Changing the Playing Field Océ and Canon: Leveraging Complementary Technologies The Run of One: When a Single Copy is Enough So You Think You Can Write? Digital Nirvana
Living in extraordinary times often calls for bold moves, the kind that change the playing field for an entire industry. As 2009 winds down as a year of constant change across the printing industry, Canon is acquiring Océ in a move intended to create a new global powerhouse in virtually all forms of digital printing. Once the acquisition is completed, Océ will become a Canon division, maintaining the Océ brand. Together these two established brands are poised to take advantage of a host of synergies spanning engineering, products, software, services and markets. The move makes Canon the largest global digital printer manufacturer and positions it as a formidable competitor with a rich mix of technology and services.
Changing the Playing Field Leveraging complementary technologies
One of the key elements to successful acquisitions among equipment vendors is the resultant mix of products and services. Canon and Océ share similar backgrounds in corporate values with a client oriented culture and a technology driven business model.
Océ and Canon have complementary technologies and products and can benefit from improved diversification across regions and businesses. Océ, one of the world's leading providers of document management and printing for professionals, brings to the merger its expertise and strengths in the areas of production printing, wide format printing and business services. Océ's strategy focuses on strengthening its distribution power, increasing product competitiveness and improving operational excellence. The combination will provide Océ access to Canon's well-established sales and marketing network throughout Asia. Additionally, Océ will benefit from the Canon Group Best-in-Class processes and infrastructure as well as financing to facilitate active investment toward the expansion of Océ's business operations. The combination of Canon and Océ will also yield leading positions in the SOHO (Small Office/Home Office), office, production and wide format segments, offering a superlative range of products and services. This will foster optimal customer servicing through its enhanced scale, innovative technologies and strong distribution networks.
Canon, under Phase III of its Excellent Global Corporation Plan launched in 2006, aims to join the ranks of the world's top 100 companies in all key measures of business performance. As a principal strategy toward the realization of this goal, Canon aims to achieve the No. 1 position worldwide in all of its current core businesses. In support of this goal, Océ boasts a robust direct sales and service network in 32 countries, which will provide valuable additional sales and service support for Canon-brand products. Furthermore Canon will benefit from the addition of Océ's production and wide format printing line-up, along with the R&D synergies made possible through joint development initiatives in these areas.
The printing industry currently is in a period of consolidation, driven by the undeniable fact that scale is increasingly important, especially in R&D and manufacturing. Only players that are able to improve profitability through increased scale and Best-in-Class processes and infrastructure will play a leading role in the printing industry going forward. In this perspective, Canon and Océ form the ideal combination. Together they are excellently positioned to optimize the servicing of their customers and become an undisputed market leader.
When a Single Copy is Enough Automation for a run of one
Integrated Book Technology, Inc., known as , is a world leader and pioneer in providing complete, full-service digital book manufacturing services. Serving more than 250 publishers around the world including more than 40 university presses, the company has made a name for itself producing short runs of scientific, technical, medical and professional books, scholarly monographs and elementary, high school and college textbooks quickly and cost-effectively. Now, IBT Global has teamed with Books International, Inc. a global book distributor, to launch a burgeoning print-on-demand operation that prints books to order in quantities as small as one and as large as several hundred.
Installed in December 2008, the IBT production line comprises an Océ VarioPrint® 6250 digital duplex cut-sheet printer to print book pages, a CEM DocuConverter to split/merge the pages into book blocks, and an Océ CS650 Pro color system to print color covers. A CP Bourg perfect binder marries book blocks with perfect-bound covers. A Challenge three-knife trimmer trims the book blocks, while a GP Squared semi-automatic case binder helps produce hardcover books. Océ PRISMAproduction® software imposes files and enables a smooth, efficient workflow. "We worked with Océ to develop a solution combining a fast, powerful print engine and the post-processing equipment we needed to build a complete print-on-demand book line," relates IBT Global Chief Technology Officer, William Clockel. "Océ architected the solution, assembled the vendors, and put all the pieces together for us.
When we receive an order for multiple titles with different trim sizes and stocks, we can print the books one right after another to keep the order together," explains IBT Director of Technology, Stephen Pratt. "Instead of picking and packing, we print and manufacture to order. This saves time and money because publishers are paid as books are manufactured, which reduces costs and risk and improves cash flow and profit margins.
The IBT Global operation runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, printing an average of 200,000 to 250,000 pages or 700 book units per day. Powered by Océ Gemini Instant Duplex technology, the Océ VarioPrint 6250 system features a speed of 250 duplex prints per minute, eight trays that support different types and grades of paper and a monthly duty cycle of eight million impressions. In addition, operators benefit from features like an intuitive graphical user interface, simple paper and toner changes, and advanced ergonomics, which reduce operator maintenance to an industry-leading minimum.
"As schools and colleges purchase fewer books, publishers no longer have to print more books than they need or maintain costly inventories of books that sit on shelves unsold," says Mal Baboyian, President, Production Printing Systems, Océ North America. The combination of speed, quality and input capacity makes the Océ VarioPrint 6250 system an ideal solution for book printers like IBT Global who are looking to print books on demand in quantities as small as one."
So You Think You Can Write? The Power of Being Published
Being published makes me feel powerful, says Miranda Vogt. She is only 12 years old, but already feels as if shes been an influence on the world. The seventh grader at Bak Middle School in West Palm Beach recently became a published author as a participant in the fourth annual Océ Future Authors Project program. Miranda, along with 49 other District of Palm Beach County middle and high school students, had their original writings published in a book they dubbed, So, You Think You Can Write? The book was compiled by Océ North America Production Printing Systems division and published using the companys digital book factory printing equipment. The book was unveiled at a book signing event held at the City of Boca Raton Spanish River Public Library. More than 150 students, parents and school officials attended the event.
Vogt was hesitant to attend the summer writing workshop at first. I didnt want to spend my summer at school, but it turned out to be anything but school. It was a great experience, and I enjoyed spending time with kids who have the same interest in writing.
Océ North
Americas Boca Raton-based Production Printing Systems division is a
creator and sponsor of the program, which includes a free eight-day
writing workshop held in the summer. A partnership between the School
District of Palm Beach County and Océ North America, the 2009 Océ
Future Authors Project program was made possible with generous grants
from the Lawrence Sanders Foundation, BankAtlantic Foundation and Xplor
International, a non-profit educational and networking organization
serving users and suppliers of document technologies. During the
workshop, the students learned about writing, editing, and digital book
publishing. Certified teachers provided instruction, with additional
insight provided by Océ executives and published authors, Jonathon
King, Sally Ling and Dwight Stewart.
Shivangi Narain (in photo on right), who is in eighth grade at Don Estridge Middle School in Boca Raton, also enjoyed the summer workshop and was thrilled to see her name in print. It was really fun, she said. We put a lot of hard work into this book and learned how important it is to write and rewrite. When I went back to look at draft one of about five, I couldnt believe it was the same piece.
Spanish River High senior, Brianna Bachus, echoed the value of writing reviews. I like having my work critiqued, she said. The teachers pushed us to be our best. Brianna is currently working on her first novel and plans to attend Florida Atlantic University next year. One Future Author participant drove all the way from South Carolina to be at the book signing. Christina Pacilli, a former eighth grader at Tradewinds Middle School, recently moved with her family to Erma, South Carolina. This is such a wonderful program, said her mom, Mary. We are donating copies of the book to the school and public libraries in our new town.
Boca Raton Mayor Susan Whelchel, who spoke at the book signing, said that it really does take a village to raise a child and that public-private partnerships like this one are invaluable. Our most important people are our youth, she said. They are our future, and partnerships like this provide opportunities to help them grow.
Sheryl Pattek, Vice President of Marketing Services for Océ North America Production Printing Systems division, said the program began as a way for the company give back to the community, help ignite a love of writing in students and increase the awareness of the impact digital printing is having on the publishing world. Digital printing now allows more authors to self publish and for books to be printed on demand in quantities as small as one, she explained. Most important, she added, Programs like the Océ Future Authors are essential in todays world of cutbacks. If we can motivate a few students to pursue careers in writing or to fuel a love of writing in our Future Authors, were helping to make the world a better place for all of us.
Dr. Constance Tuman-Rugg, assistant superintendent for K-12 curriculum, thanked Océ for making the Future Authors program possible. During a time when most companies are cutting back and telling community groups no, they continued to support the program and created a book thats the best one yet, she said at the book signing. Partnerships like this are more vital today than ever. Digital printing has changed the business model at every point in the value chain, as book manufacturers, publishers, retailers and even end users benefit from reduced costs and faster turnaround. More than half of the top 20 digital book manufacturers rely on Océ digital print solutions as part of their publishing platforms.
For a closer look at the Océ Future Authors Project, visit and .
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About Océ
Océ is a leading international provider of digital document management technology and services. The companys solutions are based on Océs advanced software applications that deliver documents and data over internal networks and the Internet to printing devices and archives -- locally and around the world. Supporting the workflow solutions are Océ digital printers and scanners, considered the most reliable and productive in the world. Océ also offers a wide range of display graphics, consulting and outsourcing solutions. Océ employs around 23,000 people, with 2008 revenues of approximately $4.3 billion, operates in more than 90 countries and maintains research and manufacturing centers in the Netherlands, the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Romania and Singapore. Océ North America is headquartered in Trumbull, CT, with additional business units in Chicago, IL; New York City; Boca Raton, FL; Salt Lake City, UT and Vancouver, BC. North American revenues represented approximately half of Océs worldwide business in 2008, and employment is approximately 10,000. For more information about Océ, visit . Outside the U.S., consult .
