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German Olympics relies on WebCRD

Press release from the issuing company

Rochester, NY - Award-winning Web-to-Print solution, WebCRD and customer Simon Fraser University are making it possible for readers in Olympic Village locations to receive daily German Olympic news coverage via a newsletter called "Olympische Momente" (Olympic Moments) printed by the on-campus print operation.

The 2010 Olympics Committee has entrusted Simon Fraser University (SFU) Document Solutions with the time-critical task of communicating the daily events via a German language 12-page A4 daily colour newsletter. Working with German Olympics media partner medienfabrik Gütersloh GmbH to create and print the daily German colour newsletter overnight, the department packages the newsletters at 6 A.M. for distribution to Olympic locations each morning by 9 A.M.

The 16-issue newsletter contains articles on the events and progress of the German Olympics team in the Vancouver 2010 Olympics. Photos and other materials are sent each evening to Germany by reporters based at the games for final assembly and approval by Olympics media partner medienfabrik. At 1 A.M., the resulting digital pages are submitted to the SFU Document Solutions Web-to-print Submission System, WebCRD, via the internet, reviewed, and then produced using a Xerox iGen digital colour press by SFU staff. 

At 6 A.M., the newsletters are packaged and ready for delivery to German House at Harbour Centre in downtown Vancouver and at Whistler. During the games, Harbour Centre's main floor has become German House, a centre for visiting German dignitaries, media and athletes.

Simon Fraser University's Raj Nadrajan, Director of Auxiliary Services for SFU, said "It is a privilege to do this work. Germany knows quality printing, but with traditional presses there was not enough time to create and print these newsletters in the tight daily timeline." 

About seven months ago, Nadrajan and his staff demonstrated the WebCRD software to medienfabrik, a leading German corporate publishing agency who is handling German Olympic coverage. They quickly tested files, and were ready to start using the system in about 15 minutes. SFU's Document Solutions staff is sold on the ease of getting the files for print imposition and production, and how much easier it has made this process.  "I was concerned that if we failed, it was Simon Fraser's reputation that was on the line, but it's working very well. medienfabrik has complimented us and have been very impressed with the quality.

"We're happy to help our customer, Simon Fraser University, support the 2010 Winter Games with high quality, timely news," states Tim Kelly, Senior Vice President at RSA. "There is no bigger testament to the efficiency, quick turn around, and ease of use that our software provides clients in highly time sensitive and secure environments than an event as important as the Olympics."  

WebCRD and additional workflow solutions are available through RSA's partners and directly from RSA.

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