Express KCS is a spin-off from one of Indias largest repro houses, Express Colour Scan (ECS), set up by one of ECSs directors Tariq Husain. It has set up in Europe to offer repro houses and publishers lower cost manual repro.

Berkeley, who is managing director of Bedfordshire-based Express KCS, is in talks with repro houses and publishers about the service. Several firms have run trials and he expected the first deal to be completed by the end of the first quarter.

Were making headway with several categories, but the main one is repro houses, said Berkeley. For skilled manual work they realise there is a cheaper and better way.

Cost saving on skilled manual repro tasks such as retouching, cut-outs and populating asset management systems was claimed to be 50-60%.

Quality issues go away when clients see examples of work Express Colour Scan produces for Indian clients, said Berkeley.

Story by Barney Cox