Inkjet & Digital Printing
Bek Helps Customers Create High-Impact Marketing Campaigns with the KODAK NEXPRESS Digital Production Color Press
Friday 17. December 2010 - Variable data printing on the KODAK NEXPRESS 2500 Digital Production Color Press ensures highly targeted, customized communications
Bek | Grafische Products | Crossmedia Solutions is helping its customers create more effective communications after investing in KODAK Technology. The ‘total communications provider’ became one of the first print companies in the Netherlands to install the KODAK NEXPRESS 2500 Digital Production Color Press with the Fifth Imaging Unit and Glossing Unit. Bek is using the cutting-edge KODAK System to push its variable data printing services, which enable its customers to create high-impact campaigns that deliver a higher Return of Marketing Investment (ROMI).
Veghel-based Bek employs around 100 staff and offers a wide range of graphic and cross-media products and services. Its customers include Sligro, Royal Canin, DHL and FrieslandCampina.
Stunning print quality and value-adding products behind purchasing decision
Bek has more than ten years’ experience in digital printing and believes this printing format has a bright future. Rob van den Heuvel, Operations Manager at Bek, explains the reasons behind the purchase: “We went all out for quality. We knew the NEXPRESS 2500 Press would consistently deliver to the standard our customers expect. The fact that the system can process a wide range of substrates was also important to us. And we were impressed that our operators could easily replace and maintain all the vital parts, as it means longer uptime, higher productivity and significant cost savings.”
Jeroen van Eerd, an operator at FastPrint, Bek’s digital printing department, was very keen on the Fifth Imaging Unit of the NEXPRESS 2500 Press. “We could immediately see the huge potential to offer higher value services. For example, we can expand the PMS color range by using a fifth color or we can add a spot color. And we can apply flood or spot coating or glossing, which creates a striking impression. It’s this kind of added-value that you can’t deliver with other digital pressesit’s a great way to distinguish ourselves in the market.”
The variable data breakthrough
Bek is no ordinary printer. The company’s services include marketing campaigns, ICT and photography, digital printing, offset, finishing, fulfillment and mailing. And thanks to its KODAK System, the company plans to exploit the vast commercial opportunities presented by variable data printing.
Frank Schoofs, Communication & PR Manager, has witnessed much interest from B2C companies and believes the B2B market won’t be far behind: “The B2B sector has been slower because many businesses’ information systems aren’t set up for variable data printing. This is why we’re being very proactive about explaining its potential. For example, we organize networking meetings where we show customers and prospects how the latest print technology can create customized, targeted communications.”
Personalized communications lead the way
Van den Heuvel explains why preparing databases for variable data printing is so important: “The information contained in the databases is the source data for personalized marketing communications. At the moment, many companies still see ICT as an essential infrastructure cost, when actually it’s the key to a wealth of marketing information. The good news is that more and more marketing professionals are realizing this, and understand that a segmented customer approach delivers the best results.
“We anticipate that the ‘scattergun,’ mass communication approach will become a thing of the past. Personalized communication may be more expensive per unit, but it’s far more effective and ultimately delivers a much healthier ROMI. With this in mind, the NEXPRESS Press has a key role to play here at Bek.”