EPS AND ECO3 IN NEW COLLABORATION
ECO3 and eProductivity Software (ePS) are in a new strategic partnership that they say will push automation in print production to the next level, by delivering fully integrated and tailored workflow solutions.
The collaboration is between two of print's primary software developers; ePS, the former MIS, W2P and workflow arm of EFI, is the biggest software supplier to print, while ECO3 is the former part of Agfa that developed the Apogee workflow solution.
The new partnership harnesses prepress innovation from ECO3 and ePS to deliver what they claim will be an unparalleled workflow solution, “seamlessly incorporating” every aspect of the entire production process.
They say that by creating certified end-to-end workflows, from customer and order acquisition, job and financial management, to production and postproduction, tailored to the specific needs of each customer, “the partnership will empower printers to succeed in a rapidly changing and complex market.” With a unified user interface, customers will gain full control over their entire production, thereby enhancing efficiency and productivity across operations.
As an example, the certified workflow allows automated creation of jobs, including complex versions within ECO3 Apogee from an ePS MIS/ERP platform. It also facilitates the tracking of file receipt and approval in Apogee WebApproval, along with the generation of printing plates, proofs, and digital prints.
“ePS and ECO3 are fully committed to supporting the printing market to adapt their production environment for growth. This collaborative approach ensures that the end-users will have the best possible tools for success at their disposal,” said Erik Peeters, ECO3 marketing manager software. “Our strategic and measured approach enhances product stability and reliability. It also enables us to deliver new automation features and functionalities, keeping pace with evolving market trends and customer demands.”
According to the companies, the ongoing partnership between ePS and ECO3 “promises to herald a new era of innovation and opportunity” over the coming years. They say customers can expect a host of future benefits that will elevate their print production to new heights, saying, “From enhanced integration capabilities to advanced automation, analytics and insights, the possibilities to add value are limitless.”
“We’re excited to partner with ECO3, leveraging our strengths to deliver exceptional value to customers,” comments Nick Benkovich, VP, Portfolio Management & Strategic Partnerships, ePS. “With a shared dedication to aligning priorities, deliveries and development timelines, we aim to create seamless products that prioritize their experience.”
Customers already experiencing the benefits of a combined ePS/ECO3 workflow include award-winning print organisation, Stephens & George, in Wales. “We have recently adopted ePS Tharstern as our MIS Partner to work alongside ECO3’s Apogee Prepress workflow, and the integration has proved seamless. The JDF capabilities of Tharstern working with Apogee has delivered us a near 100 per cent JDF-enabled workflow throughout the whole business,” said the company’s prepress manager, Jamie Awford.
Another printing company benefiting from this integrated workflow is T’Hooft based in Belgium. David Van De Velde, its prepress manager adds, "The integration of ECO Apogee and ePS Technique is impressive. We consider Technique's versioning module powerful. A large amount of our production contains multiple versions. For orders with multiple address changes alone, the integration of the systems saves us 15 to 20 minutes per printing order.”
The new collaboration will be presented on the international stage at drupa next week. ECO3 will be located in Hall 5/C31, while ePS will be in Hall 07A/E03 – both showcasing the potential of their software integration to visitors.