In the past few years, the awards referred to workflow optimization within the company due to JDF integration. This year and for the first time, the CIP4-Award was given to a network of buyers, printing houses and print finishers, who use the Hiflex Software tool for cross-company communication and the handling of inquiries and orders. The awarded implementation integrates three companies: the print buyer Gutenberg-Werbering from Linz, Austria, Printing House Berlin-Mitte (DBM), who provides Gutenberg with print products and Grieger Offsetdruck, from which DBM purchases external work (UV varnishing). All three companies now receive the CIPPI-Award for the "Most innovative use of process automation technology".
The situation prior to the external integration -
Printing House Berlin-Mitte, aka 'DBM' made silent history by being the first printing establishment in the world to optimize and integrate their business using their Hiflex JDF workflow thereby ushering a new era for integration in print. The JDF implementation first started with Hiflex MIS and the MAN Roland 'Printnet' System and in the meantime, they also added integration to their Kodak Prinergy-Workflow and both of their KBA Rapida Presses using the KBA 'Logotronic' Professional Systems.
The integrated implementation of the bindery (cutting line and gang stitcher) will shortly be networked.
Being a JDF-pioneer, Printing House Berlin-Mitte aims to advance the automation of work processes. "Due to the JDF integration, our productivity has increased enormously, "said Herbert Preißler, General Manager of Printing House Berlin-Mitte. The internal production process is fully integrated, that also includes integration to one of our KBA Rapida presses that we have installed on our customer's floor and in-line with their production which is 45 miles away from us in Berlin.
We also use the Hiflex 'Paper Management System' that is working perfectly to organize our paper procurement in a 'Just-In-Time' fashion. Printing House Berlin-Mitte no longer stocks paper as paper orders are released by the Hiflex system allowing it to hit the floor at precisely the same time the job goes into production. "While plant-wide standardizing, internal automation and communication processes were already highly developed, we were still searching for a way to also involve our external partners and suppliers in this process", explains Herbert Preißler. According to Herbert, this involves print buyers and partners, where Printing House Berlin-Mitte places external orders. "We discovered that the ordering and buying process is very time consuming and therefore holds an enormous potential for automation."
Herbert Preißler had this problem to solve where there was no professional portal on the market to receive and answer inquiries as well as to solicit quotations and place orders. "We often received inquiries, which were not structured and lacked important information. Even when we received quotes from our own suppliers, it was like comparing apples to oranges. There was no transparency and no possibility to track our orders and logistics which we were used to with our own internal automated workflow." Herbert Preißler further described this difficult situation: "We wanted to adapt the print procurement and the external communication processes to the existing internal process. We expected and have verified significant savings in administration, errors, time and money. We have also
given our nerves a break and first and foremost, significantly improved communications and
our productivity."