Brentwood, April 12, 2006 – Print Innovation through Convergence proved to be the right approach for Océ at IPEX 2006, after the company enjoyed one of its most successful IPEX showings.  In addition to a number of customer signings throughout the show, Océ also launched its Quality Centre programme and a Graphic Arts Resellers initiative.

 

Within days of its formal launch at Océ’s OpenHouse, Océ announced the first customer for its VarioPrint® 6250 cutsheet printer, which is up to 70% faster than any competitor product in the market place.  Fast-expanding Resource Print Solutions has experienced significant growth in the production of mono pages during the last 12 months. A further 25% increase is forecast that will take total page impressions to around 45 million per year.

 

Resource Print Solutions’ Managing Director Phil Thomson said: “Taking on an Océ VarioPrint 6250 will give us up to 80% more extra capacity, which we will need to cater for our growth projections where only 20% of our mono printing is single-sided.”

 

Henry Ling, a leading manufacturer of academic journals and books, became the first UK customer for Océ’s 3-highlight colour digital book production system, the VarioStream 9230.  Helen Kennett, Head of Manufacturing, Henry Ling, said: “The main reason we chose the Océ VarioStream 9230 is for its quality.  We believe it is the first digital web machine that provides the sufficient high quality needed for the quality book and journal markets, whilst remaining cost effective to run.” 

 

Océ announced at IPEX today that Lime PM Limited, a leading print and direct marketing services provider, and London Scottish Bank, a specialist financial services company, has signed an agreement for its Océ VarioPrint 5000 printing systems.  Peter Hughes, Managing Director, Lime PM, said: “When we made a decision to upgrade our equipment, we tested machines from Xerox, Kodak and Océ, and not only found the Océ machine to perform better, but the support we have received from the Océ team has been fantastic.”  Steve Riley, IT Manager, London Scottish Bank, added: “We purchased an Océ VarioPrint 5000 three years ago.  We have been impressed with its performance and decided to purchase a second one, which will take the place of three other printers.  The new VarioPrint 5000 will allow us to double our output and we anticipate that it will produce around one million documents per month.”

 

Full service print provider Instaprint purchased an Océ CPS900 and a VarioPrint 2110, which will complement its range of Océ printers which already includes a CPS700, Océ 3145 and Océ wide format printers.  The University of Cambridge has also purchased two Océ VarioPrint 2110 digital documents printers.

 

Technologic, Itec Colour Graphics (ICG) and Pro Digital Technologies became the first Océ Graphic Arts Resellers, in a move that will focus on the commercial graphic arts market place, to deliver a better service and coverage of this strategically important area. 

 

Meanwhile, Océ announced the first four Océ Quality Centres in the UK – Cambridge Printers, Colour It In, Masterange and The Direct Printing Company.  The programme is designed to support and promote participating leading-edge printers, who use Océ’s innovative digital printing systems, and are successfully implementing the Océ Business Development Programme in their sales and marketing activities.

 

Other initiatives included dishing out 500 Océ-branded trolleys a day to visitors in a marketing ploy now known as ‘Trolley mania’ and embarking upon research initiative that canvassed IPEX visitors each day for their opinions on the industry.

 

Nico Kooy, Managing Director of Océ (UK) Ltd, said: “2006 has been a fantastic IPEX for Océ and with results to prove it.  We have sold a number of our printing systems during the show, and have established many leads to follow up during the year.  Incredibly, at the end of the show we sold nearly all the systems on the stand.

 

“The show was an ideal platform for us to launch our convergence strategy, and the feedback from visitors suggests its importance to future of the graphic arts industry.  There was a lot of interest in our two world-firsts – the VarioPrint 6250 and VarioStream 9230 – both of which had their first customers announced at IPEX.  We can now look forward to what I’m sure will be a very productive 2006.”