Discussions with Kettering-based Shuttleworth were held at Drupa and both parties have agreed to press forward with JDF tie-ins.

"Although Heidelberg offers its own Prinance MIS, we recognise that our customers need freedom of choice and we are committed to open JDF links," said Heidelberg UK marketing manager for Prinect and pre-press products Lance O'Connell.

"We need partners like Heidelberg so that our development teams can access each other's processes, linking business and production," added Shuttleworth joint managing director Andy King.

Heidelberg UK is also to work with OCSL, developer of the Optimus system, to establish a JDF "highway" between each company's products. The link will be completed in the next few weeks.

"Behind the scenes we've been talking to Heidelberg for around 18 months and Drupa provided the catalyst for us to agree to move forward in creating JDF connections between our MIS systems and its pre-press and press equipment," said OCSL group managing director Nicola Bisset.

O'Connell added: "JDF was a hot topic at Drupa. It is now becoming a commercial reality and by Ipex 2006, automated workflows will have become an industry standard."

Story by Philip Chadwick