By DPS Staff
Congratulations to this year’s Readers’ Choice Top 30 award winners. Each year, products and services surrounding digital print, packaging, and publishing are introduced and enhanced, exciting change in the form of improved productivity and efficiency. From new hardware for printing and finishing to software and workflow solutions that track campaign success and improve automation, the Top 30 award winners represent consistent innovation throughout the industry.
The companies selected for this year’s Top 30 and honorable mentions generated the highest reader interest as recorded by our reader information service, DPSmagdirect.com. All print- and Web-based editorial, as well as print advertisements, are assigned an INFO# that enables readers to request more information or visit product and company websites associated with the mention. Links are easily clickable through digital editions and can be entered manually on the DPSmagdirect.com site from the print edition.
At the end of the year, our editors tabulate the results to determine which companies attracted the most interest from our readers, and provide a brief company overview and highlight key products from each winner.
In addition to determining reader interest, the Top 30 provides a look at trending topics. In 2015, digital printing systems—both toner- and inkjet-based—represented the hottest topic, comprising about 40 percent of the Top 30 results. This was closely followed by software and workflow at 30 percent, finishing at 20 percent, and paper and substrates at ten percent. Each of these areas are essential to the next generation of the digital print, packaging, and publishing segments that DPS covers.
Top 30
We’ve asked the Top 30 vendors to provide a company overview and highlight up to three products that represent their commitment to the industry. Products and associated INFO#s are available in chart format within the issue for easy viewing. This is an excellent time to visit DPSmagdirect.com to explore the companies, products, and services that generated interest throughout 2015.
Aleyant
Aleyant Systems provides robust, Web to print (W2P) software services at value-driven prices. Its flagship product, Pressero, is a complete W2P storefront system. Pressero includes eDocBuilder Interactive Designer, an HTML5-based online design, personalization, and variable data publishing system, which is also sold separately for integration into other systems. The solution offers integration with systems including third-party MIS, imposition, and workflow.
Avanti Computer Systems
Since 1984, Avanti has been developing innovative print MIS solutions that help print and communication organizations automate all facets of their business and cultivate a more meaningful relationship with customers. Avanti Slingshot, launched in 2013, is Avanti’s next-generation print MIS. The cloud-based, JDF-certified solution features ease-of-use, business intelligence and analytics, advanced integration and automation, and touchless workflows.
Canon
Canon is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. With approximately $31 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc., ranks third overall in U.S. patents granted in 2014 and is one of Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies in 2015.
Cendix
Cendix is a leading provider of Web to print solutions that automate marketing campaigns and increase sales both online and offline. The company offers hosted Internet application software for marketing departments, list brokers, print brokers, and commercial printers.
Colordyne Technologies
Headquartered in Brookfield, WI, Colordyne Technologies is a leading manufacturer of efficient, high-resolution digital print solutions powered by Memjet technologies. Since 2011, Colordyne has been committed to providing label and tag color on demand inkjet printers for a variety of applications and industries at breakthrough speeds and cost effectiveness. Colordyne’s range of digital color platforms—from bench top industrial color printers to complete, inline finishing production presses—demonstrate the company’s specialization in scalability of the industry’s most versatile products.
Duplo USA
For over 60 years, Duplo has set the standard with innovative and reliable finishing products in the graphic arts and continues to lead the way with solutions that are automated, productive, and cost efficient. Today, Duplo manufactures a complete line of print finishing equipment from all-in-one slitter/cutter/creasers, folders, and perfect binders to sheet feeding, bookletmaking, and saddle stitching systems for offset and digital printers in both high production and small office environments.
EFI
Headquartered in CA’s Silicon Valley, with offices worldwide, EFI is a leader in digital print. Offering value-added combinations of hardware, software, and consumables, the company is driving the print industry’s transformation from analog to digital color.
Epson
Epson America, Inc. offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for business, commercial print, graphic arts, photographic, signage, direct to garment, and fabric production.
Fujifilm North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division
The Graphic Systems Division of Fujifilm North America Corporation delivers solutions for workflow, consultative services, remote monitoring, color standardization and G7 implementation, pressroom products, computer to plate, proofing, digital printing, wide format, packaging, labels, and specialty printing. Fujifilm also manufactures and distributes Sericol inks and is a leader in the development of UV inks for screen printing, narrow web, and large format digital printing.
Hewlett-Packard (HP)
HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments, and society. With the broadest technology portfolio spanning printing, personal systems, software, services, and IT infrastructure, HP delivers solutions for customers’ most complex challenges in every region of the world.
Kodak
Kodak is a technology company focused on imaging for business. The company provides innovative hardware, software, consumables, and services to customers in graphic communications, packaging, and functional printing. It also serves entertainment and commercial film markets. With a world-class R&D organization and extensive product portfolio, Kodak helps its customers around the globe grow their own businesses in a sustainable way.
Konica Minolta Business
Solutions U.S.A., Inc.
Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is a leader in information management focused on enterprise content, technology optimization, and cloud services. Its solutions help organizations improve speed to market, manage technology costs, and facilitate the sharing of information to increase productivity. Clients trust Konica Minolta to help them envision how they can achieve their goals and deliver innovative solutions to give shape to their ideas.
Mactac Distributor Products
Mactac is a market leader for pressure-sensitive products used in offset, digital, and wide format printing. Providing trusted brands like STARLINER and METRO, Mactac continues its commitment to the commercial print industry with the newly launched METRO Digital line for Indigo and Toner Fusion presses. All Mactac sheeted films and papers are engineered for efficient processing, quality imaging, and reduced equipment wear and tear.
Magnum Magnetics
Magnum Magnetics is a U.S. manufacturer of flexible magnetic sheeting, strip, and custom profiles. It offers printable magnetic sheeting for multiple printing presses including inkjet, digital, offset, and flexo. The company takes its time to understand your application before recommending a magnetic solution.
MBM Corporation
MBM Corporation provides cutting-edge finishing products for today’s digital printing industries. Its extensive product line includes world-class Triumph cutters, Aerocut digital print finishing systems, folders, creasers, collators, and bookletmakers. All MBM products are backed by a team of factory-trained technicians and one of the best warranty packages in the industry.
MBO America
Established in 1984, MBO America brought the renowned MBO brand to the U.S. Merging with Herzog + Heymann, manufacturer of specialized folding equipment, put MBO on the map as the one of most comprehensive, single-source providers of first class folding equipment and technology. MBO America is the only distributor that covers all bindery areas—folding, mailing, digital, and die cutting—via its parent company’s solutions and partnerships with the most revered brands in postpress.
Melissa Data
Melissa Data provides address management and list hygiene solutions. Choose from MAILERS+4—easy desktop mail preparation and presorting software, or Contact Zone to integrate, move, and cleanse data easily. Activate a free trial today. The company also offers NCOALink Move Update processing, phone, and email append. Looking for a mailing list? Create your own list and download in minutes, including consumer, business, email, and many specialty lists.
Muller Martini Corp
Muller Martini is a worldwide organization that manufactures, markets, and services a full range of post-press finishing equipment for commercial printers, binderies, digital book manufacturers, and newspaper plants, as well as web offset presses. Manufacturing plants in Germany, Switzerland, and the U.S. and a global service network support users and installations around the world.
OKI Data Americas
OKI Data Americas provides commercial grade digital color printers for the graphic arts and production market, including digital envelope printers in four-color—CMYK, or five-color—CMYK + white, configurations; digital web presses with finishing options; and digital production printers in four- and five-plus color configurations—featuring white and clear toner, with media handling capabilities. Different products offer specialized media flexibility including envelopes, continuous-feed roll labels, transfer media, and variable data/variable graphics support.
Page DNA
PageDNA grew out of a PostScript engine development project sponsored by a Palo Alto, CA prepress company in the 1990s. Today, nearly a quarter of the Fortune 500 use PageDNA daily to order branded marketing materials. The system has expanded to support inventory-controlled items, online quotes, file uploading, and advanced integrations.
Ricoh
Ricoh is a global technology company specializing in office imaging equipment, production print solutions, document management systems, and IT services. With headquarters in Malvern, PA and Tokyo, Japan, the company operates in about 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ending March 2015, Ricoh had worldwide sales of 2,231 billion Yen—approximately 18.5 billion USD. With its legacy of innovative technology and its deep expertise in accessing, capturing, and managing information, the company delivers solutions that harness the power of today’s changing workforce. As a leader in information mobility, Ricoh understands that it’s not just about information access, but about finding the information that’s important, and using it to drive the results customers want.
Rochester Software Associates
Rochester Software Associates (RSA) is the only company in the industry to provide transform, output management, and Web to print (W2P) software solutions to support digital production print workflows. For over 25 years, its customers have used RSA solutions to turn printing into productivity, automating print workflows. Products include WebCRD, the leading W2P software for in-plants; QDirect for output management and transform; and ReadyPrint, Universal Make Ready.
Rocketprint Software
Rocketprint Software offers a Web to print (W2P) system that allows printers, print brokers, and marketing agencies to set up their B2C and B2B storefronts. Users receive many features for one affordable price, along with award-winning customer service. Keep your existing website or choose a new turnkey WordPress design with the W2P system built in. Rocketprint offers a free 12-day trial that includes training before you spend a dime. There is no set-up charge or contracts because the company is confident you will like what you see and the results you will get.
Roland DGA
Roland DGA offers an extensive lineup of wide format inkjet printers and integrated printer/cutters equipped with eco-solvent, sublimation, UV, and aqueous inks, including SOLJET, VersaCAMM, VersaUV, VersaEXPRESS, VersaStudio, and Texart models. All Roland inkjets come bundled with powerful—yet easy to use—RIP software, and several models offer specialty ink options, including White, Metallic Silver, Light Black, and Clear Coat.
Rollem
Rollem specializes in die cutting, slitting, scoring, perfing, and fold/glue machinery for high-quality finishing of digital outputs. The new Insignia5 die cutter delivers on demand die cutting and kiss cutting. Eliminate excess labor, guillotine cutters, and touch points. Rollem machines score digital stocks with no cracking and deliver full-bleed slitting and perfing—simultaneously or individually. The company offers free consultations on print finishing solutions for every size printer.
SmartSoft
SmartSoft provides Web to print, MIS, mailing, and workflow automation software to the printing industry. Products include the all-in-one print workflow management system PressWise; the AccuMail suite of postal address correction software; the all-in-one mailing solution, SmartAddresser 5; and the mail tracking service, MailSpotter.
Standard Finishing Systems
Standard distributes a broad line of inline, offline, and near-line print finishing products including Horizon perfect binders, collators, folders, saddlestitchers, die cutters, and bookletmakers; and Hunkeler unwinders, rewinders, cutters/stackers, and inspection systems for continuous feed printers. Standard has applied its knowledge of the conventional offset print finishing industry to engineer effective solutions for the expanding digital and inkjet print markets.
WestRock
WestRock Company aspires to be the premier partner and provider of paper and packaging solutions in consumer and corrugated markets. The company’s 42,000 team members support customers around the world from approximately 275 operating and business locations spanning Asia, Europe, North America, and South America.
Xeikon
Xeikon is an innovator in digital printing technology. The company designs, develops, and delivers web-fed digital color presses for labels and packaging applications, document printing, as well as commercial printing. The presses utilize LED-array-based dry toner electrophotography, open workflow software, and application-specific toners.
Xerox
Xerox is helping change the way the world works. By applying its expertise in imaging, business process, analytics, automation, and user-centric insights, the company engineers the flow of work to provide greater productivity, efficiency, and personalization. Xerox conducts business in 180 countries and more than 130,000 employees create meaningful innovations and provide business process services, printing equipment, software, and solutions that make a real difference for clients—and their customers.
Honorable Mentions
The 30 companies noted in this article are only a small sampling of the vendors and products disrupting the industry each and every day. For example, our five honorable mentions—Enfocus, iSys Label, Pageflex, Therm-O-Type, and Zünd—just missed the cut off, but are also noteworthy.
A Moving Target
We’d like to again congratulate the Top 30 Readers’ Choice and honorable mentions for 2015. However, it is important to remember that like trends, these awards are a moving target, determined for the industry by the industry.
If you’d like to see your favorite vendors in our annual Top 30 Awards, be sure to frequent DPSmagdirect.com to inquire about the latest and greatest solutions as well as discover new products and services. We look forward to seeing the companies you choose in 2016. dps
