Agfa Gevaert  software  workflow  installations  prepress 
Agfa Graphics announced yesterday that more than 3000 customers worldwide are now connected to the :IntellSyst remote diagnostic system for :ApogeeX workflow software and other Agfa products. The 3000th installation, at Tech Valley Printing in Watervliet, NY, United States, is up and running and provides benefits ranging from decreased downtime to more effective internal and external communication for the busy, full-service printer.

Agfa’s :IntellSyst provides an automatic exchange of information using the web between the customer and Agfa’s Enterprise Server, ensuring that all systems are operating at peak levels.

:IntellSyst does this by monitoring the power of platesetter lasers, the temperature of processing baths, the availability of disk space on the workstations running production management software, and more.

When any prepress device at Tech Valley is detected by :IntellSyst to be functioning below specifications, Agfa Global Services engineers are alerted by email and address it immediately to eliminate all problems before production is affected.

“We had already standardised our entire production from one end to the other with a complete Agfa solution, so it seemed logical to add a link that would provide the highest level of service and support possible," says John Smith, owner of Tech Valley Printing.

"That link, :IntellSyst, has been extremely successful for us. We are very happy with our new platform, which also includes the :Delano project management system and :Delano Streamproof for soft proofing.

"All in all, we now have a greater ability to service customers and communicate both internally and externally.”

Tech Valley, a full-line printer with 140 employees, produces a wide variety of publications for its customers, including magazines, catalogues, posters, forms and marketing materials, with print runs that sometimes exceed a million copies.

The 25-year-old firm has an 7432 sq m production plant and, in addition to design, prepress and printing, provides all finishing and fulfilment services.

“The sooner a problem is detected, the greater the chance there is to solve it in a timely fashion, which avoids wasting time, money and materials,” says Agfa Graphics’ vice-president of global sales, Marc Op de Beeck.

“With Agfa :IntellSyst, there is very minimal interruption of workflow, and that’s something that busy printers like Tech Valley, and all our customers, appreciate very much in the fast-paced, highly competitive environment of commercial printing.”