Agfa
www.agfa.com
Stand 11/CD220
Agfa’s workflow announcements pre-show centre of the launch of Apogee Media 6, an editorial workflow tool for publishers. The new version includes a dashboard for viewing the overall status of any publication and an interactive flatplan.

Atlantic Zeiser
www.atlanticzeiseruk.com
Stand 6/C557
Inkjet overprinting specialist Atlantic Zeiser has bolstered its position by acquiring Berlin-based variable data software specialist Sohfa, which has been closely involved with Adobe in the development of the new PDF/VT format for next-generation personalised print workflow. At Ipex, it looks set to unveil the results of Sohfa’s development in this area to an eager print community.                                                                     

Canon
www.canon-europe.com
Stand 10/CDEF270
Canon is firmly focused on solutions and applications at the show, so there will be no workflow launches. But it will be showing its Helix workflow for both print-for-pay and inplants.

DirectSmile
www.directsmile.com
Stand 12/B110
DirectSmile’s workflow offering will be Cross Media, its software for producing, managing and analysing personalised marketing campaigns that cover print, SMS, email and websites.

EFI    
www.efi.com
Stand 11/F223
EFI’s Fiery servers will be hard to miss on the stands of its many digital press vendor partners, where the latest versions of Command Workstation, which underwent a big overhaul last year, will be on show with a range of kit. On its own stand the company will focus on its software products for proofing and wide-format inkjet production.

Enfocus
www.enfocus.com
Stand 12/C150
Enfocus will be showing its PitStop range of PDF pre-flighting and correction tools and its Switch workflow automation product. New releases especially for Ipex will include PitStop Connect (see Star Product, p26), a handy tool that enables printers to provide clients with a desktop widget that takes the hassle out of setting up and sending PDFs and ensures the printer receives a reliable and robust PDF. It will also show further configurators for Switch, which are the tools that enable third-party applications to be connected in a workflow. New configurators include Microsoft Word, media asset management tool Elvis from DutchSoftware.com, colour specialist GMG and Remote Director from remote proofing firm ICS.

EskoArtwork
www.esko.com
Stand 12/C150
EskoArtwork will be launching new versions of its creative and production workflow tools under the banner Suite 10, which puts 3D tools at the heart of the system and claims to deliver 35-50% time and cost savings. Suite 10 comprises Studio 10 creative and design applications and Automation Engine 10, which combines the firm’s BackStage, Odystar and Nexus products in a single platform.

Four Pees
www.fourpees.com
Stand 11/F222
Four Pees will launch automation solution DFlux, which is based on Enfocus and Callas technologies. The firm will also be showing other workflow tools from partners including Axaio, Callas and Elpical.

Fujifilm
www.fujifilm.co.uk/gs
Stand 09/CD360
Announced at the last Ipex, Fujifilm’s XMF workflow version 3.0 is launched at this year’s show. New features include support for web-offset presses, enhanced proofing – both of physical pages and the 3D proofing module – and the integration of the system with web-to-print packages. Fujifilm will partner with EFI and its Digital Storefront application, but the JDF underpinning means it is possible for XMF to integrate with any JDF compliant W2P system.

Global Graphics Software
www.globalgraphics.com
Stand 11/D248
Version 8.2 of the Harlequin RIP is PDF/VT ready, much faster than predecessors and has an extended Application Programming Interface (API) for variable data caching.

GMC Software Technology    
www.gmc.net
Stand 11/C221
GMC will be showing how its communications suite of software can manage cross-media campaigns encompassing transpromo, direct mail and e-marketing.

Heidelberg
www.uk.heidelberg.com
Hall 8
A decade on from the start of the CIP4 project and the latest version of Prinect, which will begin shipping in Q3, will  finally make end-to-end production management a reality. Enhancements to the Prinect line include more third-party MIS links for Pressroom Manager and Postpress Manager supporting Polar guillotines. The Analyze Point function of Prinect Pressroom Manager is being extended to include environmental performance, as well as production performance with the carbon footprint for individual jobs.

HP    
www.hp.com/go/graphic-arts
Stand 12/AB150
HP’s workflow offerings under the SmartStream banner will be out in force at the show, including its own high-speed RIPs and controllers from partners including Creo and EskoArtwork. Rather than refresh any of the production workflow tools, HP’s notable launch at Ipex will be SmartStream Analyzer (see Star Product, top left), a tool for monitoring production efficiency. This business intelligence tool allows Indigo users to benchmark performance by      t machine, location, shift or operator to drive continuous improvement (see Star Product on previous page).

Kodak
www.graphics.kodak.com
Stand 09/E320
Kodak will be showing its Unified Workflow portfolio including Prinergy and the Insite range of web portal products, which will be integral components in the production of the Ipex Daily. Noteworthy products include the Kodak 700 Print Manager to drive the Prosper presses and the latest version of Prinergy PowerPack to drive the Flexcel NX flexo platemaking system.

Konica Minolta
www.konicaminolta.co.uk
Stand 9/DE340
Konica Minolta will also demonstrate its workflow solutions, including the Printgroove POD series and the Printgroove Jt series, showing how entire print production processes are managed from job submission and shipping to invoicing.

LithoTechnics
www.lithotechnics.com
Stand 09/F335
Metrix is an intelligent, automated planning and imposition system that can dynamically generate optimum job plans then execute impositions as JDF or imposed PDF to pre-press. Metrix Server takes job planning/imposition automation a notch higher by taking job specifications from an MIS and processing standardised work without operator intervention.

OmniTek Systems
www.omnitek.co.uk
Stand 10/D250
OmniTek is a pre-press software firm and will show products such as SmartMove workflow and Samskara PDF normaliser to reduce any current PS/PDF file to a trapped, font-free PDF v1.3. New for Ipex is SmartProof.

OneVision Software
www.onevision.com
Stand 11/C240
OneVision will show the latest version of its proofing and approval package Voyager. The company says the new version of Voyager is easier to use and administrate and is faster. Also at Ipex will be new versions of digital edition creation tool Mirado and automated colour enhancement server Amendo.

Ricoh Europe
www.ricoh-europe.com
Stand 12-D130
Ricoh will be exhibiting Creo and EFI controllers driving the Pro C900. On the mono side, the new Pro 1357 will feature native IPDS and Micropress workflows.

Screen
www.screeneurope.com
Stand 10/C290
Screen announced its Equiosnet workflow at Drupa and at Ipex it will flesh out the bones and show the first Equiosnet products, including a DFE for the Truepress SX Jet B2 sheetfed inkjet press (see Star Product below). Equiosnet will be shown driving the full range of Screen machines, including CTP, DI, continuous feed colour, cutsheet inkjet and wide-format. Adobe’s APPE 2 is at the core of the system, with an upgrade path for CTP sites with Trueflow. Screen has also announced an extensive list of partners for workflow.

StudioRIP
www.studiorip.co.uk
Stand 09/D341
StudioRIP is an independent software RIP compatible with PostScript Level 3 and PDF 1.7. Its attractive pricing and compatibility with the latest PDF files produced by InDesign and QuarkXPress make it worth a look if you’re working with an older workflow that struggles with things like trans­parency in more recent files, especially if you’re not in the position to upgrade your pre-media via a consumables deal.

TimeHarvest
www.timeharvest.com
Stand 9/D343
For digital printers who receive variable data jobs infrequently, yet still have to cope with all the errors they contain, TimeHarvest will make database repair product FileFix available on a pay-per-use basis. Users purchase a one-week licence when required, at a price that the company claims can be recovered on just one job.

Xerox
www.xerox.com
Stand 7/CD450
So far Xerox is talking about applications and opportunities rather than product specifics, but central to its offering will be the Freeflow suite of workflow products acting as the essential interface enabling its presses to produce applications. Expect to see hybrid workflows showing how offset and digital production can be integrated.

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