Getting Connected

With pressure to lower costs, increase profits, and retain customer bases, package printers look to business production software to organize workflow.

October 2006 by Missy Smith

multipage

Package printers have their hands full. While their focus is directed toward meeting the needs of their customers, they must accomplish this by spending their money wisely and increasing profits in their own operations. In the past few years, business production software has come to the rescue of package printers faced with the increasing need to run a lean business, while maintaining high-quality standards.

Display Pack of Grand Rapids, Mich., was among those looking for a better way to streamline processes and exchange information. Its custom-developed business management system lacked strong estimation and business integration, and the means to provide financial information. Display Pack began using Radius Solutions’ PECAS Vision II, an enterprise resource planning system that provides estimating and scheduling, ­material control, customer service, job processing, financial reports and inventory management. The system, which can be integrated across various plants, is geared toward companies printing roll and sheet labels, folding cartons, and flexible packaging.

With PECAS, Display Pack was able to remove unproductive business processes. In looking at estimated costs versus actual costs, the company discovered it was breaking even on work performed for a longtime, high-volume customer. “We learned the hard way that high volume and lots of sales dollars don’t necessarily mean that you’re making money,” says Holly Francies, team leader of Display Pack.

The following companies offer business production solutions.

Imposition editor gets an update

With DiMS! 700, users can create impositions detailing a job’s edition block, fold lines, cutting lines, glue lines, color bars, slitter lines, crosshairs, and delivery positions using customer-defined XML templates. New scheduling module features include a materials histogram with a graphic history of stock usage, scheduling board with production order information, cylinder planning module, and Outlook-like views of scheduling details. Shipping instructions can be entered into the DiMS! system, exported into an Excel spreadsheet, and sent to a courier to determine transportation requirements.—DiMS! organizing print, www.dims.net

Information processing system for graphic arts

THE System contains 100 modules including nine industry-specific estimating modules, which handle information processing needs of graphics art companies. Modules include costing, shop floor data collection, and sales and marketing. Web-enabled, real-time modules can handle job tracking and ordering of finished goods.—CRC Information Systems, www.crcinfosys.com

Prepress production

OpForma Enterprise Suite is a stand-alone, Web-based prepress production solution for constantly changing workflows. It ensures that users receive operational data in real time for monitoring, analysis, and reporting. It automatically collects raw operational data from desktops, workflow, and data management systems, and provides real-time and historical reporting, and customized views of job milestones, task status, and more.—EFI, www.efi.com

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