FESPA Launches Certified PDF Initiative in Association with Enfocus

FESPA is encouraging screen and digital printers to explore the productivity benefits of automated PDF workflows, and has partnered with industry specialist Enfocus to launch a new FESPA Certified PDF initiative. FESPA Certified PDF in association with Enfocus enables members of FESPA's National Associations to obtain a discount of 20% over the normal price of Enfocus software products until the end of 2006. To take advantage of this discounted price, printers simply need to contact their national association to obtain a discount voucher, which can then be redeemed against a purchase of any Enfocus software product via the Enfocus web site at www.enfocus.com, or via the local Enfocus distributor. The FESPA Certified PDF initiative is based on Enfocus Certified PDF®, a patent-pending automation-enabling technology used for efficient quality control while managing a large volume of PDFs. Certified PDFs® are immediately identified and moved through production faster than non-Certified PDF® files. Certified PDF® extends the power of PDF by embedding the PDF Profile that was used to preflight the file, and also creates a detailed preflight report, and audit trail of all edits made to the PDF document. FESPA technical experts have created profiles specifically for screen and digital printers, which users of Enfocus software can access via the Enfocus CertifiedPDF.net web site. Enfocus will provide free on-site training to FESPA association staff on the use of Certified PDF workflows, including the use of CertifiedPDF.net. Enfocus will also deliver a session on workflow automation at the FESPA Digital Conference in Amsterdam on 17th May 2006, of which the company is the main sponsor (www.fespadigital.com). General Secretary of FESPA, Nigel Steffens comments: 'Workflow automation is having an enormous impact in many areas of graphic arts, allowing print service providers who participate in complex production workflows to automate the movement of data in and out of their operations, and manage that data more effectively within their enterprises. By working with - and ultimately standardising on - a proven PDF protocol such as FESPA Certified PDF, businesses up- and down-stream in the production workflow, be they corporate marketing departments, designers, prepress service providers or printers, can operate with greater confidence in the integrity of the files they are processing.' He continues, 'FESPA has a clear mission to promote and encourage best practice in screen and digital printing. Based on extensive dialogue with our national associations and their members, we believe that tools like FESPA Certified PDF can offer practical support, helping screen and digital printing businesses to improve efficiency and profitability while minimising the margin for error. In a market with decreasing run lengths, lightning turnaround times and narrow margins, automation and standardisation are key to helping printers become more successful.' Patrick van Dam, Executive VP, Worldwide Sales & Marketing at Enfocus adds: 'Members of ZSO, the national FESPA screen printing association in the Netherlands, have already achieved outstanding success using Enfocus Certified PDF®. In fact, recent independent research on behalf of Enfocus has shown that nearly 80% of printers who have standardised on Certified PDF® believe this has increased the reliability of their production process. We are delighted to be able to build on this by working in partnership with FESPA to extend the benefits to members of other FESPA national associations.' Enrico Steijn, owner of Imaba Screenprinting and FESPA board member comments: 'The nice thing about the Enfocus Certified PDF technology is the reliability and peace-of-mind it brings with it. Checking files is easy and very stable, with no sudden text change surprises. Documents can be judged accurately due to the high on-screen resolution, and the files tend to be very compact. We would recommend this to anyone who was looking for a way of successfully implementing quality control.' Wim Herbold, Director, Point Seven says: 'As a screen printer receiving a large number of files, we find that the Enfocus Certified PDF technology has helped us greatly to save both time and money. It has dramatically reduced the number of files with problems that we had been receiving into our workflow, and that we were having to correct here at our end. Responsibilities are now back in the right places, with file creators able to easily identify and correct any errors, without us getting involved.' He adds: 'In the Benelux region, the majority of printing is based on Certified PDF, and now file creators can simply check the individual specifications posted on the Enfocus CertifiedPDF.net site and use them to create files that comply. And if a file doesn't comply, then the technology flags this up and doesn't let it through, as simple as that.' Gert Veldhuis, owner of Bushhouse Screenprint & Sign, has been actively involved in creating profiles for screen printers and has been using the Certified PDF technology since it was first available. He comments: 'With the differences in requirements and techniques between printers, it is of paramount importance that designers create files that match those requirements. 'Using the Enfocus Certified PDF technology, designers can be sure that the files they are creating are correct from the outset, and there is no need to worry about how they may appear in print. It has enabled us as a company to work much more efficiently by saving a great deal of time that used to be spent making alterations to files that came in, and therefore also the hassle in discussing where this cost should be allocated with the client! I would highly recommend this technology to any company involved in design, as ultimately the whole workflow process will be much more efficient.' Enfocus' Patrick van Dam concludes: 'FESPA has a tangible commitment to helping screen and digital printers build more effective businesses, underlined by the organisation's decision to work with us to roll out this ready-made PDF workflow solution. We look forward to helping the FESPA associations' members achieve the positive results that have already been seen by tens of thousands of print service providers worldwide.'