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Cross-company print production using JDF and HIFLEX Print Support Pressmore Info
Three companies are awarded the CIP4 Innovation Prize 2007 for their cross-company network. In the past few years, the awards referred to workflow optimization within the company due to JDF integration. This year and for the first time, the CIP4-Award was given to a network of buyers, printing houses and print finishers, who use the HIFLEX Software tool for cross-company communication and the handling of inquiries and orders. The awarded implementation integrates three companies: the print buyer Gutenberg-Werbering from Linz, Austria, Printing House Berlin-Mitte (DBM), who provides Gutenberg with print products and Grieger Offsetdruck, from which DBM purchases external work (UV varnishing). All three companies now receive the CIPPI-Award for the "Most innovative use of process automation technology".

The winners of the CIP4 Innovation Award 2007  
 
The winner companies
Persons from left to right: Herbert Preißler (Managing Director of Printing House Berlin-Mitte) Wilhelm Drießen (Managing Director of Grieger Offset printing house), Herbert Giener (Manager at Gutenberg-Werbering Gesellschaft) and Stefan Daun (CIP4 Secretary).
 
The awarded supporting vendors
Persons from left to right: Thomas Reichhart (CEO HIFLEX Group), Reinhold Stange (Productmanager Workflowsystems at KBA), Ursula Voss-Eiden (Marketing Manager D, A & CH at Kodak GCG), Eugen Stein (Consultant Workflow Integration at MAN Roland).

In August 2005 the CIP4 International Print Production Innovation Awards (CIPPI-Awards) were awarded for the first time. With this effort, the CIP4 organization values the achievements of innovative graphical companies in the field of digital integration, networking and automation. Since 2005 HIFLEX customers have always been among the top prize winners - as also in 2007.
The CIP4 organization (International Cooperation for the Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress) has three categories for the worldwide CIPPI-Awards:
  • 'Most innovative use of process automation in an implementation'
  • 'Best cost-benefit realization as a result of process automation implementation'
  • 'Biggest improvement in efficiency and customer responsiveness as a result of process automation'
    •  The winners have been determined by the CIPPI Awards Review Panel of judges who are an independent, international distinguished group of industry experts, specifically organized by the CIP4-organization for the purpose of creating a competition amongst vendors and printers in order to elevate the productivity of our industry.

    After all applications had been examined, the experts vote and the winners are selected. One comment from the panel, about the recent 2007 CIPPI winner, "Printing House Berlin-Mitte" aka "DBM" was the following: "DBM is a pure example of a very clever and successful JDF implementation. The project was very ambitious and has been accurately described. DBM has set up new standards of success in JDF implementation in a multi vendor and multi companies' environment".

    The situation prior to the external integration -
    Printing House Berlin-Mitte, aka 'DBM' made silent history by being the first printing establishment in the world to optimize and integrate their business using their HIFLEX JDF workflow thereby ushering a new era for integration in print. The JDF implementation first started with HIFLEX MIS and the MAN Roland 'Printnet' System and in the meantime, they also added integration to their Kodak Prinergy-Workflow and both of their KBA Rapida Presses using the KBA 'Logotronic' Professional Systems. The integrated implementation of the bindery (cutting line and gang stitcher) will shortly be networked.
    Being a JDF-pioneer, Printing House Berlin-Mitte aims to advance the automation of work processes. "Due to the JDF integration, our productivity has increased enormously, " said Herbert Preißler, General Manager of Printing House Berlin-Mitte. The internal production process is fully integrated, that also includes integration to one of our KBA Rapida presses that we have installed on our customer's floor and in-line with their production which is 45 miles away from us in Berlin.
    We also use the HIFLEX 'Paper Management System' that is working perfectly to organize our paper procurement in a 'Just-In-Time' fashion. Printing House Berlin-Mitte no longer stocks paper as paper orders are released by the HIFLEX system allowing it to hit the floor at precisely the same time the job goes into production. "While plant-wide standardizing, internal automation and communication processes were already highly developed, we were still searching for a way to also involve our external partners and suppliers in this process", explains Herbert Preißler. According to Herbert, this involves print buyers and partners, where Printing House Berlin-Mitte places external orders. "We discovered that the ordering and buying process is very time consuming and therefore holds an enormous potential for automation."
    Herbert Preißler had this problem to solve where there was no professional portal on the market to receive and answer inquiries as well as to solicit quotations and place orders. "We often received inquiries, which were not structured and lacked important information. Even when we received quotes from our own suppliers, it was like comparing apples to oranges. There was no transparency and no possibility to track our orders and logistics which we were used to with our own internal automated workflow." Herbert Preißler further described this difficult situation: "We wanted to adapt the print procurement and the external communication processes to the existing internal process. We expected and have verified significant savings in administration, errors, time and money. We have also given our nerves a break and first and foremost, significantly improved communications and our productivity."

    Conditions prior to the implementation of the innovative HIFLEX Print-Procurement System at Printing House Berlin-Mitte
    Prior to the implementation, Printing House Berlin-Mitte's print procurement workflow processes were typical of any printer: totally manual. As a consequence, there were many steps of non-structured, written communication and multiple and duplicate data input which more specifically worked as follows:
  • RFQs (Requests for quotes) were received by email, mail or fax. The order clerk read the document and typed customer data (e.g. customer name, address, contact person, deadlines etc.) and technical specifications (e.g. product type, format, colors, paper, type of postpress process, etc.) into HIFLEX MIS in order to generate a quote, which was either faxed or printed out and mailed or at best emailed to the print buyer.
  • Where external services were needed and DBM acted as a buyer, RFQs for postpress or printing services were requested according to product specifications and technical parameters. These inquiries had to be written manually and one-at-a-time and then sent by email, mail or fax to the suppliers. When receiving alternative quotes, the RFQs had to be sent to at least two or three suppliers.
  • After the suppliers received the RFQs, they again had to enter the data and technical specifications into their administration system in order to generate the quote, which was then sent back to DBM via the different communication channels
  • All returned quotes had to be handled individually. There was neither a working standard nor a tool to facilitate work and make the quote comparisons.
  • Any supplementary info including, subsequent queries, additional remarks, entering into negotiations, could not be handled in a standardized manner. Communication with the appropriate supplier was managed either by email or phone calls. All info, remarks, etc. had to be managed manually - an extensive and painful process, particularly since the availability, lead-times and scheduling were handled via telephone.
  • Vendor provided quotes did not match the same format and definitely were not easily comparable so that the proper procurement analysis could be done efficiently. Due to the variations in how quotes were provided, not all necessary information was offered in a clear and concise manner. Again, this rendered the evaluation process very painful, time-consuming and administratively expensive.
  • Orders had to be placed by mail, fax or email. The corresponding order confirmations, when there was time - communicated the same way. This involved an operator's time and effort.
    • This previous story of DBM's communication process, which is currently common and widely-used in print procurement and outsourcing, can by all means be referred to as 'asynchronous'. Due to the manual external communication processes and in the way as they are provided e.g. by automated email confirmations, there is no certainty of when and if documents had been received. This process of communications results in unwieldy planning and scheduling.
    "This situation caused us to search for a solution which simplifies the buying process. Each year about 10,000 inquiries have to be answered. To handle this in an efficient way and at the same time communicate productively, we urgently needed a solution for our buying process," says Herbert Preißler. Based on the positive experiences with the use of JDF for the internal production process, it was self-evident for Herbert to strive for a comparable solution also for the external communication.

    Herbert brought the problem up for discussion during a Pegasus-Group ( www.pegasus-pns.com) meeting where other leading companies meet to share information about cutting edge technologies and HIFLEX provided them with the concept of a highly innovative solution.

    llustration of the CIP4 'CIPPI' Award Winning, JDF-based Print Support workflow  
    You can review the innovative linking of the three companies and how this organized their Print & Media Purchasing. The three companies use HIFLEX Print Support as the "supply tool" and as an efficient handling system. This again is achieved via the internet, email and a JDF attachment, generated in the background by the buyer when they create the specs for the job and sent to the printer when they are awarded the project. The data from the JDF attachment made by HIFLEX Print Support is automatically imported by HIFLEX MIS at each of the two printing establishments and then used to start the jobs in the printers HIFLEX MIS. These jobs are then delivered with HIFLEX MIS into each of the printer's integrated workflow systems, including driving their Kodak Prinergy Prepress Systems and their KBA Logotronic and MAN Roland Printnet press console systems and for a very high level automation throughout the plants.

    HIFLEX Print Support
    The three CIP4-Winners Printing House Berlin-Mitte, Grieger Offsetdruck and Gutenberg-Werbering contributed to the development of the JDF-enabled and web-based procurement tool HIFLEX Print Support. In autumn 2006 the new tool was then adopted by HIFLEX as an expansion of its product portfolio. Being an internet tool, HIFLEX Print Support optimizes the execution of business and communication processes in the printing industry. Print Support connects the supply chain of those, who place orders for print products and those, who produce print products over a joint platform and manages as an email-based system the administration, requests and assignment of jobs from prepress, through to press and postpress.
    Print buyers use Print Support to send inquiries for the production of their printing material as well as to directly place orders. Buyers benefit from the internet and email-handled print procurement with time and cost savings since the transit of inquiries and quotes is very efficient and standardized. Many suppliers find it important to get an answer to their quotes. The communication functions in the Print Support workflow do this with minimal effort. When placing the order, the data is also transferred from HIFLEX Print Support via JDF to the Management Information System within the printing house.
    For printing houses, Print Support provides the opportunity to manage inquiries to their suppliers such as binderies or partner companies. Print Support is not just for HIFLEX MIS users. The order data can indeed be easily imported from HIFLEX MIS into Print Support and the inquiries can then be sent out from Print Support.

    Technical specifications in HIFLEX Print Support  
    Screenshot of HIFLEX Print Support: Technical specifications that are essential for requests can be entered manually or transferred by copy & paste. HIFLEX Print Support also contains an extensive database with specifications for print products. These can be imported as templates into the request. The screenshot shows the import of a template for a poster.

    Solution brings relief
    Gutenberg-Werbering Gesellschaft in Linz of Austria requests posters for pending Print Support production orders from Printing House Berlin-Mitte. The requests consist of two versions: Poster 1 is to be printed on 115 g/sqm paper and the second variety will be printed on 500 g paper. The print run is different for each version, 650 and 800 posters respectively. While DBM can produce the 1st poster variety themselves the second variety requires cardboard printing. The service for this type of product is obtained from the packaging specialist Walter Grieger Offsetdruck OHG in Nettetal, Germany nearby Düsseldorf. Consistently, DBM requests its partner Grieger Offsetdruck to quote the jobs for the second poster versions, also via Print Support, which becomes a part of DBM's offer to Gutenberg.
    As the JDF-files contain customer and job data (project description and process parameters) they can be imported into any JDF-enabled MIS (in this case HIFLEX MIS), reducing manual data entry and providing the data for further tasks. In this way, DBM can estimate and plan the inquiry and forward it to Grieger with JDF attachment via e-mail or Print Support. Here too the data is fed directly into the HIFLEX MIS. Grieger can estimate, check availability and schedule, make an offer (or decline in case of insufficient capacity) and send it back to DBM together with prices.

    Comparing and placing orders in HIFLEX Print Support  
    Sample Screenshot (different job) from "Execution (Workflow)" in Print Support: Buyers now have the possibility to see at a glance the total price, including price per unit and per thousand and for each print run as well as the price for additional (unit) quantities.

    Now Printing House Berlin-Mitte can add the offers to their own estimation to Grieger's and submit a combined offer to Gutenberg via Print Support. Gutenberg-Werbering who may have sent an inquiry to other suppliers as well and can compare the quotes they receive in an overview prepared by Print Support and then place the order.

    Upon receipt of the order, DBM can modify the JDF data they already have for production. For example, actual print run length, schedule, etc. and forward it with JDF to the Kodak Prinergy prepress-system, where the order will automatically be started. In this way, the system does not only receive the required administrative data but also all technical information for order preparation. As soon as the job is ready to be printed the subsequent departments will receive the information relevant to them: Scheduling will be informed whether the plates are available and the job definition data as well as the preset ink key settings are fed into the MAN Roland Printnet-System or KBA Logotronic. Once the job is into DBM HIFLEX MIS it is automated in a highly efficient manner. Walter Grieger Offsetdruck OHG in Nettetal who also has HIFLEX MIS is highly automated and integrated and performs its work with its own machines in a similar fashion.

    Partners become virtual enterprises
    Process automation is the core of this innovative integration between the three organizations of Printing House Berlin-Mitte (DBM), Walter Grieger Offsetdruck OHG and their customer mutual customer Gutenberg-Werbering. Using HIFLEX Print Support and JDF makes the parties involved in the print job a virtual integrated company. HIFLEX Print Support moves the job definition format "JDF" beyond the internal production processes and thereby allows a cross-company JDF workflow. The use of Print Support and JDF causes significant reductions of time and money and therefore the communication is efficient and transparent for all persons involved. Herbert Preißler, General Manager of DBM, explains: "What we lacked was a consistent workflow for print procurement - whether this involved external communication processes with our customers or with our suppliers and where we are the customers. We felt it was due time for us to integrate the print procurement process and add it into the JDF workflow process".
    Herbert's vision and his success proved him right. By now, the number of customers and suppliers, working with Printing House Berlin-Mitte via JDF is steadily growing.

    About the winners
    Printing House Berlin-Mitte GmbH - More than 120 years ago the publisher Rudolf Mosse established a printing company in the newspaper district of Berlin, which printed newspapers, magazines, educational and cooking books until the Second World War. In February 1945 most of the newspaper district and also the publishing house Mosse were destroyed and became part of the Soviet occupation zone after the end of the war. In former East Germany, now called the "Mitte" section of Berlin, the printing house was first renamed "VEB Industriedruck" in 1951 but the name changed several times in the following years - 1956 it was named "VEB Graphische Werkstätten Berlin" and "Druckkombinat Berlin" in 1968. At that time the printing house employed up to 600 people.

    In 1990, after the Fall of the Wall, the company "Druckhaus Berlin-Mitte GmbH" emerged, having customers such as the City of Berlin, publishing companies, theatres, cinemas, operas, the public art trade and many more. In 1992 an investor took over the publishing house. Today "Druckhaus Berlin-Mitte GmbH" is one of the most modern medium-sized printing houses in the area of Berlin-Brandenburg and employs about 85 people and 14 apprentices at three different locations. It core product focus is on direct mailing, displays, books and customer magazines.
    Walter Grieger Offsetdruck OHG (Grieger), ounded in 1973, is a family-run sheet fed offset printer located in Nettetal (Germany) near the Dutch border. Grieger is ISO 9001:2000 certified and keeps around 100 employees on 8.000 m2 busy. The company is specialized on packaging printing (large format printing) and on the complete production of high-quality displays.

    In prepress an Artwork ArtPro System exposes the plates for its four KBA Rapida offset printing presses. These are: one 5-color and one 6-color Rapida 162a, one Rapida 142 (5-color) and one 18,000 per hour Rapida 105 (6-color). They are equipped for carton printing and have varnishing /coating units. All machines have color and density measuring systems and are connected CIP4 conform to HIFLEX MIS on basis of JDF/JMF.

    Among Grieger's customers are major corporate brands as well as printing companies that order external work in the area of large format or packaging printing.
    Gutenberg-Werbering Gesellschaft m.B.H. (Gutenberg) is located in Linz, Austria. Founded in 1910 Gutenberg is a publishing company, who manages and rents billboards in Austria. Gutenberg also consists of an in-house offset printing company with 90 employees.