Workflow
ACCHSH and Monorhythm Sign Strategic Co-operation Agreement
Tuesday 23. December 2008 - Recently ACCHSH Company, the Polish producer of the PuzzleFlow workflow system and PuzzleFlow-based solutions devoted to various segments of graphic arts and publishing markets, has signed an agreement on strategic co-operation with the Russian company Monorhythm, developer of MIS systems addressed to small and middle sized graphic arts companies.
The settlement that has been just initialled is the result of a September visit of the representatives of Monorhythm in Cracow (where the R&D Centre of ACCHSH is located). The meeting was arranged in co-operation with the Latvian company ColorSYS (Monorhythms trade partner). The meeting was a good occasion for both parties to acquaint themselves with the software solutions elaborated by both ACCHSH and Monorhythm as well as to undertake initial talks on closer co-operation.
The ACCHSHs PuzzleFlow system, and the solutions based on it, is widely used both by printers and publishing houses all over the world: from Europe and the United States (e.g. The New York Times) to South Korea and Brazil. The PuzzleFlow system, which enables efficient jobs workflow in a digital prepress environment, is also successfully used in Russian printers. At the same time, Russian and overseas printers have long been using ASystem and PrintEffect systems created by Monorhythm. The systems enable increasing automation of various business processes in graphic arts companies.
During the talks both parties appraised current business activities of ACCHSH and Monorhythm. After presenting the directions of further development as well as the possibilities in enhancing software offered by both companies, it was agreed to start close co-operation in the realm of integration of the PuzzleFlow production system with Monorhythms systems. As a result there will be a comprehensive set of tools that will allow for automation of technological processes in printing houses and effective jobs management. As the first jointly worked out solution, the parties will develop the integrated system for information processing and control that should cover modules for job registering and accounting combined with an application enabling acquisition, verification and preparing files for printing (imposition and PDF files generating).
The companies also intend to create a comprehensive system covering the whole technological workflow devoted for small and medium sized offset and digital printers. The system will be focused on web-based job acquisition and contact with customers and it would include such processes as: verification of job correctness by a customer, preparing job calculation and offers, production management, job processing as well as automatic correction, digital imposition, soft-proofing and contract proofing.
At the same time, ACCHSH and Monorhythm are committed to further support
web-based technologies development such as Web2Print and PrintOnDemand, as well as ensuring the JDF-enabled co-operation of ASystem and PrintEffect systems with PuzzleFlow. It is worthy to note, that both companies are members of CIP4, the organization that actively promotes the JDF standard.
During the meeting the parties agreed the prerequisites for starting R&D work and defined the rules for the sale of common solutions – PuzzleFlow ASystem and PuzzleFlow PrintEffect – on the markets of Russia, Ukraine, and Baltic Countries – Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Together with presenting new possibilities of the PuzzleFlow system to the users of ASystem and PrintEffect the company Monorhythm is about to conduct courses for specialists that would be responsible for sale and implementation of the systems. Furthermore, during the classes of “Automatic systems for technological processes management in printers” run by Monorhythm experts for fourth course students of the Moscow State University of Printing Arts, the Faculty of Graphic Arts Technology, the attendees will also have the possibility to acquire information on powerful opportunities that the PuzzleFlow system offers. The classes give students not only theoretical knowledge but they also have the possibility to familiarize themselves with actual work of discussed systems during practical workshops.