ST. LOUIS and ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Commercial printers that embrace digital technology and automated workflow tools will be able to advance in an increasingly competitive environment, according to Gabriel Group, a provider of data-driven mail and print communications. Looking to stay ahead of the competition, Gabriel Group has automated complex tasks including color matching and prepress file preparation with Xerox Corporation's (NYSE: XRX) digital print systems and workflow software.

Gabriel Group, based in St. Louis, has quadrupled its revenue during the past four years, fueling that growth with technology investments that increase efficiency and reduce costs associated with manual touch points. The company's most recent additions include the Xerox iGen4 Press, FreeFlow Print Server, FreeFlow Process Manager and FreeFlow Makeready software applications.

With the installation of the Xerox iGen4, Gabriel Group also included the ORIS Press Matcher Pro and ORIS Certified Proof solutions. The ORIS solutions, from Xerox business partner CGS Publishing Technologies International, provide Gabriel Group a means to highly accurate color management between its new iGen4 and existing Xerox iGen3. The solutions also integrate with FreeFlow Process Manager enabling automation for a seamless and "touchless" workflow.

"In competitive times, automated workflows are a necessity - you have to maximize productivity to stay viable," said Bill Ziercher, vision leader and chairman, Gabriel Group. "Companies left standing five years from now will be those integrating digital technology with automated workflow."

Gabriel Group eliminates steps in the production process by pairing Xerox digital technology and software with its proprietary G3 Marketing Solutions - a set of Web-accessible tools to help clients manage marketing assets. Job submission through printing and finishing is automated and requires minimal operator involvement.

The company also recently added the Xerox Nuvera 288 Digital Perfecting System to print statements, books and direct-mail pieces with variable data. Gabriel selected the black-and-white press to handle a variety of substrates and produce crisp images. For example, the Xerox Nuvera system is used to print jobs in Chinese, where image quality is critical because extra dots and lines can change the meaning of content.

Gabriel Group is also gaining efficiencies with the job management tools within Xerox's FreeFlow software - which simplifies the set-up of print jobs and automates file preparation, layout and editing process.