Creo agrees Xerox server supply deal

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19 December 2002

Creo hopes to take advantage of the growing colour digital print market after signing a five-year agreement with Xerox to supply Spire colour servers for sale with high-end digital presses such as the iGen3 and DocuColor 2000 series.

Creo doesn't have any other agreements in place to sell Spire servers, but a spokeswoman said it was not restricted to one press vendor and would look to sell to other companies.

Xerox customers will also not be tied down to using Spire. The Xerox DocuSP will also be available.

The agreement was announced as the latest research from US consultancy IT Strategies predicted a boom in worldwide sales from "colour electrophotographic hardwareproduction and light production printing systems".

The sector, which includes the Xerox DocuColor 2060 and iGen3, would grow from revenues (comprising chemistry, media and hardware sales) of 3.4bn ($5.5bn) in 2001 to over 8.4bn by 2006, it forecast.

Clear user trends were emerging, particularly shorter run lengths, cheaper systems, and the transfer of work to less expensive "light production printing systems", such as the Docu-Color 2060, reducing growth in the high-end digital press segment, which includes the iGen3 and NexPress.

Xerox DocuColor product marketing manager Kevin O'Donnell said that although the predicted growth seemed a large jump, new technologies would provide a major impetus.

"If we can deliver on productivity, and produce equipment at the right price, then I see no reason why manufacturers should not achieve these sort of growth values," he added.

Story by Andy Scott

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