Xerox-Variable Image Printing

Technology Used: Xerox FreeFlow Web Services Powered by Press-Sense, Xerox FreeFlow Process Manager, Avanti Graphic Arts Management Systems

Solution: Variable Image Printing (VIP) is a successful printing company with two locations in southern California. Since opening its doors in 1999, VIP has used Xerox technology to produce print-on-demand brochures, flyers, books, binders, and other documents in both black and white and color. VIP serves clients in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, real estate, and healthcare.

The main challenge that Variable Image Printing was facing was that their clients’ demands were changing. VIP’s customers wanted shorter runs, faster turnaround times, and different versions of jobs. The company’s current facilities and equipment were inadequate to meet these demands, so VIP began searching for a solution that would allow them to stay competitive by accelerating job turnaround times, increasing the volume of jobs that could be completed on a daily basis, and offering customers a way to upload and manage their content.

To help them find a way to optimize workflow and print processes, VIP turned to the experts at Xerox. After fully analyzing the print company’s needs, Xerox recommended FreeFlow Web Services, FreeFlow Process Manager, and a Print MIS System from Avanti that would allow customers to submit jobs via a Web portal and view the status of job requests. The new technologies also streamlined billing and invoicing tasks and automated many processes so more jobs could be completed in a given period of time.

Implementing Xerox and Avanti technologies has benefited VIP in numerous ways. Because the printing company’s new automated and integrated system does not require operator intervention, Variable Image Printing can operate around the clock without additional staff. Invoices are now sent out within a day of shipment compared to two weeks before the new technologies were deployed, and the labor associated with these tasks has been reduced by almost 40 percent. Because customers can place orders quickly and easily, and because jobs can now be completed in roughly half the time, VIP has been able to expand its client base. According to VIP, more than $200,000 of the company’s earnings during the first year of implementation can be attributed directly to the software solution recommended by Xerox.

Further details: http://www.xerox.com/downloads/usa/en/psg/casestudies/psg_casestudy_variable_image_printing.pdf