Esko has announced that Xerox is to become a European distributor for some of Eskos packaging software and hardware, as part of an end-to-end digital print offering for the packaging industry.
The Esko products will be sold in all countries where Xerox Europe operates, with Esko providing post-sale service and support. The agreement between the two companies incorporates a series of digital front end products from the Esko Scope software family, that will operate as a complement to the variable data capabilities of the Xerox iGen3 Digital Production Press and the Xerox DocuColor 8000/ 7000/ 5000 family of digital presses to produce short run packaging, together with finishing possibilities that include an in-line ultraviolet coater applying a permanent, scratch free coating.
The Esko suite of products for Xerox features DeskPack, its pre-press environment that turns Adobe Illustrator CS2 into a full packaging design and pre-production tool. DeskPack allows the designer to visualise the packaging or carton being modelled in three-dimensions. Also included are Plato, an Adobe certified step-and-repeat application for folding cartons and labels, and BackStage, Eskos workflow server. Additionally, Xerox will distribute Eskos Kongsberg XE10 and i-XE10 digital cutting and creasing tables, used for mock-ups, sample making and converting short packaging runs.
Producers of consumer goods and pharmaceutical companies face ever increasing pressure to optimise their supply chain from design to finished product. Test marketing, for samples of consumer goods or trails of test drugs, is expensive and time consuming using traditional print for short runs. With Eskos Scope and DeskPack software modules and the Kongsberg XE10 and i-XE10 die-less converting tables, Xerox now can provide pre- and post-print packaging capabilities, enabling the iGen3 and the DocuColor family to operate in short-run packaging environments.
Our agreement with Esko demonstrates our strategy of opening new business opportunities through working with our partners, said Anoush Gordon, director and general manager, Production Group, Xerox UK. The Xerox iGen3 is supremely positioned to print new test marketing applications for products, for example in the pharmaceutical, toy, and health and beauty sectors. The variable data print capabilities make the iGen3 a valuable tool in creating many variants of package designs required for test marketing.
With Esko, Xerox digital press customers now will have access to the most advanced technologies for packaging pre-production, said Carsten Knudsen, Eskos president and CEO. This will enable them to become more efficient and professional in their operations, and to optimise their workflow by taking time, cost and risk of errors out of the process. The Esko software and hardware will be available in the UK from Q2 2007 through the Xerox sales network.
About Esko
Esko is the world leader of packaging pre-production solutions. Key product lines include a range of workflow software modules covering the entire supply chain and integrating graphics, structure and project management; flexo Computer-to-Plate systems; cutting & creasing tables for short-run production and sample making in packaging and sign & display markets.
Esko has its operational headquarters in Gent, Belgium, and employs around 700 people worldwide. R&D and manufacturing facilities are located in Belgium, Germany, Norway, the United States and the Czech Republic. Esko has regional sales and support organisations in a number of countries throughout Europe, North America and the Asia/Pacific region, including Japan and China. Its products are also distributed through a global network of resellers.
About Xerox
Xerox markets a comprehensive range of Xerox products, solutions and services, as well as associated supplies and software. Its offerings are focused on three main areas: offices from small to large, production print and graphic arts environments, and services that include consulting, systems design and management, and document outsourcing.
Xerox supports The New Business Of Printing strategy by providing the largest portfolio of state-of-the-art digital products, solutions and services in the industry, integrated streamlined and efficient workflow solutions and a suite of business development tools that help customers to achieve sustained long-term growth. In the changing world of print, these three elements enable customers to improve business performance and productivity to ensure they uncover more ways to profit.
Xerox Graphic Arts Premier Partners is a Xerox-sponsored, global community of leading-edge graphic arts service providers. Xerox provides tools, resources, and knowledge to its members to grow their revenues and profits, develop their capabilities and to further expand their businesses. By working with Premier Partners, customers are assured of high quality print services from best-of-breed companies equipped with the latest technology.
Xerox also has manufacturing and logistics operations in Ireland, the UK and Holland, and a research and development facility (Xerox Research Centre Europe) in Grenoble, France.
Xerox is a trademark of Xerox Corporation. All non-Xerox brands and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Prices, features, specifications, capabilities, appearance and availability of Xerox products and services are subject to change without notice.
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