MIS supplier targets Kodak and Heidelberg customer base

Tharsten managing director Keith McMurtrie (on right) and Eamon Booth, product and development manager (left) made the trip to Australia from the UK to present two identical sessions demonstrating how Tharsten print management software integrates with e-commerce solutions and Kodak systems to create tighter business controls, and to open up business opportunities with the introduction of advanced e-commerce and variable data capture and control.

The two sessions both met the expectations of all those involved. "The demonstrations went without any technical hitches," said McMurtrie. "Everybody showed up which, out of all the demos I've been to, has never happened. This shows the level of interest in the market."



With a real live demonstration, audiences were able to see features such as what a print buyer would see when undertaking a job, along with looking at a job from the prepress and estimator's point of view. One unique feature was the Tharsten Production Dashboard, a website which allows customers to view the printing job whatever way they wish. One company took a Big Brother approach to printing and had a webcam linked to the dashboard so that they could literally 'see' the job being printed.

"The Dashboard can't lie, which is good for customers," said Eamon Booth.

Cynics were also proven wrong, according to McMurtrie, who noted a positive response from audiences throughout. "Everybody I've spoken to has been very complimentary," he said. "There was a degree of scepticism but after these sessions it was replaced by excitement."

Although well established in the New Zealand market Tharsten hasn't been active throughout Australia; this is something which McMurtrie says will change. Already, the company is in talks with Heidelberg to do a similar event in its Melbourne offices, along with plans of installing a demonstration system within Kodak to compliment its workflow demonstration.

"Australia is a new market for us, but it has a lot of opportunity for us," McMurtie said. "We're already active in other countries across the world; Australia seemed to be a logical step from here. People seem eager to embrace these new tools when they become available and I think we'll become a national choice."

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