Business News
NorQuest College and CIP4 Announce Print Automation Seminar
Tuesday 08. March 2011 - NorQuest College and the International Cooperation for the Integration of the Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress (CIP4) organization announced a two-day Print Automation Seminar that will be held at the NorQuest campus on June 8th and 9th, 2011.
The seminar is open to all print professionals and is targeted towards printing companies that are either considering automating operations, or have begun to automate operations and are looking for more in-depth knowledge of print automation.
On June 8th, the program will begin with two tracks; basic and advanced. In the basic track, speakers will address JDF fundamentals, the business and ROI factors of print automation, JDF product certification and what it means to printers, and an introduction to XML and how JDF works. In the advanced track, speakers from Avanti, Duplo, NetworkPDF, Heidelberg, and Xerox will discuss subjects such as “Zero Touch” workflows, automating postpress operations, connecting JDF automation with the creative process and an in-depth look at the use of JDF in Heidelberg products.
The program will also feature a case study from McCallum Printing Group which is a fully automated printing company with both digital and offset printing and finishing operations.
For many, the highlight of the day will be in the afternoon, when attendees break out into two groups taking turns to see fully automated workflows (one digital and one offset) process live jobs. Attendees will learn first-hand how jobs are organized and the efficiencies and the benefits of a fully print automated workflow.
“Among graphic arts schools in North America Norquest is unique in that it has a comprehensive array of modern, fully automated production capabilities in house,” said CIP4 Executive Director, James Harvey. “Printers attending this event will walk away truly inspired.”
On June 9th, attendees will tour the McCallum Printing Group facilities, just a few minutes away from the NorQuest College campus. “For printers wondering what it would look like if they were able to build a modern printing plant starting with an empty building, McCallum is the answer,” said Josh Ramsbottom, Principal of the Centre for Excellence Print Media at NorQuest College. “McCallum had a unique opportunity to start from the ground up, and the result is an exemplary and highly optimized production environment.”
The NorQuest Print Automation Seminar is made possible by support from Avanti, Duplo, NetworkPDF, Heidelberg, and Xerox, as well as participation from Printing Industries of America and provincial and federal partners, Productivity Alberta and Western Economic Diversification. There is a $125 CDN registration fee to cover lunch, refreshments and bus transportation to the McCallum Printing plant.