees for ideas about how to work differently (production staff) or find high-margin applications (sales). For every suggestion that becomes a reality the employee or team of workers is rewarded. Beyond the visible incentives, involvement imparts a sense of competence and mastery. So not only will you find innovative ideas for improving profits; you’ll also have happier employees.

This issue of Select also includes some really great tips for working with EFI™ Fiery® XF and the Fiery proServer (page 14). And I highly recommend reading how Nutshell Creative uses cross-media marketing to generate not just growth, but profitable growth (page 18).

Write to me: adriana.puccio@efi.com.

Colophon

Editor-in Chief: Adriana Puccio / Editorial Consultants: Rosemarie Monaco, Frank Tueckmantel, Marc Verbiest / With special thanks to: Boyana Menu , Kerry Moloney /Layout, Production & Printing: Artoos Communicatiegroep for Lesley Waters.

Nothing herein should be construed as a warranty in addition to the express warranty statements provided with EFI products and services.

If you read the research, anywhere from the London School of Business to the Harvard Business Review, you will find the same advice. To be profitable you must examine, tighten and monitor two main factors: costs and productivity.

The Perfect Combination 10 Xerox Versant 2100 and EFI Fiery DFE

Nutshell Creative 18 differentiates with cross-media marketing EFI DirectSmile allows creatives to set up sophisticated personalised campaigns with real-time response and analysis.

Personalised 22 postage stamps U.S. Postal Service gets creative with the help of Endicia

How to Increase ProfitabilityStop working in circles and create a straight line

For different industries the configuration of these factors vary. Some costs, for example, are similar, such as warehousing and inventory management, the cost of materials and the cost of operation. However, in the business of printing, some costs are unique. For example, printing companies say that faulty estimating is extremely costly. It is, in fact, where they lose the most money. Waste is another cost factor. Poor imposition, bad colour control, and tired equipment generate waste material and loss of time. Many companies hire additional staff to fix these problems. More costs.

Going straightThe reason cost and productivity go out of control is because most businesses follow a circuitous path, when what they need to do is create a straight line. The solution to this is investing in intelligent productivity software. This shortens the production cycle, generates efficiencies, reduces labour, eliminates waste and ensures accurate estimating.

It does these things by understanding every aspect of every project—from order entry to final delivery. It remembers what was required for the completion of every job so it becomes virtually impossible to misquote future jobs. It eliminates touchpoints. Fewer hands not only means faster throughput, it also means fewer errors. The software decides which is the best engine on which to print each job. It knows how to conserve material, consume less ink and make sure the colour matches on every output device.

You can even get productivity software that is configured specifically for your business. Just ask EFI. Their Productivity Suite provides custom solutions. And they teach you how to iron out every last wrinkle.

Satisfying customersThere is a third profitability factor that modern-day marketers emphasise: customer satisfaction. Without it, there is not much point to doing anything else. So, they say, if you invest in a customer relationship programme, that cost will not negatively affect the bottom line. In fact it will attract new customers, making it a revenue generator.

That’s exactly what das druckhaus digital & crossmedia (Düsseldorf, Germany) considered when the company installed DirectSmile cross-media marketing software. Managing director Thorsten Senkel has been able to successfully position his company as a cross-media marketing partner offering customers and prospects both print and electronic mediafor multi-channel campaigns.

EFI Digital StoreFront® is another product that turns ordering a print job into an enjoyable experience. Integrated into any print shop’s production software, it enables a seamless flow of data directly from the customer, through production to the final product. And because storefronts are customisable, they can be personalised for specific customers and can entice them to buy a variety of high-margin items such as labels, placemats, banners, murals, decorated mirrors—whatever you can produce.

If you want to ensure profitability as you continue to grow, it’s time to eliminate the turns and go straight to the bottom line.

By Rosemarie Monaco

In this issue2 Editorial

3 How to Increase Profitability

4 EFI’s Inkjet Strategy

6 From Vehicule Graphics to the Milan Expo

8 Seeking New Opportunities

10 The Perfect Combination

12 Redefining Cork-tile Manufacturing

14 Tips and Tricks

16 Online Label Enterprise

18 Nutshell Creative

20 News

22 Personalised Postage Stamps

EDITORIAL FEATUREEDITORIAL

53520-1505-1004

53520-1505-1004

Redefining cork-tile 12 manufacturing Asia’s leading producer says digital printing has revolutionised the industry

3 2

SELECT: WHAT WAS EFI’S STRATEGY BEHIND THE ACQUISITION OF THESE TWO COMPANIES?

SCHINLEVER With a line-up of roll-to-roll printers that complement the VUTEk range quite nicely, the Matan acquisition strengthens our leading position in Display Graphics. The Matan range squarely addresses the sector of the market that focuses on roll-to-roll production of display graphics, such as billboards and banners that do not require the highest resolution. This range gives them a lower-cost alternative. Together, the Matan and VUTEk line-up will be the broadest and most powerful in the market. In addition, we have a great team in Israel joining us, to drive future collaborative developments in roll-to-roll and beyond.

The Reggiani acquisition gives us an entirely new line of business in the fastest-growing segment of digital industrial print – Textiles. The leading market position of Reggiani in industrial

It seems that when it comes to inkjet technology, EFI is always on the move—looking for the means to establish itself as a leader and—according to EFI SVP/GM Scott Schinlever—the ability to provide customers with new options to grow into profitable growth segments. Schinlever is responsible for EFI’s Inkjet business, which serves the gamut of inkjet applications from wide format display graphics, labels and packaging, to industrial ceramics and textile. He has been on both sides of an EFI acquisition, coming to EFI by way of the VUTEk® acquisition in 2005. Schinlever talks to Select about the company’s most recent acquisition of Matan Digital Printers and Reggiani Macchine.

Scan to view Schinlever’s video!

EFI’S INKJET STRATEGYAn interview with Scott Schinlever

LED curing applies most closely to the Matan products.

textile printing gives EFI a base of strength to quickly build from, in a market rapidly adopting digital. Working with Reggiani’s highly skilled development team, EFI’s inkjet and software prowess will give us a big advantage to create a printer, ink, DFE and MIS eco-system tuned to the unique workflow requirements of industrial textile.

Also, Reggiani’s technology will give us a fast start in the display graphics segment of soft signage, which is growing rapidly. The addition of a highly-skilled team in Italy will enable powerful collaboration with other parts of EFI Inkjet to reach new markets. Most importantly, from both companies, we get deeply skilled, passionate team members that will help drive EFI inkjet to new heights.

SELECT: WHAT IS YOUR OVERALL STRATEGY FOR THE INKJET MARKET?

SCHINLEVERTo capture new, sizeable markets transitioning to digital, where the advantages of inkjet and EFI’s colour management can be leveraged by customers to transform and grow their businesses.

When we talk about the “imaging of things,” we refer specifically to growth markets. These acquisitions further this vision by deepening our reach in display graphics while getting us into a new large segment of textile. At the same time, the foundation of these companies’ inkjet expertise will bring new perspectives and approaches to all segments of our inkjet business, and lead to powerful technical and business collaboration across the entire inkjet team in the future.

SELECT: HOW DO THESE ACQUISITIONS FIT INTO EFI’S STRATEGY TO MOVE TO LED TECHNOLOGY?

SCHINLEVERLED curing applies most closely to the Matan products. Matan just announced LED for one of its products so is the only other high-end player to have LED. However, there are industrial textile segments that could utilise UV ink, so LED could apply in some of the segments Reggiani serves as well.

Our strength in ink chemistry and curing methodologies will drive us beyond LED into new ink and curing technologies across all of the markets we serve.

SELECT: EFI ADAPTED FIERY FOR CRETAPRINT. CAN WE EXPECT THE SAME FOR THESE TWO?

SCHINLEVERAbsolutely, work is already underway. What we will focus on with Reggiani in particular is the unique aspects of industrial textile workflow, and how the speed and colour management capability of Fiery can become a key differentiator for EFI, much like we have done with Fiery for Cretaprint.

For Matan as well as Reggiani, when combined with EFI ink, Fiery’s superior colour management helps us bring a powerful offering to markets that often struggle with consistency of high-quality colour.

SELECT: WHAT MAKES A PURCHASE OF EFI’S TECHNOLOGY PREFERABLE OVER ANY OTHER?

SCHINLEVERWe provide a full end-to-end eco-system by market segment of printers, ink, DFE and workflow software to help customers maximise revenue opportunities and reduce cost. EFI’s critical mass of inkjet printers and ink, along with breadth of printing solutions, give customers the most choices to grow their business.

Add to this the strong colour management and workflow advantages of Fiery and our software offerings, it lets customers fine-tune a workflow that is optimised to their business.

To view the full video, follow this linkhttp://bcove.me/5y08kqft

5 4

Just a year after he opened the doors to Printing Solutions, Paolo Albieri was no longer satisfied printing just vehicle graphics. He knew he needed to do more to grow the business. So in 2009 he purchased his first VUTEk and entered the exhibition and display arena. And that was only the beginning.

Based in Castiglione delle Stiviere, Italy, the company initially specialised in decorating vehicles for high-profile Italian brands such as Sterilgarda, Spesa Intelligente, Pata and others. Within a short period of time the company invested in technology to meet every need, from small to large format. In 2014 Printing Solutions purchased the EFI™ VUTEk® GS3250LX Pro, the first of its kind in Italy, and the second in all of Europe. The machine, an 8 colour, 3.2m, roll-to-roll/flatbed UV printer, equipped with UltraDrop™ Technology was chosen by the company because of its printing quality and the versatility of the UV LED on a vast range of rigid and flexible substrates.

The investment was so successful that within one year another EFI machine arrived at the company, this time an EFI VUTEk GS5000r, which

replaced an older VUTEk solvent printer.Today, Printing Solutions’ business is spread over various sectors: advertising, banners, exhibition displays, posters of every kind and type, customised decoration of any vehicle, large set designs, point-of-purchase displays and murals for international luxury brands.

“Out of a turnover of about 3 million euro per year – and 15 employees – 15-20% is generated by the decoration of corporate vehicles, which still represents an important business area for us,” explains Albieri. “Our core business is to be of service to small companies and to agencies

that serve various industries. In addition, our latest investment, the EFI VUTEk GS5000r, allows us to create a series of important works for the Milan Expo. We have, for example, created signs for the stands dedicated to fruit, spices and coffee and for the Chinese pavilion.

“Once again, we chose EFI solutions because we were looking for systems that combine considerable production power with high-quality output,” adds Albieri.

The EFI VUTEk GS5000r is a UV roll-to-roll machine with a 5-metre printing width, which prints from 88 sqm/hour in 8 colours to a maximum of 260 sqm/hour in Fast-4 mode.

“For the Expo, we printed around 8,000 sqm of material in three weeks,” says Stefano Benedini, sales manager. “We like special jobs, which we follow from the creative phase right to installation. Thanks to the printing solutions that we have in-house, we can print on almost any substrate, from rough wood panels to flexible, transparent materials, just like we did for the Expo. Our VUTEk 3.2m LED printer allowed us to print directly on special materials for outfitting cruise ships. For point-of-purchase materials for major brands in the restaurant industry, we created prints directly on glass and much more. We love having new challenges every day.”

From Vehicle Graphics to the Milan ExpoVUTEk helps Printing Solutions enter new markets

Wood panel printed directly on the VUTEk LED printer.two-sided mesh printed on the VUTEk GS5000r.

Samba fabric printed on the VUTEk GS3250LX Pro and stretched onto a backlit frame.

PVC fabric printed on the VUTEk GS5000r.

“We like special jobs, which we follow from the creative phase right to installation. Thanks to the printing solutions that we have in-house, we can print on almost any substrate, from rough wood panels to flexible, transparent materials, just like we did for the Expo.”

Wood panel printed directly on VUTEk GS3250LX.

Glass printed directly on the VUTEk GS3250LX.

6 7

textile knowledge into a series of printers that are targeted at the soft sign and display sectors.With regard to world-wide trends, EFI acknowledges that the industrial textile market in digital terms holds a very high value, with the graphics and display space representing a far lower amount in overall fabric volume. Nonetheless, this does nothing to detract from the importance and the growth potential within the soft signage market and its related areas, and the drivers within the two arenas carry the same principles.

As a result, the role played by Reggiani within the EFI portfolio makes it a good one because the company still only has a relatively small percentage of its products being taken up by digital print businesses, with analogue still representing easily the majority.

The textile industry currently is topical across all segments, as continues to be driven by innovation as well as by economic and logistical criteria. This makes it an ideal addition for a business with an existing strong international involvement in spurring digital growth. Once again, this marriage of two major players in their own right is certain to prove to be exactly where the combination of talents can been honed to address successfully current and future market needs.

By Sophie Matthews-Paul

The world of digital textile production is one which has been growing at a steady rate, albeit not as fast as originally predicted by many forecasters. They believed fabric production would become an overnight success and be adopted easily by sign-makers and display producers. But, unlike other printing processes where ink simply is placed onto the end substrate and dried, there is more that meets the eye in today’s fabric arena.

One of the critical areas where digital production is coming to the fore lies in the manufacture of textiles that comes under the umbrella of industrial print. In EFI’s existing position in the industrial segment, the company already has gained valuable

knowledge since its acquisition of Cretaprint and its move into the ceramic tiles’ sector that, clearly, was going to shift away from analogue to digital methodology. Thus, some parallels can now be drawn with its acquisition of Reggiani and, while it’s a strong bet that combined technologies will be utilised within the soft signage market-place, the world-wide trends facing the textile arena can now be addressed using the merging of two skill sets.

Printing onto textiles also concerns industrial production that envelopes a host of end uses including decor, furnishings and fashion. Traditionally this has meant high volumes produced using analogue equipment with countries in the Far East being responsible

for serving the burgeoning market for end product. The advantages of digital started to manifest itself when customers, such as fashion houses, wanted to reduce lead times, introduce mass customisation, improve logistics and deliveries, reduce waste and enable more realistic inventory controls. From samples and small test batches, industrial ink-jet processes can now be used to supply versioned goods on-demand. This, in turn, returns manufacture from an offshore environment to localised production. This also has the benefit of reducing delivery schedules with faster turnaround and a significantly shorter route from design to end production. Financially, with transportation costs and logistics factored in, the benefits also affect price as well as a reduction of waste and easier quality control.

For EFI, the addition of a high quality textile line to its existing portfolio was only ever going to be a question of time and it made perfect sense to work with an established manufacturer. Thus, Reggiani was a perfect match enabling EFI to take advantage of the Italian company’s high level of skills while being able to integrate its own technology and productivity into the mix.

The quest to add a true aqueous-based textile production portfolio to its existing products has been an important one for EFI whose awareness of the need for greener and more environmentally-friendly methods applies across growing numbers of its technologies. Additionally, with innovation always being vital to the company, the inclusion of Reggiani’s industrial digital printing machines will see growth world-wide as the transition from analogue to digital production continues.

Ever eager to capture trends in digital printing technology, EFI’s acquisition of the Bergamo, Italy, based manufacturer now gives it the opportunity to encapsulate Reggiani’s brand presence within its own families of products. And, while Reggiani is known for its industrial machines, no-one would be surprised to see the logical move to combine expertise and

EFI and Reggiani’s technologies combine to innovate digital textile

Seeking New Opportunities

That’s right. Select is available as a FlipBook. You’ll be able to navigate easily between pages. Just click on a cover story link or move to any article from the table of contents. You’ll find live links throughout the magazine—no cutting and pasting needed. Our goal is to enhance your experience with EFI Select.

Still, if you would rather download Select as a PDF, just click the download icon at the top of the FlipBook (in full-screen mode). To download the entire publication click on the icon from the cover page. You can also share Select via Facebook, Twitter or by copying a link into an email.

From the Select Resource Centre efi.com/select you can download case studies, tips and tricks or white papers.

We recommend getting a subscription to Select. Just follow this link: efi.com/subscribe-select and fill in the short form. If you subscribe right now you won’t have to worry about missing the next online issue. You’ll get an email with a link to the Select FlipBook.

You’ll find the Q3 issue here: flipsnack.com/EFIPrintTech

Let us know what you think. Write to adriana.puccio@efi.com.

Online Version of SelectYou’ll “Flip” over it!

Reggiani’s ReNOIR 1500 compact fabric printer.

Reggiani printers are suitable for printing fashion apparel, home furnishing applications and technical textiles.

8 9

Initially established as a copy shop over 25 years ago, Digitaldruck Pirrot has evolved into a digital print provider offering everything from flyers, brochures, manuals, books through to direct mail. Managing directors Björn Frey and Christian Weirich work alongside their 15 employees in Saarbrücken, Germany.

The company uses the high-speed Xerox iGen4 EXP driven by the Xerox FreeFlow print server for high-quality colour printing. To meet their growing needs, Frey and Weirich took the advice of X-Printsolutions’ Michael Soeth and purchased the new Xerox Versant 2100 press. They also chose the Xerox EX-P 2100 Print Server Powered by Fiery. As a result, Pirrot has a faster, more flexible and easier-to-use system.

FIERY GETS THE MOST FROM THE VERSANT 2100Depending on the job requirements, files are sent via FreeFlow to the iGen or the Fiery Print Server to the Versant 2100. “You can clearly see that Xerox and EFI have gone to great lengths to develop the Fiery in such a way that makes it the perfect companion for the Versant to get the best from this machine,” said Weirich after just three months’ experience.

According to Weirich the main benefits are ease of use, high speed, fast colour profiling, reliable file processing and the ability to enhance images.

“The queue on the Command WorkStation is clearer and much easier to use,” he says. “Our employees were already familiar with this from our previous colour copiers with integrated Fiery DFEs (digital front end) so the learning curve was extremely short. As soon as a job begins to rip, the press starts running while RIPping continues. The bitmap files are stored so after proof printing, the job doesn’t need to be re-RIPped.

“The built-in Full Width Array photo inline sensor enables rapid profiling of new papers as well as regular review of standard papers,” adds Weirich. “The Fiery DFE renders colour spaces and transparencies in any combination with the same precision. Incorrect PostScript proofs on the iGen are simply re-RIPped and reprinted on the Versant without any errors.

“With the new integrated version of Fiery Image Enhance Visual Editor, you can enhance image sharpness, smooth skin tones and optimise natural colours in photos on the fly.”

Weirich also appreciates how “open” the Fiery is. The Fiery Server is the only JDF-certified DFE. This means it provides the best interoperability with many third-party solutions such as Kodak Prinergy, Agfa: Apogee and Heidelberg Prinect and with EFI Web-to-Print and Print MIS solutions. Plus EFI FreeForm has built-in variable-data capabilities.

“More and more, our customers require increasingly detailed jobs, which constantly intensifies the pressure on prices,” says Frey. “That’s why it is all the more important that we not only have good equipment and advisers, but that we also get from them solutions that will strengthen our performance amongst the competition.”

The Perfect CombinationXerox Versant 2100 and EFI Fiery DFE

The Xerox Versant 2100 Press.

RADIUS®MONARCHPRINTSMITH™

VISIONPACE™

MISSION: CONTROL

© 2015 Electronics For Imaging, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

EFI™ MIS/ERP software gives you better visibility into your operation, enabling you to

reduce costs and boost productivity. Get the unmatched automation and optimisation

of EFI, the industry leader in MIS/ERP software. We have ignition. Call 0808 101 3484

or +44 (0)1246 298000 or visit products.efi.com/MIS for more information.

Björn Frey (l) and Christian Weirich are very happy with their choice.

The Fiery server’s Command WorkStation is easy to use.

10 11

It is always exciting to see a truly remarkable innovation become a reality. Laucork, a cork-tile producer, located in Qufu, China, fulfilled the dream. It was able to achieve its ideal of sustainable, environmentally friendly development by adopting a green printing technology. The company’s products are the result of an eco-friendly life cycle that starts with the collection of raw materials, goes through the production process and personalised printing and extends to the final application.

SUSTAINABLE APPLICATIONSCork is a sustainable material because it is not made from timber. Rather, it comes from the bark of cork oak trees. Laucork makes cork flooring tiles using cork oaks grown in the Qinling area in China. Cork is a renewable substance with many important uses. Its honeycomb fibre structure makes it durable, plus it is nearly impermeable.

Cork flooring is moisture-proof and sound-proof, plus it is an excellent thermal insulator. Marketed as “the soft gold in the floor” for the luxurious feel and remarkable comfort users experience when walking on it, Laucork’s flooring is a breathable,

skin-friendly product that commands a premium price in international consumer markets.

CUSTOM-MADE CORK TILESLaucork’s unique digital printing technology represents a major breakthrough in cork-tile manufacturing, as it provides the means to create custom surfaces. Now, Laucork can apply decoration trends common in the rest of the international flooring industry, producing the types of designs that are commonly used on wood, marble, ceramic tile and carpet flooring.

“Digital printing technology has led to great innovation in custom-made cork floor industry today,” says Liu Baoxuan, general manager of Laucork who has been in the industry over 15 years. “EFI’s environmentally friendly LED cool-cure technology, which does not overheat the substrate, has satisfied the technology demand for personalised print. Plus, it uses less energy, which reduces production costs compared to other printing technologies. With digital printing, we can meet the very real demand for this type of offering among a large base of consumers,” Liu adds.

“The application of personalised printing technology in cork-tile flooring means that every customer can participate in the floor design process. Consumers can obtain a design that meets their aesthetic preference with a product that is not only good looking but comfortable.”

By combining personalised printing technology with a green flooring manufacturing process that virtually eliminates VOC emissions, Laucork is on track to become one of the top cork-tile providers. Its comfortable, thermal insulating and soundproof flooring products range from plain, undecorated tiles to flooring designed to look like ceramic tile, marble tile or even carpet. The company also produces wall decorations out of cork.

UPDATING PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY As the biggest cork product manufacturing location in Asia, Laucork demonstrates how families can live more in harmony with nature. The company has calculated that its manufacturing policy equates to one tree saved for every square metre of cork tile the company manufactures. With its six designers, Laucork can satisfy different personalised demands. The company offers thousands of patterns in

12 different product series, for more than 40,000 design offerings overall.

“As one of the many steps we perform in manufacturing high-quality cork tiles, the stability of our digital printing technology is essential to making our production operations as efficient as possible,” Liu says. “Currently, the EFI™ VUTEk® GS3250LX Pro printer’s high speed and stable output quality can totally satisfy industrial manufacturing demands. And as our business grows and we need to add more capacity, EFI’s VUTEk digital LED UV inkjet printers will be our first choice.”

Confucius’s remark, “Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid of standing still,“ was once cited by Guy Gecht, EFI’s CEO, as a sound strategy for the many enterprises EFI serves. Laucork, which is based in Confucius’s hometown of Qufu, definitely heeds the advice.

The company now has more than 40 sales shops and has ambitions to expand to 300 shops in the next three years. Laucork has also set up its first online sales centre for consumers who wish to customise their orders by working directly with the factory. It is all a way to help more ordinary families get more enjoyment out of cork tile, the so-called “soft gold in the floor.”

3D Wall Image Application on Cork.

Marble Texture & Wood Flooring Printing Application on Cork.

“Consumers can obtain a designthat meets their aesthetic preference with a product that is not only good looking but comfortable.”

Mr. Ma Dao Chang, President of Laucork.

Redefining Cork-Tile ManufacturingAsia’s leading producer says digital printing has revolutionised the industry

12 13

ACHTERGROND-tips and tricks.indd All Pages 07/09/15 08:36

SETUP, OPERATION AND ADMINISTRATIONFiery XF & Fiery proServer

TIPS&

TRICKS

1. So you have the perfect setup? Then it’s probably the right time to make a backup. Backing up and Restoring couldn’t be simpler with Fiery XF. In the System Manager choose File>Backup, select the components you wish to save, and a suitable location. To Restore, reinstall Fiery XF including your licenses, choose File>Restore and select the desired Backup file. Tip: backups should be stored to an external location in case of hardware failure, or if you plan to reformat your hard drive before a Fiery XF Restore.

2. Need to reinstall your Fiery XF licenses? Since Fiery XF 5 this became much simpler, no need to find your original certificates, old records or call support. Simply select Download previously created licenses within the Activation Assistant during the activation process. All EACs associated with the connected dongle will be loaded.

Tip: to use this feature you need to be connected to the Internet.

3. Are you a fan of foolproof systems? It may sound basic but colour-coding of Users, Workflows and Output Devices can reduce errors by guiding operators to the correct location more easily for Fiery XF operation and administration. Right click on a User, Workflow or Output Device and select Color Indicator from the menu, choose a colour from one of the libraries, or mix your own to code the selected item. Tip: Users, Workflows and Output Devices can be reordered within the System Manager after setup by dragging and dropping.

4. Wish to use PANTONE® PLUS colours?

This extended library needs to be activated, choose Tools>System Information and check the box to use the PANTONE PLUS colour definitions.

Tip: you need to be logged

in with administrative rights and be viewing the System Manager to make this change, the PANTONE PLUS library will be available immediately; there is no need to perform a restart.

Fiery XF and Fiery proServer are now at version 6.2. This latest release brought a wealth of new features, but it’s never a bad idea to revisit some of the great functionalities that have been with Fiery XF and Fiery proServer for some time. Whether you are production printing or producing contract proofs, take a look at some of the less well-known capabilities for setup, operation and administration of your Fiery XF or Fiery proServer.

5. Too many clicks in a day? Workspaces could be the answer. Workspaces are custom views of the Fiery XF client that display only the necessary options or functions that a user or specific task needs. For example, if an operator just performs cutting functions, a “Cutting” Workspace can be saved to display only related options for this task. Choose Workspace>Workspace Manager to create or edit custom Workspaces. Tip: administrative rights are required to create, edit and manage Workspaces, user rights only allow editing of the current user assigned Workspace.

6. Printer load balancing a requirement? Then why not use the built-in load-balancing feature of Fiery XF. A single hot folder can be watched by multiple Fiery XF Workflows, jobs that are placed into the watched hot folder are automatically diverted to the first idle workflow, this results in printer load-balancing when multiple printers are in use. To enable, highlight the first relevant workflow within the System Manager, expand the Job Detection pane under the File tab, select the hot folder to be watched and check Enable load balancing, repeat for the other workflows that will be sharing this hot folder. Tip: identical printer and Workflow configurations will result in consistent output across multiple devices.

7. Need to free up some disk space? Fiery XF creates and stores various system files during processing, some remain even after printing. Over time this could fill your hard drive, but it may also be slowing you down. Resolving this is quick and easy in Fiery XF, choose System>Clean Up to remove all or selected system files from the hard drive, no need to restart, the files are deleted straight away.

Tip: for additional performance for Fiery XF standalone, system folders can be placed on a separate hard drive.

8. Want to rely on your monitor more? Fiery XF has the

ability to use a monitor profile for Fiery XF job previews for superior onscreen accuracy, choose Edit>Monitor Profile within the Job Explorer and select the required profile. Tip: if you have the Color Profiler Option, you can also calibrate and profile your own monitor and completely close the colour management loop.

9. Need variable elements in your jobs? Fiery XF has a built-in feature called Job Merge where a Master job,

(static data), and a Content job, (variable data), can be merged together to create variable-data output. Master job pages are automatically repeated for the number of pages in the Content job. To use Job Merge, choose the static data in the Job Explorer>File Tab by checking the Master job option with your master file highlighted, then click Save. Then, connect this with the variable data by file selecting the Content job option with your second file highlighted, then assign the correct Master job and click Save. The two jobs will be merged for print, and on the print preview. Tip: Fiery proServer and Fiery XF 6 and above accept level 1-3 PDF-VT files out of the box.

PDF-VT is an industry standard variable-data format producible from Adobe InDesign or professional grade variable-data applications.

All the subjects covered in this article can be reviewed in more detail by visiting the Fiery XF or Fiery proServer online help resource within the Fiery XF client. Tip: press F1 on your keyboard to view Fiery XF online help.

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EFI webinars:Recipe for VDP: A Primer for Creating Successful Campaigns 7th October

Register here: efi.com/wofwebinars

The story behind the Netherlands-based TLCG (The Label Collective Group) is unique. In 2006, owner Richard Rensen and his wife started a pawnshop. Instead of selling at retail, they sold the items they purchased on eBay. Soon they were sending items to more than 40 countries around the world with everyone needing a label.

But label prices were high. After researching, they determined that it was best to purchase them in bulk. Whatever they didn’t use they resold on eBay. This gave birth to labeldiscounter.com. By 2011, Rensen was producing his own labels.

Today with 14 employees, TLCG serves 27,000 customers; and that number grows daily by 30-50 new customers. And while most customers are Europe-wide, some are as far away as Singapore, Australia, and United Arab Emirates.

FROM PLAIN TO PRINTEDThrough labeldiscounter.com TLCG still sells unprinted labels along with the Dymo, Brother and other brand printers for which they are designed. But if you go to etiketXL.nl you’ll find a storefront that offers printed labels. All you have to do is pick the material, type of adhesive, calculate your pricing, upload your file and in 24 hours your labels will be shipped.

To ease production Rensen purchased a Jetrion® 4900M (210 mm width) in 2012. “We started moving more and more jobs to the Jetrion,” says Rensen. “Which is why we decided to purchase another, larger press – a Jetrion 4900M-330 – towards the end of 2014.

“The installation of the second press went much faster and we were able to start printing labels after just three days. EFI provided us with invaluable help during that time: we received on-site training, and we co-created a really valuable system of mutual contacts which ensures that the manufacturer quickly responds to our

doubts and queries.” Rensen continues, “We are one of the first label printers in the world to have digital printing and inline finishing in one machine.

The new laser uses 95% of its power for die cutting and only 5% ends up in the substrate—this used to be 25%. The benefit is that our labels come off the roll much more easily and are more suitable for further processing using automatic labelling machines.

“With a 330mm print width, we can print label sizes up to 250 x 470mm, as needed,for nutritional supplements, for example. Or we can print two side by side, or if a label is 80mm we can print four side by side rather than two as before,” adds Rensen.

Rensen also says the new digital press allows TLCG to meet its growing capacity needs and gives customers many more possibilities while ensuring the same speed and service that they have become accustomed to.

“We are seriously considering investing in another Jetrion press. We aim to broaden our offering to include printing on pens, T-shirts, lighters and other items which may be enriched by interesting, colourful printed designs,” he says.

VISCOM ITALIA15th October – 17th OctoberMilan, Italyhttp://www.viscomitalia.it

2015 SGIA EXPO4th November – 6th NovemberAtlanta, USAhttps://www.sgia.org

ISPRINT 20th October – 22nd October Tel Aviv, Israelhttp://10times.com/isprint-expo

VISCOM GERMANY4th November – 6th NovemberDüsseldorf, Germanyhttp://www.viscom-messe.com

CONNECT 201619th January – 22nd JanuaryLas Vegas, USAhttp://www.efi.com/connect

Integration of GamSys MIS and Metrix planning software

At the latest Graphitec Expo in Paris an expert committee of industry leaders and technical experts announced the winners of the 15th Graphitec Innovation Awards. Graphitec is the largest print show in France and this year’s event focused on new technology and workflow optimisation. The Graphitec Innovation Awards are reserved for those products that demonstrate technical innovation and deliver significant customer value. EFI™ took top position in the category of MIS, ERP and Web to Print Software Solutions for the integration of its EFI GamSys MIS and EFI Metrix production automation software.

GamSys MIS, developed for small and medium businesses in France, UK and BeNeLux optimises the production process by creating visibility on the production floor, managing order and production information efficiently, while controlling costs.

Metrix is an automated planning and imposition solution that brings a unique blend of features to create cost-driven layouts.

The integration of the two solutions allows users to combine different jobs from one customer in one imposition layout, enabling time and material savings and delivering cost-effective production. In addition, jobs with the same characteristics can be combined in one layout and the output intention can be communicated though JDF to prepress and the production flow, eliminating the need for manual data entry so short-run jobs can be produced profitably.

Graphitec also highlighted EFI’s newest innovation to the integrated solution, which will be available December 2015. By taking the ‘ganging opportunity’ into account, this will provide the ability to combine jobs coming from different orders and customers on the same imposed production sheet. The user’s workflow will be automated and optimised as the software will show if files are available and approved by the customer, if jobs are to be produced on the same paper, if colour schemes and finishing are the same and if delivery dates match. With this information checked directly by the software while still providing the option to review and adapt if changes are needed, users will be able to improve margins on a wide range of smaller jobs.

GamSys and Metrix integration lets users drive their Fiery® driven output devices in a more efficient manner.

EVENTSNEWS

UPCOMING EVENTS

GRAPHITEC INNOVATION AWARD

Online Label Enterprise Uses newest digital technology to respond to growing customer base

düsseldorf 2015

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Technology Saves the Day is the theme of this year’s LabelExpo taking place from 29 September to 2 October at the Brussels Expo. In keeping with the theme EFI (stand 9C40) is showing the first fully inline LED inkjet digital printing system with, in-line laser cutting and finishing for lean label production. The production line features the 330-mm wide EFI Jetrion® 4950LX LED narrow web press with a new white-ink module.

To complement its high-productivity press, EFI is demonstrating a new Enterprise Packaging Productivity Suite configured to address the needs of three segments: label, flexible packaging and folding carton converting.

The latest Radius® release allows an even tighter integration and greater optimisation between the administrative MIS flow and production. To demonstrate this EFI is showing Esko’s Automation Engine, a modular workflow server with dynamic workflows, integrated with EFI’s Radius-based Productivity Suite.

Also featured on the EFI stand is the EFI H1625 LED printer, a 162 cm wide hybrid printer suitable for high-quality label proofing and packaging prototyping applications. GamSys MIS, winner of 2015 Graphitec Award for Innovation, will be fully integrated with Digital StoreFront® web-to-print solution and Metrix imposition software. Developed for small and medium-sized businesses, GamSys optimises the production process by creating visibility on the production floor, managing order and production information efficiently, while controlling costs.

The stand will also feature DirectSmile cross-media marketing software which gives printers an easy-to-use means of expanding their reach by selling multi-channel marketing.

JOIN US AT LABELEXPOCome see technology that saves the day!

From left to right: Lucy Swanston, Karen Hardicker, Ian Swanston, Tony Marks and Natasha Green.

Nutshell Creative Differentiates with

Cross-Media MarketingPartners with leading print and mailing operation, Anton Group

Nutshell Creative is a lively design and marketing services agency based in Stony Stratford in the UK. The agency was founded by Lucy Swanston in 2005. Its clients include well-known brand names in retail, sports, food and drink.

EFI DirectSmile Cross Media is an all-in-one solution for cross-media marketing and monitoring, allowing creatives to set up sophisticated personalised campaigns with real-time response and analysis. Working entirely through a browser interface, users can create and personalise printed and digital media campaigns with minimal programming skills.

The Cross Media system then manages campaigns, launches websites, sends e-mails and SMS texts and generates personalised print files. The Data Relations support allows data to read from databases and CRM systems, which can then automatically be updated with the results as the recipients respond.

DIFFERENTIATIONAdopting EFI DirectSmile Cross Media has allowed Nutshell to stand out in a crowded market, says Swanston. “In the UK there are in excess of 20,000 design agencies of all shapes and sizes. For us it’s key to have a differentiator.“

“We wanted to focus on two key things for marketing: personalisation and customisation; and measurability for marketers. After extensive research when we looked at several cross media system suppliers and also at extending our web-to-print platform we chose DirectSmile, as it gives us flexibility,” says Swanston.

PRINT PARTNERNutshell has been working with Anton Group, one of the largest print and direct marketing service providers in Europe. “They wanted to move into marketing services, so they asked us to work with them. They wanted to be able to deliver cross-media services as well as print. We collaborate on new clients, coupled with their huge infrastructure.”

DirectSmile can drive the website, email and mobile device campaigns and run analytics on the responses, says Nutshell senior designer Tony Marks. “We can run it as a sub-domain to a customer’s website, and that’s where the campaign sits, or we can add elements of DirectSmile into the website. For instance even if it’s just a form element on the website that captures all the data into DirectSmile and that data drives the further campaign. It’s very simple and very intuitive.”

Nutshell Creative of Stratford (UK) uses EFI DirectSmile Cross Media forhighly personalised, automated campaigns for its big brand client base.

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Faster, greater connectivity and expanded colour capabilities

NEW DIGITAL FRONT END

The new Fiery DFE platform, which is being incorporated in several new digital presses from EFI partners features innovative tools for higher-speed processing and expansion to CMYK+ colours. It also provides robust capabilities for shop automation and connectivity. As the industry’s only CIP4-certified JDF DFE, the Fiery platform can seamlessly connect with other JDF-based devices. Plus, users can establish fully automated, bi-directional communication and integration with EFI’s market-leading MIS/ERP and web-to-print products.

IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY WITH 55% FASTER RIPINGFiery FS200 Pro also expands EFI’s breakthrough Fiery HyperRIP offering, which is powered by EFI’s proprietary ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) with RIPChip™ technology. As a result, Fiery DFEs can process print files significantly faster than alternative DFEs.

HyperRIP now has a mode optimised for multiple jobs, as well as the previous, single-job mode, boosting processing performance up to 55% compared to the performance without HyperRIP. Now, the Fiery FS200 Pro platform can RIP up to four jobs simultaneously, giving users the ability to print more jobs in the shortest possible time.

The new Fiery platform also includes a Rush RIP mode that opens up a fifth RIP to process rush jobs when all four main parallel processors are busy. Rush RIP allows printing operations to accommodate last-minute rush jobs without interrupting the on-going workflow or cancelling jobs that are already being processed. It also gives users the ability to preview jobs quickly while other jobs are processing, further speeding up the production

process and increasing overall throughput. “With the new Fiery FS200 Pro platform, EFI has brought a new level of productivity to the market,” says Kaspar Roos, director of analyst firm InfoTrends’ Production Workflow Service. “Improvements in ripping speed, colour management, and tighter integration of workflow components make this new Fiery platform a very attractive proposition.”

BETTER BRAND-COLOUR MATCHING, AND CUSTOMISABLE API INTEGRATION The EFI Fiery FS200 Pro system also takes colour management to brand-new heights with the introduction of a CMYK+ feature set for incorporating expanded-gamut process-colour imaging beyond standard four-color imaging. CMYK+ opens the door to a range of inkjet press technologies that may be capable of incorporating five-, six-, or eight-colour process imaging.

Print businesses can more precisely match a wider range of brand colours on digital presses offering expanded toner imaging capabilities. EFI has also released colour correction and process control improvements to the Fiery Graphic Arts Package, Premium Edition.

NEWS

PrintSmith™ Vision is a flexible, browser-based MIS software product for print shops - including franchises and in-plant facilities - that features powerful estimating, point-of-sale, account management, production management, receivables and sales analysis tools within a single, easy-to-use application. The software was developed with the goal of driving print shop profitability and efficiency at an affordable price point using features that extend the PrintSmith™ platform’s longstanding presence as the leading MIS technology for small commercial businesses in the graphic arts industry. The new version of EFI PrintSmith Vision helps users focus on winning more jobs and managing them more efficiently. New mobile views in the software give users more power to check work-in-process, view job status or check arriving shipments remotely. Plus, new dashboards in the software provide users with faster access

to the information they need. Users can view even more critical information, including information specific to the logged-in user, such as orders entered by that user and a list of pending estimates that can be opened from the dashboard and converted into orders. The new advancements available with the software provide distinct advantages for Gaithersburg, Maryand, US-based Herron Printing & Graphics. Randy Herron, the company’s owner, said, “PrintSmith Vision’s new features have helped us save time and money, starting with the software’s dashboard. It is the first thing our staff looks at, and everyone can quickly see which jobs are due, and we are all better prepared as we head into to our morning meeting each day.” The software is now ideally suited for mobile access, as users can view a complete range of customer and estimate

history details using an HTML5 mobile interface. Data security is another key improvement, with new tools to schedule automatic backups of the MIS software’s database. Users can effectively manage and automate their complete printing workflow thanks to integrated connectivity with EFI Fiery® Central and Fiery digital print servers with Command WorkStation®, as well as with EFI Digital StoreFront® eCommerce and web-to-print software. The Digital StoreFront integration provides real-time, bidirectional status updates for immediate communication to operators and customers alike. Users also gain superior job submission and customisable storefront options, which are key advantages for print businesses seeking to enhance client relationships and boost customer loyalty.

NEWSCUSTOMER-DRIVEN INNOVATIONS

MARK CONWAY: “THEY CALL ME MR. 3000”

Another milestone for EFI

On August 17, 2015 Mark Conway reported for his first day as Senior Controls Engineer at EFI. He says that the atmosphere was friendly and welcoming, a sense of strong team effort. But unbeknownst to Conway, that first day marked a Milestone for EFI and came with a surprise for the new employee.

Mark received an email from CEO Guy Gecht welcoming him to the company. “What an awesome milestone for our company, which started 25 years ago with just 18 employees in one office in San Francisco and yesterday crossed the 3000 mark,” wrote Gecht.

In 25 years EFI has evolved from a provider of Fiery Digital Front Ends to a leader in productivity software and inkjet printing serving commercial, large format, package and label converting and other industrial markets.

Gecht would attribute the company’s success to keeping a constant eye on the needs of EFI’s customers and developing innovative technology that leads to growth.

Welcome Mr. 3000 to an “awesome” team!

Comprehensive, small business end-to-end workflow drives profitability

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Hired by the U.S. Postal Service® in the 1990s to develop a solution that would print the barcode used to sort and process mail directly on an envelope, executives at Endicia soon realised they could do more.

Based in Mountain View, California (U.S.A.), today, Endicia is the leading provider of shipping technologies and services for e-commerce businesses. Endicia’s PictureItPostage™ allows consumers to create personalised U.S. postage with family photos, company logos or custom designs. This was a niche product for the company until it contracted with a leading online photo merchandise provider. According to Patrick Farry, application architect at Endicia, “This deal had the potential to scale our custom postage volumes by several orders of magnitude. We had to automate to process that volume.”

Endicia has to review all images to ensure they meet U.S. Postal guidelines and then add security barcodes. Next, Endicia prints the stamps on a digital press driven by EFI Fiery® digital front end (DFE) and mails

them out. To efficiently handle the higher volume of work, Endicia also needed to integrate its systems with its new partner’s ordering system.

FIERY API AUTOMATES PRODUCTIONEndicia used the Fiery application programming interface (API) to create a custom software application that builds the postage stamps and sets up custom integration between its partner’s ordering system and the Fiery DFE. When an order comes in through the partner website, it goes to the Endicia system to create the

unique security barcode. The barcode and images are placed in the correct template and the system creates the stamp sheet as a PDF file. At that point, the Fiery API sends the print job to the DFE.

As Farry describes it, “Once the reviewer hits ‘approve’ on the screen we built, the whole process takes place automatically. The stamps are submitted to the Fiery print queue in a 100% non-manual process. So we went from 11 steps to one.”

The web-based API is available for a variety of desktop and mobile platforms. Simple

and easy to use, it allows developers to create custom tools or applications built on modern, web-based technologies that enable live, bi-directional interaction with Fiery DFEs.

Endicia processes 3,000 postage requests a day during the holiday season. Farry says, “Automation is the key. We can process the volume quickly by eliminating the manual steps. We also use the new application to query the Fiery server about status and run some reports.”

FIERY API AUTOMATES FULFILMENTEndicia used the Fiery API to create a workflow that integrates printing the stamps with a shipping label and invoice. Everything is submitted as a single job. The Fiery server splits the stamps and the invoice/shipping label into different trays on the printer and both come out at the same time, but in their respective output trays. Farry says, “That was key to keeping the error rate down at the kind of volumes we now have.”

“ This deal had the potential to scale our custom postage volumes by several orders of magnitude. We had to automate to process that volume.”

CUSTOM APPLICATIONS FOR DIGITAL PRINT MANAGEMENTPrint service providers can develop customised solutions to automate and streamline their digital print production operations using the new EFI™ Fiery® API (application programming interface). They can use the Fiery API to tightly integrate their digital print operations with their existing IT framework to share data and eliminate job-prep process steps. Print service providers with in-house or contract developers can solve their unique challenges with an API that leverages the industry-leading Fiery digital front end (DFE) platform for the creation of web and native client applications. The Fiery API includes a modern Web app framework, provides session and user management tools and robust access security.

FLEXIBLE CONTROL FOR A MULTITUDE OF FEATURESThe Fiery API allows EFI customers to interact with their Fiery servers from their own applications for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android and other platforms using familiar programming languages and development tools of their choice. Built on modern web-based technologies such as WebSockets that enable live, bi-directional interaction, the Fiery API adheres to the popular REST (Representational State Transfer) architectural style, allowing developers to conduct API commands with simple HTTP methods. Retrieving job log data from the Fiery DFE, for example, requires just a single line of code. In-house applications connected through the Fiery API can incorporate EFI Fiery data, such as number of sheets, media size, media type, and user name. The integrated applications also can control job submissions, job action and print queue management, as well as retrieve live status of the DFE, printer consumables, and processed jobs with raster image previewing. The Fiery API is licensed for free to print service providers for their own non-commercial use. Developers can verify their Fiery DFE is supported at http://bit.ly/1J4GmdT then go to http://developer.efi.com and sign up to get a free Fiery API evaluation license. From there, users can jump start their development with sample code and Fiery API documentation.

NEWS

PERSONALISED POSTAGE STAMPSU.S. Postal Service gets creative with the help of Endicia

22 23

EFI™ VUTEk® HS100 Pro

© 2015 Electronics For Imaging, Inc. All rights reserved.

This revolutionary digital inkjet press delivers print quality approaching offset at the speed of

screen—with lower operating costs than screen. It prints in white and has a full suite of automation

and material handling options. Take off with EFI. Call 0808 101 3484 or +44 (0)1246 298000 or

visit vutek.efi.com/HS100Pro for more information.

THE PRINTER THAT

TAKES YOU TO THE

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS