The Leeds-headquartered firm will show the new iTechnique app for the first time in public at next week's Graph Expo show in Chicago.

Chief executive Paul Cooper said the native app, which runs on iPhones and iPads, empowered printers to be more effective: "This is a generational change, I think we've come up with 2.0 for MIS," he stated. "iTechnique provides a mobile window into a company, users can see the heartbeat of their business - it's addictive."

iTechnique incorporates a raft of functionality including customer relationship management (CRM), estimating and re-pricing, order management, sales enquiries, production scheduling and a live view of shopfloor data collection. Control settings allow separate departments and users to have different privileges in terms of what they are able to access and amend.

Sales teams can use the re-pricing tool in a live customer environment, within parameters set by company directors. A new PDF of the quote or order is then rendered on-the-fly and emailed to the client, while the amended information flows back into the estimating and production system.

A number of UK companies have beta-tested iTechnique, and Cooper said feedback has been very positive. "I think this is the future of selling print. It's so much quicker than the process that precedes it," he added. "It's about closing deals."

iTechnique also connects with social media such as LinkedIn and Twitter, so CRM information can be updated dynamically based on a contact's latest activity.

It is highly customisable in terms of how users view and manage information.

Cooper said the new app represented a £1m R&D investment, and was the result of a three-year vision at the 50-strong company. This involved developing the server-based objects that lie at the heart of the MIS, along with a year spent perfecting the app interface.

Pricing will be based on a monthly subscription model, with details to be unveiled at Graph Expo.

The company has also revamped its website (www.technique-mis.com) ahead of the launch.