BOULDER, Colo., December 16, 2008 – InfoPrint Solutions Company, the joint venture between IBM and Ricoh, today announced its Automated Document Factory (ADF) workflow solution received a "Strong Positive" rating in Gartner's new "MarketScope for Automated Document Factory 2.0 Software*" report. InfoPrint was one of 18 vendors evaluated in the report and received the highest possible rating, "Strong Positive." 
 
According to the report, Gartner's ADF 2.0 architecture gives technology providers the framework for developing and implementing the strategies and tools necessary for 21st century communications in any media.  By doing so, the architecture provides the basis for software solutions that enable end users to enjoy print as an integral part of their enterprise's multichannel, CRM-based approach to disseminating marketing messages and financial information.
 
Moreover, the consequences of not having an ADF are high. The report also sites that high labor, material and postage costs, poor quality and document integrity, and low company growth and departmental value are the burdens that print and mail operations without an ADF bear. This MarketScope provided insights into the market and ratings of the ADF 2.0 software providers that can help make operations world-class.
 
The report evaluated the solutions from 18 different companies based on market understanding, product strategy, vertical/industry strategy, innovation, geographic strategy, product/service, market responsiveness and track record.   These criteria evaluate the hardware and software offerings that enable the production of high volumes of personalized and relevant communications using the latest equipment while supporting output in other media.
 
According to Pete Basiliere, Research Director at Gartner, "Investing $1,000,000 in ADF 2.0 yields 10-25 percent savings for a payback within as little as 12-18 months.**"
 
InfoPrint implements ADF to automate, control and manage entire print and mail processes in efforts to solve three common challenges: postal optimization, mailroom integrity and output management.  The company estimates the total annual number of mailpieces under control of InfoPrint ADF solutions globally is nearly 20 billion.
 
InfoPrint Process Director (IPPD), a configurable output process management system is the foundation for the ADF implementation, and allows print houses to re-engineer transaction output processes by adding new components and functionality as the requirements of each output evolves.  It integrates multi-vendor software and devices to go "beyond print" to achieve higher cost savings and improve the integrity of output. With InfoPrint's ADF solutions print and mail operations can begin with packaged software and build capabilities tailored to their unique operations, when they need them.
 
IPPD contains core technology unique in the industry such as document pool. This enables organizations to break jobs into the smallest elements and use powerful indexes to modify or reassemble the jobs for a more efficient flow - automatically. This can help increase postal discounts, reduce sorter requirements, and increase your productivity.
 
"Even before our formation, InfoPrint was always focused strongly on end-to-end solutions that enable increased productivity, cost-effectiveness and high quality," said Enrico Parodi, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Technology & Solutions Development for InfoPrint.  "With Gartner's rating of our ADF solution as a 'Strong Positive', we believe our research and development efforts have clearly been recognized and we are honored that the thought leaders behind this technology have seen the value in InfoPrint's offering."