Calls Avanti Slingshot a "Game Changer"

TORONTO – Avanti Computer Systems Limited, a leading provider of Print MIS solutions, today announced that Our Daily Bread Ministries a non-denominational, non-profit, global ministry, has gone live with Avanti Slingshot Print MIS for real-time visibility into its expanding direct mail initiatives.

The organization’s Grand Rapids, Mich., print production facility generates 62 million booklets and boasts 72 million impressions, with more than ten languages, printed in the US.  Their Harris M1000 web press consumes 6 million pounds of paper, the Akiyama sheet-fed press consumes 11 million sheets of paper, and their HP7000 and HP5500 digital presses consume 6 million sheets of paper.

Each mailing project is made up of individual components like booklets, brochures, address cards and envelopes. Given the breadth of products and the Ministry’s global presence, they needed a solution that could not only manage the printing requirements of the individual items, but provide the production staff a comprehensive, real-time view of the project – including costs – as a whole.

“We had postage stats in a spreadsheet over here; our third-party inserter had its own measurement over there,” said Ron Underwood, Supply Chain Team Lead for Our Daily Bread Ministries. “There was no holistic view in terms of management.”

Underwood looked at several Print MIS vendors.  The organization had history with Avanti, having been an Avanti Classic client since 2006.  Our Daily Bread Ministries was impressed by the simplicity and organization of the user interface of Avanti Slingshot, the company’s next-generation platform.  The fact that Avanti Slingshot is browser-based was particularly appealing.

“There are tremendous advantages to a browser-based solution”, noted Underwood. “The visibility we get by having real-time access to our information from both within—as well as outside—the plant is game-changing.”

The move to Avanti Slingshot lays the foundation for the organization’s plans for improving the efficiency of its mail management processes. The Ministry now has real-time access to all costs, from setup to fulfillment, and visibility into where they align to each specific mailing.

“We were confident from the outset that Avanti Slingshot would identify cost-savings opportunities for Our Daily Bread Ministries to analyze and set goals for future growth, retention, and membership loyalty”, states Patrick Bolan, President and CEO, Avanti. “The more ownership they took for the application, and the more they provided feedback, the more Avanti was able to satisfy their objectives.” 

Our Daily Bread Ministries valued Avanti’s rich, 30-year history and deep understanding of the print industry. They recognized Avanti’s commitment to product improvement and assistance in getting the most out of the software. 

“Other systems were either far behind Avanti or over-engineered,” concludes Underwood. “We could have spent far more on other MIS solutions, yet not received the benefits and personal attention we get from Avanti.”

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