Dr Jutta Thellmann (Muller Martini Marketing AG), Stefan Reichhart (Hiflex GmbH), Michael Bauer (Bauer Druck), Christian Bauer (Bauer Druck) were presented with the CIPPI Award by Stefan Daun from CIP4.
Austrian company Druckerei Bauer KG was announced as winner of the 2005 CIP4 International Print Production Innovation (CIPPI) for its innovative use of process automation technology. Bauer Druck’s automation project incorporated the Hiflex MIS System, Muller Martini AG PrimaPlus AMRYS saddle-stitcher, and MAN Roland presses equipped with the PECOM system.
Bauer Druck was the first company worldwide to go live with a fully JDF-integrated postpress implementation using JDF (Job Definition Format) and JMF (Job Messaging Format).
Bauer Druck managing director Michael Bauer says the company reported a $622,741 improvement in net profit that they attributed to faster makeready on presses and stitchers, improvement of the (now digital) internal communication processes and an increase in automation, transparency and flexibility of its production operations.
“The JDF data transfer from Hiflex greatly reduces the make-ready time for our saddle-stitcher and MAN Roland presses,” says Bauer. “This increases the productivity of this valuable equipment. Through the direct JMF status feedback from the machine control, we acquire production status and accurate data for job costing.”
An honourable mention was awarded to US company Williamson Printing Corporation for incorporating an Esko-Graphics Scope workflow version 1.0 with Kodak (Creo) UpFront Version 3.1 and Heidelberg cutters.
Its original objective was to eliminate manual imposition and Williamson was able to reduce the amount of prepress operator time needed to recreate an imposition by 95 per cent per job. Williamson already had JDF-enabled Heidelberg cutters, and once JDF data was available, it was also able to save time in cutter set-up using JDF data.
This is the third of three 2005 CIPPI awards to be announced. Applications for the 2006
CIPPI awards programme are now open. Nominations may be submitted by a printer, publisher or a prepress service, or by one of their supporting vendors on their behalf.
Applications are reviewed and voted on by CIP4’s Advisory Board. Nominations are due by April 28, 2006.
