Choose Your World: Production Print Applications Abound for the Initiated

Taking on the subject of production print is akin to a conversation about politics or religion. Tread lightly, because just below the superficial level lies a world of nuance, technicality, history and trends. Thankfully, there’s no emotion involved in the world of print, unless you want to consider the emotive qualities that a six-color brochure printed with spot UV and gold-foil embossing elicits. And nothing dilates the pupils quite like a breathtaking marketing piece.

This is our roundabout way of saying the printing universe is immense, and the applications are all over the map, from the aforementioned brochure for the marketing department of a Fortune 500 cosmetics company to the down-and-dirty variable data print jobs that yield billing statements for your garden-variety credit card company. Package printing, wine bottle labels, point-of-sale (POS) displays, floor/wall graphics, books, magazines/publications, catalogs, flyers, menus, automotive wraps, collectible trading cards, blueprints—the list is as endless as the client verticals (commercial printers/PSPs, in-plants/CRDs, marketing, education, retail…ah, you get the point).

We clearly bit off more than we can chew with this month’s State of the Industry focus on production print. We could’ve just targeted light production and called it a day. But we’ve lined up a decent volume of content, with an overview of the printing world courtesy of Konica Minolta that expertly breaks down all of the segments. We also have a look at the diverse and often-beautiful world of wide-format printing from our friends at Ricoh. Plus, there’s a product roundup from the manufacturer space that addresses a myriad of opportunities from the partners you rely upon for MFPs.

Let’s face it, click volumes are down and continue to plummet—it’s the worst-kept secret in the office dealer business. But if you wish to expand your playbook by offering production equipment, there are enough subsets and aftermarket opportunities that can help fortify revenues in your continuing quest to diversify. Just remember, you cannot add wrinkles to that playbook without a specialized coach, because speeds and feeds talk just won’t cut it.

Take a few minutes to peruse what your dealer amigos are doing with their production efforts. Review your client and prospect pool, then have a talk with your OEM rep to see if any one area just might make sense for your needs and those of your clients. The production print world is sufficiently large to accommodate you. After all, fortune favors the bold, and as you map out your post-pandemic plan of attack, it just might be the diversification that fits those plans.

The Full Monty

In a segment such as production print, it helps to have as many tools in your dealer belt as possible to address the myriad of needs in the marketplace. Advanced Imaging Solutions (AIS), based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, provides solutions that cover the full gamut of client needs, including high volumes, inline finishing, outstanding image quality and enhanced paper capabilities, to name a few.

Stephanie Keating Phillips, director of solutions, credits Konica Minolta with providing AIS the opportunity to do a deeper dive into newer offerings within the OEM’s production catalog. With higher-quality color capabilities and inline finishing offerings, the dealer was able to crack into client segments it hadn’t been able to previously, namely graphics departments, advertising firms and commercial printers. The dealer also relies on Sharp’s light-production solutions to address the education market.

As the technology continued to improve, AIS expanded its offerings and opened the door for employees to flourish in the discipline as well. “With consistent training and education, our team has been able to continue to enhance our portfolio in selling different products outside of the production cutsheet world,” she said. “For example, AIS was the first in the world to sell the Konica Minolta AccurioWide 160 wide-format device. Expanding our capabilities in the production space has allowed AIS to grow exponentially year after year. Production print has allowed us to create more revenue in other areas of our clients businesses, such as managed IT and voice, software and other print devices.”

The most critical key to successfully selling production print gear lies in arming sales reps with support in areas such as graphics, software and technical details, according to Phillips. On-staff specialists can assist and take the lead on deeper dives into the nuances of machines, but it’s important for the rep to have a minimum proficiency level to instigate a conversation, ask pertinent questions of the client and devise follow-up queries based upon initial feedback.

The knowledge level of a commercial printer or CRD/in-plant client is readily apparent from the start of a conversation. “Production clients will know right away if they are talking to someone that understands their world or not,” she said. “There are so many variables that go into a production print solution, and being prepared and having the skills to think on your feet are essential to being a successful production print sales person. At AIS, we educate all of our sales people in all aspects of production print. Our reps are empowered to have the initial conversation, along with the understanding of at what point in the conversation they transition to bringing in someone from our production print team to take the conversation even further.”

Production print has allowed us to create more revenue in other areas of our clients businesses, such as managed IT and voice, software and other print devices.

– Stephanie Keating Phillips, Advanced Imaging Solutions (AIS)

When it comes time to bring in the dealer’s production print specialist, that individual can then craft a presentation, demo and comprehensive proposal based on the client’s specific needs. Thus, when the conversation burrows into color management and software that manages the devices, AIS can rely on its team of dedicated production technicians who are fully immersed in the art and science of production print.

Digging Deeper

EDGE Business Systems of Atlanta began its production print journey like most dealers, initially offering machines in the light production range. Over time, the dealer expanded deeper into the Canon catalog with offerings such as the varioPRINT, TITAN and imagePRESS for monochrome and color printing, as well as the Xerox Irridesse, which prints up to six colors on a diverse array of substrates.

The dealer has identified opportunities within existing SMB applications in which print jobs were previously outsourced, and it can provide them with print-on-demand custom marketing materials. EDGE Business Systems also hired a print-for-pay production rep to call on all of the leading corporate reprographics departments (CRDs) and printers in the Atlanta market, according to Josh Salkin, partner at EDGE.

Salkin credits Jim Morrissey—the current president of UBEO Business Services who formerly led the dealer channel at Xerox—with convincing the dealer of the value in hiring a dedicated production rep, which Xerox helped fund. That enabled EDGE to gain considerable traction with the offering.

“It’s the easiest way to move the needle for a growing dealership to turn singles and doubles into home run wins,” Salkin observed. “We were also very fortunate to have several technicians with extensive Xerox and Canon production training background, which allowed us to onboard quickly.”

We love having clients come to our technology center to see the equipment and discuss applications.

– Josh Salkin, EDGE Business Systems

The production specialist is certainly an MVP within the walls of EDGE. “We’re very fortunate that he handles pre- and post-sale applications and can wear both hats,” Salkin noted. “Clients love his ability to uncover the application, identify the best recommendation and then be there for the implementation to complete the sale. We love having clients come to our technology center to see the equipment and discuss applications.”

After many years of offering another manufacturer’s production line, Automated Business Products of Centennial, Colorado, believes it struck gold after switching to Xerox’s production catalog. Paul Archer, company president, notes the dealer casts a wide net with the offering, targeting any firm that relies on high-volume production. Still, PSPs aren’t the only segment, nor the biggest, for Automated; identifying clients who previously outsourced much of their printing needs has been the key.

Archer believes he can match or exceed the quality produced through outsourcing at a fraction of the cost. His aim is to find and contract for page volume, as production devices not only produce the most volume, they’re also the biggest source for service revenue.

“We have the service capability to support sophisticated devices whose customers have an expectation of fast and effective service. We do that well,” he said.

Expanding Horizons

Still, Archer isn’t beholden to only Xerox. Less than two years ago, Automated took on the Epson wide-format line, followed by HP’s DesignJet and Canon’s full line of wide-format gear. This was done to address the wealth of opportunities within the dealer’s book of business and prospect list. Automated also recently installed its first Epson label printer, another area of largely untapped potential for the dealer.

We have the service capability to support sophisticated devices whose customers have an expectation of fast and effective service.

– Paul Archer, Automated Business Products

Even with a wider arsenal of OEM offerings, Archer credits Xerox with helping his team develop the technical acumen necessary to take the dealer’s offering to the next level. The dealer benefitted from weekly production print sales and application training for nearly a year, enabling every member of its sales team to become deeply immersed in the subject. Automated also attends Xerox’s annual production print event in Rochester, New York.

“Having technical and (EFI) Fiery support is key,” he added. “We have technicians who are Fiery certified and technicians who are trained on Xerox production equipment. Having these capabilities is critical to our success.”

Fisher’s Technology of Boise, Idaho, carries the full Canon imagePRESS and varioPRINT lines, plus Konica Minolta’s AccurioPress color and mono units in addition to its industrial print products. PSPs and CRDs represent a lion’s share of the dealer’s client base, along with vertical opportunities in the real estate, religious and in-house marketing spaces.

Timing was important to Fisher’s Technology and its foray into production print. Canon USA felt Fisher’s was a prime candidate to offer the imagePRESS at the time of its release, and coincidentally, a client of the dealer was in the process of creating its own CRD. While Fisher’s didn’t have much experience in that world, it did boast a team member who had been employed with a printer. That opened the door for Fisher’s to expand its portfolio.

“Over the years, it has grown and been a great expansion in all of Fisher’s markets,” noted Justin Rex, production print specialist. “Fisher’s is seeing an interest in industrial print devices such as UV flatbed wide-format, label printing and finishing, and expects that to be a growth area over the next couple of years.”

Rex notes that production specialists and production-trained technicians play an integral role in market growth for Fisher’s. While they help facilitate sales, customers value the expertise provided by specialists throughout the entire relationship, both pre- and post-sale.

“These specialists work closely with the sales team to help the customer understand the intricacies of the options and how to get the most out of the solution, and then guide them over time as their business changes,” he added. “As production sales can take more time and have more solutions involved than office copiers and MFPs, the specialist’s role is vital with their knowledge and industry insights so the sales team can keep focused on growing business.”

Specialized Knowledge

The educational space and select marketing departments across a variety of industries have been the prime targets for Pulse Technology of Schaumburg, Illinois. The dealership put a little more heft behind its production print engine earlier this year with the hiring of Scott Anderson, a 20-year veteran of the game to facilitate growth.

Anderson is expected to play a considerable role in the growth endeavor, based on his background in working for Sharp, along with his experience in lines from Canon, Konica Minolta and Ricoh. His knowledge of inks and substrates and familiarity with the flavors of organizations that tend to gravitate toward production gear will certainly aid the growth initiative.

The primary objective, according to top Pulse Technology exec Chip Miceli, is to concentrate on organizations that would benefit from keeping their printing in-house as opposed to farming it out to commercial shops. He noted that Pulse, like many dealers, had been waiting to see Sharp release its line of production print units.

“We began with a Sharp light production machine and also sell and lease Canon and Epson products for this market sector,” Miceli noted. “We do plan to expand further into the sale and leasing of wide-format printing equipment. I believe that there will be increased interest in the large-format space to include cardboard, textiles and more.”

I believe that there will be increased interest in the large-format space to include cardboard, textiles and more.

– Chip Miceli, Pulse Technology

For example, Miceli points out that smaller jobs such as a run of two dozen color print folders would benefit most from having the equipment on premise, whereas a 500-piece job would be more suited to web offset production at a commercial printer. “Another consideration is knowing how and when to sell a Fiery Digital Front End (DFE) to provide more capabilities of changing color,” he said. “It’s a highly specialized niche, one that not every dealer is inclined to pursue.”

One dealer that has greatly benefitted from the extensive production print offerings of Konica Minolta is KOMAX Business Systems of South Charleston, West Virginia. The company finds the Accurio line of print devices, solutions and services are vital to helping their end-users differentiate themselves in a competitive market. The majority of KOMAX’s clients are PSPs and in-plants/CRDs which, by nature of their printing acumen, have provided fundamentals about production print that have been useful in targeting traditional business verticals, according to President Bob Maxwell.

The dealer embarked on production print in 2010 when it became clear the offering was poised to be a growth gateway. KOMAX also benefits from having few competitors in the markets it serves.

We are already working on and planning for further expansion into wide-format, label and packaging equipment because it is becoming more and more apparent that these areas are where the growth in commercial and industrial printing is heading.

– Bob Maxwell, KOMAX Business Systems

“We knew that if we would be committed to mastering the devices, solutions and services that we could bring something to the market at a higher level than any of our competitors,” Maxwell observed. “We are already working on and planning for further expansion into wide-format, label and packaging equipment because it is becoming more and more apparent that these areas are where the growth in commercial and industrial printing is heading.”

Understanding Needs

In Maxwell’s estimation, production print equipment sales are predicated on the dealer’s understanding of the market, workflow and challenges that graphic communication customers are engaged in. Whereas MFPs address the need of a larger and multi-faceted business workflow, KOMAX’s production client base is wholly consumed with print output. From specialists to dedicated graphic arts and software support personnel—working in tandem with OEM support functions—it takes a village of expertise to augment sales’ efforts in delivering the value proposition to a client base that demands advanced workflow perspective.

“We want our sales team to always be out looking for, and know how to recognize, production print opportunities,” Maxwell said. “Once they are discovered, we immediately involve not only our production print team, but also our production print support from Konica Minolta.”

Konica Minolta and Ricoh lines are offered by Systel Business Equipment of Fayetteville, North Carolina. The dealer, which also provides wide-format solutions from HP, traditionally plays in the in-plant/CRD spaces along with PSPs, getting most of its traction among education and government clients.

Since any production print offering requires a dealer to have the expertise to build, deliver and support effective solutions, Systel has focused much of its efforts in evolving and developing its support team and sales staff, notes Ray Bullins, production print and business solutions manager. The expansive scope of production has been essential in ferreting out new opportunities.

“We have begun to see more interest in digital label solutions for both short-run and larger volumes,” Bullins said. “Wide-format and flatbed offerings are becoming increasingly important as well.”

The dealer’s production print and technical specialists support its account managers in identifying opportunities and customer needs, shedding light on web-to-print, MIS platforms and document conversion. Systel’s EFI-certified experts and staff review every solution to ensure configurations will meet the needs of the client.

We have begun to see more interest in digital label solutions for both short run and larger volumes.

– Ray Bullins, Systel Business Equipment

Quality Considerations

While it offers both Xerox and Canon production devices, Docutrend of Totowa, New Jersey, has enjoyed much success in placing Canon’s mid-production units and associated software and finishing offerings, according to Richard Ostrowski, professional services manager. The dealer has an extensive account list that consists of PSPs and in-plants/CRDs.

“We don’t have a single vertical focus, as we have found the equipment is suitable for almost any customer that needs high volume along with consistent color output and/or robust finishing,” Ostrowski said.

All of Docutrend’s offerings are customer-driven, and its catalog reflects that with a breadth of equipment to suit their full needs. Inclusive to this is wide-format printing, an area in which the dealer continues to expand. And like most dealers on our panel, Ostrowski is a firm believer in the value of having a dedicated team, with both sales and technical capabilities, who have a deeper understanding of the role machines can play in an overall workflow.

We don’t have a single vertical focus, as we have found the equipment is suitable for almost any customer that needs high volume along with consistent color output and/or robust finishing.

– Richard Ostrowski, Docutrend

“Too many people think of production print as just copiers that do a lot of volume,” he said. “While you can expect a lot of volume out of a production device, the machine is just part of an overall workflow. It is the team’s responsibility to ensure that the equipment and solution we provide complements and enhances that workflow.”