Dalim has launched Swing, its shrinkwrapped range of workflow tools based on the technology from its high-end Twist and Litho products, as part of its move to capture a greater chunk of the market.


"Why Swing?" said marketing director Gee Ranasinha. "Because people told us thats what they wanted. Its like F1 technology filtering down to the average car."


As well as being Dalims first product targeting small- and medium-sized printers and repro houses, Swing will be the first Linux-only pre-press software.


"Dalim software has always been seen as high performance for the top-end niche of the market, and as complicated and expensive," said Ranasinha. "Thats not true, and with the advent of Linux we can further bring down the total cost of ownership."


Four standalone modules of Swing are available: Normalizer, Proofer, CT/LW-2-PDF and Trap. With the exception of Trap, which costs 8,000, prices start at around 4,000 each.


Swing Proofer carries out scatter proofing, is ICC compliant and supports multiple separations to PostScript devices. Swing Trap is an automatic vector trapper that allows manual inspection and editing.


All the Swing modules perform pre-flighting and the output of optimised PostScript and PDF files of any level as well as TIFF-IT.


Ranasinha described the Normalizer as "Distiller on Steroids".


Dalim has overhauled the price structure of its Twist and Litho software making it 35-40% cheaper.


"Were positioning Litho as the worlds best PDF editor. A total turnkey solution will cost 8,000-9,000 undercutting the competition like OneVision and Artworks Nexus," said Ranasinha.


Sales in the UK will be through distributor Turning Point Technologies (TPT) and its resellers, NCS Group and MCSi. TPT is talking to other potential resellers.


Story by Barney Cox