MSP Integrates Wide-Format Inkjet Workflows into Production Operations

NEWARK, NJ—July 15, 2013—PriscoDigital and MSP have collaborated on the integration of wide-format inkjet technology into MSP’s offering to their customers. The recent addition of the HP Scitex FB700 wide-format inkjet press, Caldera Grand RIP+ and the Esko Kongsberg XN Automatic Cutting System provide an especially versatile production capability to MSP.

MSP added wide-format inkjet printing capability to its BlueSkyETO division. MSP is a full-service direct mail marketing company, offering printing, mailing, database development and management, along with tracking and reporting. From its inception in 1953, MSP has grown to become one of the most respected direct mail facilities in the country, mailing over 400 million pieces per year. Originally named Mailing Services of Pittsburgh, the company is known today as MSP and occupies a 150,000 square foot building in Freedom, PA.

According to Vice President of Business Development at BlueSkyETO Luke Teboul, “Our company is committed to delivering marketing execution excellence for our customers, and a caring work environment for our employees. Our commitment to excellence has yielded long-term relationships in markets such as retail, non-profit, hospitality, financial services and insurance.”

MSP believes that it is unique in its intelligent application of technology to streamline and automate workflows and processes to provide customers with tangible benefits, such as efficiency, lead-time reduction and cost savings. “This principle applies across our direct mail platform, our print-on-demand facility and our marketing automation division, BlueSky ETO,” said Teboul, who is responsible for digital sales at MSP.

The best example of MSP’s expertise in technology is BlueSkyETO, which develops sophisticated web-based marketing storefront solutions. These systems provide marketers and their channels with streamlined tools to communicate and enable them to efficiently order, customize and control marketing materials, while maintaining brand integrity—swiftly, cost effectively and without waste. Branded templates, content management, cost control co-op management and comprehensive reporting are the primary deliverables of BlueSkyETO.

“Our customers continue to request innovation matched with the highest quality print output, regardless of the printing process. Furthermore, they expect us to continually add services and solutions, so they can deal with MSP as a single-source provider,” explained Doug Wright, COO. That is why MSP can provide a full-array of other marketing items from personalized note pads through innovative personalized greeting cards using foil fusion technology.

MSP has just added wide-format inkjet technology obtained through PriscoDigital to its production operations. According to Wright, “We decided to expand into wide-format inkjet as our customers benefit from our other solutions we provide and asked us to add this extension to our services. For example, many of our customers order print on demand items through our marketing asset management systems and requested the ability for us to provide items such as banners, signage and POP displays." Additionally, we have identified this field as growth areas with ever increasing opportunities for us to sell across the spectrum of the marketing spend.”

MSP started its venture into wide-format inkjet from scratch and was looking for a business partner that could assist with every implementation aspect. PriscoDigital and MSP worked together to clearly identify MSP’s business objectives and the products they hoped to produce. From the collaborative effort a comprehensive proposal was put together to include all the equipment, software, media and support that was needed to make the implementation successful.

According to Wright, “Mike White’s (vice president of sales for PriscoDigital) knowledge and the reputation of Prisco group was the main reason for our decision to move forward with PriscoDigital. I find their technical support staff to be second-to-none.” When asked about the specific decision to purchase the individual products Doug responded, “We chose HP Scitex FB700 over its competition based on print quality, versatility, innovation and speed. The Caldera Rip brings with it the flexibility and ease of use through integration. And, we were able to obtain everything else including media and finishing equipment that was needed through PriscoDigital, making for a turnkey start-up.”

According to Eric Gutwillig, vice president of marketing, “PriscoDigital offers complete workflow solutions that allow printers to capture new business opportunities from within their existing customer base. Inkjet systems can cost-effectively produce diverse applications such as short-run packaging, product mock-ups, point-of-purchase displays or promotional items. We support our customers in every aspect of their wide-format integration from initial concept through the first live job they produce. We welcome the opportunity to do that for all customers who wish to expand their business opportunities.”

About The Products

The HP Scitex FB700 is a six-color hybrid UV wide-format inkjet printing system capable of handling a wide variety of rigid or flexible media up to 98.4” (250 cm) wide. The printer offers high productivity and incredible image quality, with a resolution up to 1200x600 dpi and a production speed up to 861 square feet per hour. This extremely economical system has a white ink option, can do double-sided prints, full-bleeds and images with variable gloss levels, allowing printers to meet almost any customer demand.

The Kongsberg XN from EskoArtwork is a flat bed automated cutting and routing system that combines productivity with versatility and precise registration. The XN comes standard with multiple cutting and routing tools specifically designed to produce signs, displays and short-run packaging. This gives the combination needed to finish any media up to 69” x 135” (63.7” x 120” cutting area) from papers, styrene, PVC and foam boards to the most demanding applications such as acrylics and environmental boards. i-cut Suite dramatically increases productivity by automating and standardizing preflight, editing and layout of graphic files.

Caldera GrandRIP+ software is a fast, flexible and powerful production workflow dedicated to wide and super-wide-format print and print-to-cut applications. The GrandRIP+ software platform incorporates the latest developments in color management, spot color support, screening techniques and unique finishing-oriented features such as tiling, nesting, and eyelet positioning, stitching and folding marks. The GrandRIP+ is an excellent companion to MSP's HP Scitex wide-format line.

The Foster Keencut Evolution–E2 is table-top precision cutter for materials up to 0.5” thick. Heavy duty cutter bar clamps materials securely and the high-performance double cutting head cuts the material from either the right or left. Flip-over stops on both sides adds horizontal clamping to increase accuracy, prevent slips and reduce cutting time. Visitors will be able to see this unique workflow at Prisco’s booth 3502 at PRINT 13, September 8–12, 2013. The booth will include an exciting demonstration, plus the complete offering from PriscoDigital: media, finishing equipment, ink, software and industrial inkjet printers.

About PriscoDigital
Prisco is a leading manufacturer and distributor of offset pressroom chemistry, coatings, adhesives, blankets, supply items and process control equipment. Headquartered in Newark, NJ, Prisco has provided quality products and superior support services to customers for over a century. The PriscoDigital division focuses on providing complete turnkey wide-format inkjet solutions based upon innovative HP Scitex Industrial Inkjet technologies and backed by the superior service, technical and customer support that Prisco has always been known for. PriscoDigital is the exclusive distributor of HP Scitex Industrial Wide-Format Inkjet Systems to the commercial printing market segment and the exclusive distributor of Hostert automation technology in North America.

About MSP
MSP is a full-service direct mail marketing company, offering a broad range of services to its business and non-profit clients. These services include printing, mailing, database development and management, along with tracking and reporting. From its humble beginnings in Freedom, PA, MSP has grown to become one of the most respected direct mail facilities in the country.

Source: Prisco Digital.