Hiflex Succesfully Goes Mobile at Drupa
DÜSSELDORF, GERMANY—07/03/08—Hiflex very successfully debuted its new “Hiflex goes Mobile” capability at DRUPA 2008. This new technology enables users remote access to estimating, CRM and JDF/JMF production status. Anyone with a PDA can now have mobile access to critical information within their Hiflex systems back at the plant. This allows instant, remote creation of quotations, customer visit reports and real-time monitoring of production status while traveling on business or away from the office. “The practical benefits are obvious. The sales representatives of a print facility can immediately respond to and deliver quotation requests to their customers while in the field, using an iPhone and an internet connection”, explains Stefan Reichhart, Managing Director of Hiflex.
MIS, JDF and web2print successfully combined
Hiflex combined the leading edge technology of its JDF certified MIS and web2print solutions on the Hiflex iPhone portal and made critical information and remote capabilities available via the internet. The result was demonstrated live on the iPhone by the international Hiflex team during the show. Beside remote access to functionalities of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and estimate the demontrations included real-time JMF-feedback from cost centers including progress on the machine, make-readies, good sheets, waste sheets and percentage of job completion. For this the Hiflex server was connected to the live systems at KBA, MBO and Muller Martini’s booths at DRUPA and constantly received JMF-feedback from the production machinery that our partners installed on their respective stands. From the Hiflex iPhone portal, data was then transferred to the iPhone via the internet.
Though Drupa is now past, anybody interested can still have a detailed look at these innovative functionalities at http://www.hiflex.com/iPhone. Phone hardware is not required, just the Safari web-browser. Hiflex Mobile access can also be ported onto other mobile devices such as, i.e. the Blackberry.
Certified Hiflex MIS, EIS and JDF-Highlights demonstrated
Hiflex presented live-demos in German, English and in many other languages throughout its Drupa booth. Integration and process automation was shown with our signature three screens in both the Hiflex theatre and at all Hiflex presentation pods.
It was featured how orders are placed on the Hiflex web2print systems and how orders are then automatically inserted into the Hiflex Order Book. The live demos also included: the unique file upload feature, which eliminates the need for FTP sites, as well as advanced JDF-connectivity between Hiflex MIS and the systems of partners such as Kodak, Agfa, Fujifilm, KBA, Muller Martini, and MBO. “These integrations highlighted the Hiflex virtual printing plant and really showed the systems and integration that we provide. We wouldn’t even think about providing a customer demo without showing the real world integration that you would achieve as a Hiflex user. Our systems enable our customers to fulfill the dream of integration in every printing company that starts with the customer”, says Gary E. Marron, President of Hiflex Corporation of North America. “We were very pleased with the response of the Hiflex Mobile and iPhone demonstrations as well as our classic three screen theatre, the booth was swamped throughout the show” he states.
Both the new Hiflex Executive Information-Cockpit “EIS” and the topic “automatic imposition” in the prepress system via Hiflex JDF-StrippingParams played further important roles in the demonstrations.
The integrated EIS Cockpit provides and displays user specific data held in the Hiflex central database and relating to all aspects of their business. This information can be viewed graphically or numerically, enabling a top view of vital business information. Executives can see top level information about composite company sales, profit, forecasting and productivity analysis. Marketing and Sales people can view forecasting and profit on a per customer, per job or market segment basis. Likewise, production people can view details on a per job, or even per activity, basis so that they can better understand how to run the business. Reports can be customized and viewed real-time and the information is – in contrast to other EIS systems - directly integrated in the Hiflex user interface. Key data is therefore always visible at a glance, far improving and supporting substantiated business decisions.
Hiflex dynamically generates and displays dynamic templates with every estimate. They are used by estimators so that they can see exactly what the layouts look like for both printing and folding sheets. Moreover, with every order in Hiflex a JDF file is created which contains the job relevant data. This JDF info is transferred to the integrated systems when the initial job is automatically created in these systems. JDF transfer to prepress systems includes Hiflex JDF StrippingParams. These are then used to automatically generate the imposition scheme without further manual intervention – thus eliminating a complete working step for the prepress operator. Live demos at Drupa included this innovative functionality, which is also known as “automatic imposition”. It was received with great interest as it has significant impact on a printers productivity in these areas.
World-wide relevance substantiated
Hiflex stands for internationality, which is shown not only in more than 300 installations in by now 28 countries. Booth participation was extremely busy during DRUPA 2008 and this along with the many signed orders during Drupa confirmed Hiflex as the global leader, recognized world-wide as the leading integrator of successful process automation in the graphic arts industry. During the DRUPA Event, Hiflex sold systems to customers in North America, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, France, Netherlands, Poland, and Russia.
Hiflex repeats again two first place finishes of the CIP4 CIPPI Awards
CIP4 International Print Production Innovation (CIPPI) Awards 2008 were announced at Drupa. Hiflex anew received two of the highly recognized CIP4 Innovation Awards and together with these already won 12 of the sought-after trophies. The first prize in the categories “Most innovatice use” and “Best process automation implementation – Europe” was given to Dusseldorf-based online-printer Print Plaza AG, pioneer user of Hiflex Webshop.
“Fantastic web-to-print project! Far beyond the competition,” said JDF Review Panel Judge Patrick Cahuet of 1Prime|Concept. Stefan Reichhart concludes: “The awards attest to our technology leadership in the area of JDF-connectivity and web2print. Simultaneously they proof that our business automation solutions bring more efficieny and profitability”.
Printers have commonality Worldwide
Gary E. Marron, President of Hiflex Corporation of North America resumes: “Drupa 2008 was a phenomenal success for Hiflex. The thing that we learned during this show was that printers who visited us from all countries around the globe have the same administrative struggles, and were looking for solutions to remedy the broken way that jobs run through traditional MIS workflow systems. We had printers from all corners of the globe, and all with the same objective of trying to integrate their businesses and tie the islands together”. He adds: “Over the past few years, we have discovered that this is a global opportunity for all printers. Printers worldwide complain that the administrative burdening for every order they produce is far too costly. They are desperately looking for reality solutions to integrate their businesses and they find them with Hiflex systems. We just arrived in the USA after a long stay in Germany, but we are riding high because we exceeded our expectations for booked orders at the show and new prospects that are seriously interested in investing in our solutions. I believe that this year’s Graph Expo, where we will feature some of the same cutting edge technologies we introduced at DRUPA - such as our new Hiflex Mobile that we debuted at DRUPA - will gain significant attention. With this new technology, you will be able to see all the cost centers at the plant, view the Hiflex Customer Relationship Management System (CRM) and also create live estimates with immediate results - we are very bullish for the future and DRUPA was very exciting for our team”.
Hiflex in Brief
Hiflex is an international software provider who develops sophisticated solutions especially for the Print and Media Industry:
Hiflex MIS (Management Information System) - precisely models and supports all business processes in printing plants and media companies and is subdivided into the business areas Office, Factory and eBusiness. Hiflex Print Support - high-performance web-based eProcurement System for print and media purchasers that provides a highly developed tool to organize the process of print procurement more efficient. Hiflex Webshop - new open web2print-solution and the only world-wide online print shop with integrated product configuration and implemented Internet ordering of custom formats.
Hiflex is known world-wide as the technological leader in JDF integration. A close cooperation exists with all well-known press and system suppliers in the print and media industry. Hiflex is partner member of the CIP4 organization. Hiflex won more than ten of the CIP4 Innovation (CIPPI) Awards and is the internationally most successful software provider for the print and media industry. Hiflex is JDF-certified by the CIP4 Organization.
Hiflex software is installed in 28 countries and available in 27 languages. About 30% of revenue is re-invested in research and development annually.
www.hiflex.com, www.printsupport.com
