Creativity, flexibility, and the proper technology to execute a vision can help a company distinguish itself in the competitive commercial print and direct mail marketing space. Investing in two varioPRINT iX digital inkjet presses and two imagePRESS C9010VP digital presses has been an integral and invaluable step for Phoenix Innovate’s plan to develop innovative solutions for its growing number of clients.
Phoenix Innovate was founded in 1987 as a commercial print shop in Troy, Michigan. Now, 35 years later, the organization has overseen a total transformation. The business developed a competitive edge by utilizing a fleet of powerful inkjet technology as well as its unique approach of “authentic marketing,” using data insights to transform clients’ marketing challenges into sustainable solutions. By harnessing the power of research, data analytics, vision and creativity, the organization—through its Canon inkjet technology—has continued to curate customized end-to-end solutions for a variety of business opportunities.
What also gives Phoenix Innovate its unique edge is its outlook on problem solving, starting with the approach of what the marketplace needs rather than a technology’s capabilities, and developing solutions that then satisfy those particular needs. Deeply rooted in Canon’s approach is a similar commitment, driving technology that caters to evolving print market needs.
“We first switched over to digital 15 years ago with our very first toner-based press,” said Kirk Vercnocke, CEO. “We had success with it, but understood the limitations of our toner-based devices in terms of the color gamut; so the promise of inkjet, not only from a color quality standpoint but also from a speed standpoint, was a no-brainer for us.”
“We had been researching inkjet technology for about a decade as well as a dedicated partner to support us and our business, and that’s when we found Canon Solutions America,” he added. “We knew switching over to inkjet would suit our clients’ needs a lot better, and the varioPRINT iX was our answer."
The Canon varioPRINT iX inkjet press
After learning what the varioPRINT iX could do for their clients, the Phoenix Innovate team quickly began testing the capabilities of the press, utilizing all the ways it could support their clients’ needs from a speed and quality perspective. With the power of the varioPRINT iX in their fleet, they knew they had found the missing piece to what would help them continue to transform and expand their business.
“The varioPRINT iX became our go-to tool to grow our direct mail capacity,” said Chris DuBach, executive vice president of Sales & Business Development. “This press was really the first opportunity to look at something that was stable and could produce fast, reliable results for our clients. The reliability, the speed, the repeatability, and the outstanding color quality of the iX is truly unmatched. The quality and the substrate flexibility are the two biggest selling factors for our business. It bridged the gap. This investment sharpened our edge in helping our clients get deeper into their marketing needs.”
Because of its expertise in data analysis and segmented approach to problem solving, Phoenix Innovate has helped several clients reach tremendous growth.
“We analyzed a new client’s marketing efforts in which they produced hundreds of thousands of direct mail pieces to achieve their revenue goals. The strategy we implemented and executed for them achieved a 25% increase in net revenue through a reduction in direct mail needed as well as increased response to the campaign,” DuBach said.
The varioPRINT iX did exactly what Phoenix Innovate needed. The customer noted the efficiency right away.
“I can honestly say it’s the first time ever that we put in a piece of equipment that exceeded our expectations based on what was in the sales literature. One of the reasons the acquisition was so attractive to us was the knowledge that we could do business with one Canon press that would require three of a competitor’s device to complete the same amount of business. It’s really quite impressive,” Vercnocke said.
“As the print market is constantly evolving, customers like Phoenix Innovate are compelled to keep pace in a never-ending race against technological advances,” said Francis A. McMahon, executive vice president, Production Print Solutions, Canon Solutions America, Inc. “We at Canon Solutions America feel their pressure, fueling our passion for offering strong, supportive solutions to meet those challenges. We are thrilled to hear of the success Phoenix Innovate has seen with the Canon varioPRINT iX and are even more excited at what the future holds for them.”
The views and opinions expressed here are based on the actual experiences of the customer. Testimonials are not claimed to represent typical results, and various factors can impact different customers’ results. Print speeds may vary depending on the number of copies selected, as well as on the settings for size, type, and orientation of paper.