ROCHESTER, N.Y., Aug. 23 -- Over the past two years, sales at Padgett Printing have increased 50 percent, strong growth made more impressive by the fact that Padgett added no new equipment during this period. Instead, David Torok, President of Padgett Printing, attributes his company's success to a unified workflow that integrated production, color and data processes. "We've seen higher throughput, quality and accuracy ever since we first implemented KODAK Unified Workflow solutions several years ago to manage our offset and new digital printing capabilities," said Torok. "Thanks in large part to our KODAK Unified Workflow solutions, we continuously set records in productivity." Torok also credits KODAK MARKETMOVER business development services with helping grow Padgett Printing's business by uncovering additional business opportunities. KODAK Unified Workflow solutions provide an end to end digital infrastructure for printing that integrates business, production, color and data workflows, using innovative software tools, open standards and intelligent automation. The first implementation of KODAK Unified Workflow solutions is aimed at the commercial print segment. A KODAK Unified Workflow solution is a scaleable, modular solution that allows printers to more effectively and efficiently respond to increasingly complex print specifications. It enables printers to streamline processes for efficiency, and optimize resources and maximize production capabilities for increased capacity from existing resources. It also creates a foundation for sales growth by providing the tools customers need to differentiate their businesses and deliver greater value to clients through new services. Padgett's unified workflow consists of a KODAK PRINERGY workflow system with KODAK PREPS imposition software to remove manual steps from the production process. The company also uses KODAK NEXSTATION IV digital front ends to drive its KODAK NEXPRESS digital production color presses. Padgett also employs several KODAK DIGIMASTER digital production systems. "Today's print provider is often combining the power of offset, inkjet, and digital solutions to meet customer needs and capture new revenue opportunities," said Jeff Hayzlett, Chief Marketing Officer, Kodak's Graphic Communications Group. "Customers want workflow solutions that can keep up with their complex needs. A KODAK Unified Workflow solution establishes a platform to improve efficiency, increase revenue and expand service offerings by leveraging technology investments to maximize profitability." The open architecture of a KODAK Unified Workflow solution, featuring support for industry technology standards (such as JDF, PDF and ICC) and industry initiatives like NETWORKED GRAPHIC PRODUCTION (NGP), provides the means to implement a complete and fully integrated workflow that enables intelligent automation. Intelligent automation eliminates manual tasks, saves time, and reduces the waste and costs associated with errors in an operation. It also assists a KODAK Unified Workflow solution to provide the exceptional flexibility, communication, control and automation needed to support all printing processes from a single solution platform. According to Keith Hevenor, Editor, Electronic Publishing, maximizing processes, people and equipment is a key to success that a unified workflow can unlock in an operation. "Today's print providers face a complex collection of workflows in their shops. There have been different workflows for digital versus offset, and even different workflows for the various digital solutions such as inkjet and electrophotographic," said Hevenor. "When printers bought a digital solution, they'd find it came with its own workflow package. On the offset side, they'd continue doing what they always did. So it became important to bring digital and offset workflows together. For Padgett Printing, integrating its offset and digital workflows with a KODAK Unified Workflow solution significantly reduces the time it takes to complete projects. "In today's market it's about getting the most jobs through your shop that you possibly can because that's the best way to increase profit," added Hevenor. "If your workflow isn't maximized and you have to spend a lot of time getting files ready to print or doing corrections, you can't do as many jobs-and that's the key to all of this." Components of a Unified Workflow Business Workflow Solutions Business workflow solutions improve business decision making, enhance relationships with customers and suppliers, and reduce production errors and material waste. These solutions include: - A management information system (MIS)-KODAK Enterprise Management Solution (EMS) software is distinguished by its broad focus on planning and managing resources throughout the entirety of the commercial printing organization. EMS features integrated customer and supplier relationship management capabilities; advanced estimating and production planning; integrated quality control and process improvement modules; and automated business intelligence to help ensure success in changing business environments. - Production planning systems-KODAK UPFRONT 4.0 production planning software lets customers unify and standardize their job planning to benefit automation and fewer planning errors. Production Workflow Solutions A KODAK production workflow solution helps customers optimize different print processes by providing outstanding integration, automation, and collaboration across conventional, digital and mixed print production environments. These products address a wide spectrum of customer needs, from digitally printed applications to globally distributed, high volume print production across market segments. A KODAK production workflow solution may include: - Workflow management solutions-a KODAK PRINERGY workflow system, a third generation PDF workflow solution for controlling prepress, plate and film production; KODAK PREPS imposition software, which helps prepress professionals remove even more manual steps from their preferred workflow; and KODAK Link software, which provides production data and job status information to enable production reporting and/or data exchange between an MIS and PRINERGY workflow system. - Portal products-allow printers to offer compelling new services while streamlining prepress production. KODAK InSite software, a secure web portal into prepress production that makes online communication between printers and their customers a convenient reality; KODAK TeamWorks software, which provides server based project management for content collaboration; KODAK EyeMedia software, integrated asset management; and KODAK NEXTREME web to print exchange solution, which provides an easy to use, web based order management tool for automated fulfillment of static, short run and simple versioned print jobs. - Digital printing software solutions-KODAK digital front end systems that drive KODAK NEXPRESS digital presses and third party devices, such as the KODAK NEXSTATION IV digital front end drive, KODAK NEXPRESS digital presses and KODAK SMARTBOARD document mastering software 4.0, which facilitates PDF based job assembly for both color and black and white documents. KODAK DARWIN authoring software and Printable's FUSIONPRO family of variable data solutions provide options for personalized digital printing. Color Workflow Solutions To ensure streamlined connectivity, improved predictability and elimination of errors in the delivery of color, Kodak has created the KODAK COLORFLOW technology architecture. By seamlessly communicating, controlling and confirming color across multiple devices, COLORFLOW technology helps printers optimize color reproduction, increase efficiency, enhance quality control, improve cycle times and lower costs. Products currently enabled by COLORFLOW technology include KODAK Prepare software, the KODAK PRINERGY system, the KODAK NEXPRESS 2100 and 2500 digital production color presses, the KODAK VERIS digital proofer, KODAK InSite with MATCHPRINT Virtual software and KODAK MATCHPRINT Inkjet proofers. The number of solutions enhanced by the COLORFLOW technology architecture will continually grow. The KODAK APPROVAL digital imaging system, KODAK PROFILE WIZARD software and KODAK PressProof software are among the products planned for the COLORFLOW portfolio in 2007. To become a part of the COLORFLOW technology portfolio, products must meet specific criteria, including the abilities to: - Communicate color effectively by providing correct representation and common terminology for users and ensuring that products connect using open color standards. - Control color such that it can be processed and delivered consistently with known tolerances relative to color specified in a device independent color space like CIE 1976 L*a*b*. - Confirm color via implementation of a KODAK Certified Process that checks a process related to the delivery of color, proactively preventing operator errors and ensuring that the correct steps are done in the correct order with the correct data and settings to deliver the required output. Data Workflow A data workflow integrates CRM and other systems' information and digital assets to create versioned or personalized communications. It is essential to those printers who have added digital print offerings because personalized data and direct mail services are a significant growth area for the print industry. TransPromo services-where color promotional material is added to invoices and statements-are also seeing significant growth. The data workflow is changing the way enterprises communicate with their customers. Success in this area is highly dependent on the capabilities of the workflow and the availability of clean accurate data. "Print buyer expectations and requirements have changed. If they want a certain type of job, such as VDP, and a printer doesn't offer it, they'll go to someone who does," said Hevenor. "Printers need to increase efficiency and capability, and a unified workflow is vital to that happening because an optimized workflow can fuel a growing printer's business." As part of an ongoing effort to communicate the power of a unified workflow, Kodak is launching a series of podcasts on the subject and details of the KODAK Unified Workflow solution. The first program, which focuses on the importance of establishing a unified workflow, debuts today at http://graphics.kodak.com/go/podcasts. KODAK products are backed by KODAK Service and Support, Kodak's worldwide service organization. Named Best Support Organization at the 2006 International Business Awards, KODAK Service and Support includes more than 3000 professionals in 120 countries. These professionals are fully qualified to help customers control costs, maximize productivity, and minimize business risk.