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In the time-is-money world, there is increasing pressure on the need to make time and cost decisions which will improve productivity. This inevitably includes the maximization of resource including the development of new ways of working to ensure the most effective and productive use of skilled employees. For London based AzoGraphics, the focus on productivity among target customers has brou0ht a change in their business focus from simple print service provider to developer of tailored total document management solutions. Launched in 1982 to provide print services to international architects practices and consulting engineers in London and the surrounding region, Azographics took an early decision to invest in a combination of PLP Plotworks software and Xerox 8855 printers thereby enabling it to offer extended digital document services to customers. The decision more than paid off, with Azographics today working very much in partnership with customers to provide a document management solution integral to the effective operation of customer business. Less an external supplier and more a �part of the business� which is simply located outside of the customers offices, Azographics offers customers direct ISDN access to its print services enabling swift digital transfer of information for outputtin0 and collating. Confirmed print jobs are sent direct to the server ready to be digitally transferred, with print and further electronic distribution, or print, collation and manual distribution undertaken by Azographics. Such an approach has, in many cases, completely eliminated the need for customer output and packaging of engineering drawings with resultant savings of literally hundreds of man-hours for customers over a 12-month period. Such an advanced solution has secured Azographics an enviable position within the digital reprographics market place as a real �can do� supplier. But its ability to provide such an effective, reliable service has been reliant upon its equipment partners. The solution in a business facing real 1ime pressures, with many jobs arriving near the end of the workin0 day for immediate output and collation to meet distribution deadlines, the demand was for reliabili1y, superior quality, speed of output and ease of operation. Following extensive review of equipment promises, Azographics selected �Plotworks� software to provide the document �management� and Xerox Engineering Systems� 8855 printers to provide the hard copy output. Full network capability, electronic archiving and multi-set collation means that jobs can be completed within a fraction of the time, whilst the 8855�s four rolls of on-line media allow for continuous production. Exceptional output speed of 7 AO�s per minute is faster than anything that a customer could achieve without infesting substantially in equipment themselves. In simple terms, the result is a system which provides customers with an effective print room without the need to provide space for equipment, undertake high capital investment in equipment or provide operators to work the machines and collate the output. Jon Withey, Manager of Digital Services at Azographics explains: �Our aim is to provide the very best service possible to our customers, with the digital transfer of information providing we believe, the best solution to many of the time and quality pressures. In a competitive world the quality of final output and the speed at which it can be produced and distributed is vital. For architects and engineers in particular the issue is, quite simply, one of business success or failure.� The performance benefits Azopraphics� investment in cutting edge technology has made it possible for them to be able to distribute drawings for Swedish based GMV Erskine Architects who are designing the millennium village, Greenwich. Their high tech solutions enable Azographics to deliver drawings to Ave addresses in London within one hour of them being finished in Sweden. |
