Xerox is to network its worldwide "Premier Partners", including its latest recruit, Polestar, via the web from the new year.


The move aims to facilitate graphic arts firms' move to e-commerce, said director and general manager UK graphic arts Alistair Summers.


"We're offering Premier Partners access to an expensive infrastructure without having to invest in their own," he added.


As well as allowing work to be routed and shared among members, a website, www.XeroxgraphX.com, will offer access to training, job opportunities, business strategies and workflow tools.


The "knowledge-sharing" scheme was launched at Drupa in May. Xerox aims to attract about 750 members across North America and Europe, but it expects thousands to sign up.


Polestar is the scheme's latest recruit. It has installed a Xerox DocuColor 2060 for variable colour printing at its new Digital site in Nottingham, and will also use Xerox's Bill Xchange software to produce electronic statements on the Internet.


"Once we have the relevant e-mail addresses from our customers, fully personalised mailings can be transmitted via the Internet," said Polestar Digital managing director John Incles.


Story by Lauretta Roberts