First Edge Solutions Deploys Océ VarioPrint Ultra Digital Printers and Océ PRISMA Software to Help Achieve 25 Percent Growth
Combination delivers print speed and workflow critical to customer satisfaction and quality essential for compliance
TRUMBULL, CONN. April 25, 2011 – Océ, a Canon Group Company and an international leader in digital document management, today announced that First Edge Solutions has deployed four Océ VarioPrint® Ultra systems along with Océ PRISMAproduction® workflow software as part of a strategy for 25 percent growth in 2011.
Headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, First Edge Solutions delivers innovative marketing communication, print and document management services. The company also has facilities in Phoenix, AZ and Atlanta, GA.
Old Printers Were Inefficient, Costly
First Edge needed to replace old printing equipment that had high cost points and. didn't meet efficiency goals. The company was taking on more work and needed a solution that could grow beyond current run rates. Even with their impressive 10 percent, recession-era annual growth, First Edge felt 25 percent growth was possible with the right equipment. First Edge also wanted to grow margins and was looking for the right technology to help make these changes possible.
Customer Satisfaction Depends on Speed
Speed and quality are huge differentiators in the commercial printing market. First Edge has tight turnaround agreements with many clients. One customer can submit orders as late as 2 PM, and the SLA requires First Edge to print, fulfill and ship that day, even across country.
To meet these extreme deadlines on a daily basis, First Edge has built an extremely accurate, very automated process. "We believe in a ‘lights out' approach and write our code to eliminate manual process steps. By operating this way, we can guarantee customer satisfaction. This differentiates us because we use brain power and technology to eliminate the competition, and it's worked. It's the reason we are growing at 25 percent conservatively in a recession," said First Edge President and CEO, Robert Kraft.
Print as Part of Supply Chain
"We don't sell print; we sell communications and supply chain solutions. Print is part of that. It's about leveraging technology on the front end and Océ on the backend to integrate efficiently," Kraft said.
Océ PRISMA Streamlines Supply Chain
Océ PRISMA? software lets First Edge integrate proprietary automation systems into the supply chain workflow, which goes from content creation to content delivery and all points in between. Océ PRISMA software streamlines processes and helps eliminate bottlenecks in getting work from customers to production.
Taking Downtime Out of Production
In 2010, roughly 80 percent of the work was recurring and could be automated, but the older printers couldn't handle the workload and data. Mid-production crashes caused downtime in the automated workflow. The Océ systems have eliminated this problem.
First Edge produces a lot of data-intensive variable direct mail. Before, they had to break the large files into smaller ones to keep the older printers from crashing. Now they can put everything through Océ PRISMA workflow in one file for faster, automation with minimal errors.
"We have been surprised with how far we can stretch the printers in terms of durability and the ability to avoid mid-production file crashes," said Mike Herald, First Edge Solutions Director of Manufacturing. "The Océ technology gives us the confidence and ability to plan and run three heavy shifts and send complex files without fear of a mid-production crash."
Océ PRISMA Software Enables Nimble Response
"The biggest thing for us is the ability to streamline our web-to-print and other proprietary systems through Océ PRISMA software. The nimbleness it gives us allows us to respond quickly to customers. We can get work out as fast, accurately and automatically as possible," said Herald.
How Print Helps Security Measures
The robust processing power of Océ PRISMA software helps guard against security breaches. Avoiding mid-production file crashes also means fewer misprints end up in the secure waste bins. Océ print quality also contributes. "The quality of print has drastically improved, which allows us to print accurately without waste," Herald noted.
Duplicating Workflow for Redundant Sites
"Redundant sites are part of our growth strategy, and that's one reason we acquired the Arizona plant. We now have both sites running off the same Océ equipment, so back up any time would be a non-issue," said Kraft.
The Océ VarioPrint systems and Océ PRISMA software run across both sites to accelerate time to market and decrease costs. First Edge has many large national corporate clients, and they can easily split work between the two plants to maximize equipment time. They also eliminate significant costs for clients on shipping.
Applications: Booklets to Self-Mailers
The Océ systems were installed in March 2010 and now are running three shifts in the Milwaukee and Phoenix plants. Applications include booklets, brochures, and all kinds of self-mailers. An offset department complements the digital output with color shells and overprints.
Proud to Be an Océ Customer
"We're very proud to say we're an Océ customer, and it's because of their culture. They truly listen, and it's so refreshing to have an honest conversation and see their genuine concern for our business," said Kraft.
About First Edge Solutions
First Edge Solutions delivers innovative Marketing Communication, Print and Document Management services. One of the largest Digital Print Communication firms in Wisconsin, the company started in April of 2003 and has experienced a steady growth rate year after year. First Edge focuses on providing clients with innovative, cost-effective print and marketing solutions using a strong technology foundation. Those technology solutions can be applied to web applications, digital print, traditional offset print, fulfillment, and distribution services. For more information, visit http://www.firstedgesolutions.com.
About Océ
Océ is one of the leading providers of document management and printing for professionals. The Océ offering includes office printing and copying systems, high speed digital production printers and wide format printing systems for both technical documentation and color display graphics. Océ is also a foremost supplier of document management outsourcing. Many of the Fortune Global 500 companies and leading commercial printers are Océ customers. The company was founded in 1877. With headquarters in Venlo, The Netherlands, Océ is active in over 100 countries and employs more than 20,000 people worldwide. Total revenues in financial 2010 amounted to approximately €2.7 billion. Océ is listed on Euronext in Amsterdam. For more information visit www.oce.com.
Océ North America is headquartered in Trumbull, CT, with additional business units in Chicago, IL and Boca Raton, FL. North America represents 34% of Océ's worldwide revenues, and employment is over 8,000. For more information about Océ North America, visit www.oceusa.com. Outside the U.S., consult http://global.oce.com.
Océ and Canon: Stronger together
In 2010 Océ joined the Canon Group of companies with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, to create the global leader in the printing industry. Canon develops, manufactures and markets a growing line-up of copying machines, printers, cameras, optical and other products that meet a diverse range of customer needs. The Canon Group comprises over 197,000 people worldwide. Global net sales in 2010 were more than US $45 billion. For more information visit www.canon.com.
About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), a top patent holder of technology, ranked fourth overall in the U.S. in 2010†, with global revenues of more than US $45 billion and is listed as number five in the computer industry on Fortune Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies 2011 list. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. At Canon, we care because caring is essential to living together in harmony. Founded upon a corporate philosophy of Kyosei – "all people, regardless of race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future" – Canon U.S.A. supports a number of social, youth, educational and other programs, including environmental and recycling initiatives. Additional information about these programs can be found at www.usa.canon.com/kyosei. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss.
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