Tharstern NZ to preview Print IQ at Pacprint
THARSTERN New Zealand has announced it will give a preview of its Internet Quoting and MIS intelligence solution Print IQ this month at Pacprint.
Print IQ (Internet or Intranet Quoting) has been developed as a web based estimating tool which only requires Internet monthly subscription to Print IQ.
Tharstern claims Print IQ is a hosted solution, which means no special hardware is required to use it and you are able to use it only as long as it words for you with a pay as you go subscription service.
Additionally, Print IQ is able to rapidity generate accurate quotes for simple or complex jobs regardless of print house size.
The solution also includes Job bags, Reports, Invoices and the ability to export files into an accounts package.
Print IQ is the culmination of development collaborations between Tharstern NZ and development partner Paloma Technology. Both companies have worked on a number of projects for common customers in Australia and NZ and felt the market was ready for the release of Print IQ.
Palomatech’s Print IQ tool integrates with the TharsternSQL database, allowing customers to access online estimating tools and also have to option to scale up to a full service MIS in their local environment.
Print IQ is developed to be layered over a companies own MIS solution achieving point of sale customer traffic, franchise linking to a centralised database as well as simplification of the estimating process to a broader group of non specialised individuals.
AU Printer Magazine : April 2009
MIS Open Experience
With almost 1000 installations around the world Tharstern can clearly claim to be meeting the needs of printers for management control and ecommerce solutions
According to Napil Abdel, sales director at Tharstern Australia, Tharstern is both market leader and technology leader when it comes to MIS. He says, “Tharstern has proven capabilities going back a quarter of a century, and is now in the vanguard of the digital evolution.”
Abdel points to JDF as a shining example of Tharstern’s pioneering progress, he says, “There are a lot of stories about JDF, a lot of information and a lot of misinformation. Tharstern has proven integrated JDF with most of the major vendors, worldwide we now have more than 50 fully functioning MIS JDF printers. I can announce that the first JDF enabled printer with Tharstern MIS is just up and running in Australia.”
Abdel isn’t saying who or where the printer is, beyond that it has several B1 presses and digital printing output capability, but he clearly sees it as the shape of things to come, and points out that it took just weeks to complete the integration.. Abdel says, “The integrated solution increases the level of automation and eliminates many manual tasks and processes. The JMF data coming back into the MIS enables instant automatic feedback of production data.”
However Abdel does not see an MIS JDF solution as the panacea to all printers, he says, “For the medium to bigger printers it will be a great boon; however for the smaller printers JDF may not always be appropriate.
Tharstern’s client base is made up of the full rage of printers from large to small, and in fact for the smaller printers the company has a purpose designed, and competitively priced MIS, known as Smallprint, which the company says is a cost effective and innovative, all-in-one, user-friendly package ideal for small sized printing organisations interested in the advantages of a print MIS.
Aside from all the traditional uses for an MIS, quoting, job creation and so on, Tharstern gives printers the tools to forecast accurately, to set KPI’s and monitor them in real time. “Printers should know how much each piece of equipment is making, on any type of product, over any period, for any customer. When you have access to this kind of information, in real time, you then have the opportunity to make sound business decisions” says Abdel.
In web to print Tharstern is similarly at the forefront of development, and in fact has had its own web-to-print solution since 2004. Abdel says, “There is no doubt web-to-print is currently one of the hottest topics in print, as it enable printers to get closer to their existing customers, it takes out a significant amount of back office activity, as the customer effectively provides much of the admin, and of course it opens up the world to the printer.”
Tharstern also has the ability to integrate to some of the more popular third party web-to-print solutions directly into its MIS.
Often referred to as the silent sales rep the Tharstern e4print module can quickly become a valuable source of income, helping to bring e-commerce to the business.
With Tharstern e4print printers can create multiple custom sites to personalise and reflect either their own or their customers’ corporate branding. It is fully integrated with the TharsternSQL suite and can be used by their customers and own internal staff to drive the printer’s MIS and provide real time access to stock balances, estimates, soft proofs and production information.
Users can also request quotes and even place orders on-line, which are then fed directly into the MIS. Furthermore, as the information comes direct from the customer, both communication and accuracy is improved and of course it removes the need to re-key information.
Tharstern’s primary MIS package is TharsternSQL. Since the early 1980’s. Tharstern has offered arguably the most comprehensive and easy-to-use print MIS available. Designed specifically for print environments including sheet fed, reel fed, label, screen, digital print and the pre-press environment, TharsternSQL is experiencing accelerated acceptance in the global marketplace after years of innovative product development.
TharsternSQL offers an entry-level Suite License as the base platform including estimating, job costing, purchase order processing and raw materials stock control. Licenses are purchased on a per-user basis, to make the solution easier for companies of smaller number and tighter budgets.
The system sells with additional modules allowing printer to tailor a solution to specific needs and integrating with packages from other supply companies to build an overall best-of-breed solution.
TharsternSQL is built with Microsoft technology, giving the system a level of openness that enables it to integrate with other commonly used Microsoft packages. Adding to this, proven JDF, CiP3, CiP4 and ODBC capabilities mean TharsternSQL is possibly the most open, supplier-cooperative print MIS available.
Tharstern India celebrate 1st anniversary
Print management information solutions company Tharstern International has announced the first anniversary of its operations in India. Tharstern says it marked the occasion by hosting a road-show, which was attended by over 70 printers who were keen to hear of the benefits an MIS could bring to their businesses.
Abdul Kassas, director of Tharstern India says, “The first year has been deemed a successful one, during which we have won the business of 10 customers and increased the size of our locally based team. We are still being inundated with enquiries confirming our belief that there is a requirement among the Indian print industry for a Tharstern.”
Manish Kulkarni, country head for Tharstern’s India operation says, “I believe our MIS solutions are proving to be popular because we can offer direct local support from our office in Mumbai which is equipped with training and demonstration facilities.”
Kulkarni adds, “In addition the software has been specifically tailored for the Indian print industry offering a range of modules including estimating, job production and costing, scheduling, purchase and sales order processing, inventory, delivery and Invoicing.”
He concludes, “The application suite can help Printers to improve production accuracy, strengthen communication, save valuable time and make the print workflow more streamlined and visible.”
NZ Printer Magazine : March 2008
Mosaic MIS Ltd now Tharstern New Zealand
Mosaic MIS Limited is now trading as Tharstern New Zealand after changing its name to better reflect its successful and long-term relationship as Tharstern UK’s first international distributor.
Managing director Tresta Keegan says they felt that this relationship should be recognised by sharing their name, “something that both Tharstern UK and Mosaic are very proud to do.
“For 2008, we have reconfigured a ‘Starter Kit’ MIS package called TharsternSQL Small Print. This comprises of Estimating, Job Costing and Purchase Order Processing for three Users. This particular format doesn’t require that it is installed on an SQL server (so no overwhelming IT costs or processes) but can be installed on a suitably spec’d PC with our technical staff applying proven installation and training processes that can see users up and running within a week,” she says.
Different from competitor entry-level solutions, the modules haven’t been shaved back to a skeletal form with less functionality than the solutions sold into larger environments.
“This means smaller users don’t risk buying a product that they are lead to believe is adequate, but the all too often reality is when they start using it in their business, there have been a frustrating number of corners cut that will force them to upgrade to the next level, dipping their hands into their pockets twice and going through added disruption. (Graphic attached re Small Print).
“We’ve formatted this to make it as easy as possible for the user, with Mosaic and One Finance also partnering up to offer some easy financing terms so the costs are expensed and have a minimal impact upon cashflow.”
It’s crucial to note, that one of the things TharsternSQL is unquestionably successful at is successfully delivering to a range of customers, from a single user site (arming them with the best possible tools for business growth) to large print companies (a few with annual turnovers of over $50mill+) where TharsternSQL is at the heart of the business servicing multiple branches in multiple countries. These are traditional sheetfed printers; label; print brokers; screen printers; reel-fed; pre-press houses and digital environments.
Mosaic has also developed some specific tools for the across-the-counter digital environments – an area of the market that it felt was poorly supported with easy-to-use technology that actually integrates into an MIS, accounts and could provide detailed reporting.
“We’ve been in the market since 2002 and have a customer base of some very progressive companies, from Auckland to Invercargill as well as over the Tasman. These are companies who researched the market to find an MIS partner who can deliver to long-term efficiency objectives. Many people look at the implications of money spent in the plant, but there is a very savvy generation of printers in NZ at the moment who know that to compete successfully in a market that is in such a constant state of flux, efficiencies have to be identified, monitored and gained in every area of the print environment: Marketing; Sales; Raw Material; Production and Despatch.”
TharsternSQL has undergone years of progressive development to ensure that it integrates with virtually any other solution to enable efficiencies in Online Ordering (E-Commerce), Stock Management; integration with other packages for accounts, reporting, graphing tools, Customer Relationship Management – and as well Business to Business transactions.
Drupa this year will be an exciting show for TharsternSQL with the launch of the next generation of our E-Commerce package: e4print. This new generation of the product will be made available free to upgrade to existing users on support contract – and will be offered in the market as totally unique in any MIS integrated E-Commerce product worldwide.
“We acknowledged that with an online tool for ordering print, the market that e4print has to please now is massive: anyone from a real estate agent to the manager of a franchise or bank branch, for example.
“The know-how and user-experience that is built into the new e4print is designed to make the printer on the receiving end of the orders look like Heros, totally delivering the online experience that increasingly technology-literate people dream of. We expect it is going to raise the bar for print related E-Commerce.”
printnet.com.au: 23 February 2008
Tharstern joins Supa drupa BBQ
Tharstern, a leading MIS supplier from the United Kingdom, has joined Printing Industries supa drupa tour as the latest Aussie BBQ sponsor.
Tharstern Australia joins the elite group of major industry suppliers sponsoring the events including Agfa, Fuji Xerox, Heidelberg and PaperlinX. Tharstern entered the Australian market about 12 months ago promoting and installing TharsternSQL which is used by over 700 printing companies in the UK.
Sales Director for Tharstern Australia, Napil Abdel, said his company, which will be exhibiting at drupa, was very happy to be a sponsor of both tour week’s Aussie Night BBQs.
“Last Drupa in 2004 saw TharsternSQL as the leader in JDF integration for MIS solutions, a tool for amplifying internal efficiencies and a concept well proven and applied to many sites since,” he said.
“This year, the focus is on securing the customer's print-spend through a new evolution of online print and ordering, totally integrated into the MIS. Maximum automation, minimum handling, long-term secured print contracts and increased margins is the focus of the next release of the TharsternSQL e4print e-commerce product.
“A number of sub-modules are also due for release, with specific focus on brokers; freight tracking; stock management and a number of other changes that will thrill current users and inspire those looking for an MIS partner.”
Sister company to Tharstern New Zealand (the first international distributor for the MIS and previously known as Mosaic MIS Limited), Tharstern Australia has in a short space of time implemented sites in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
TharsternSQL is a full end-to-end print MIS solution known for its product maturity; ease of use and proven ability to excel in environments of a single user or several hundred users.
Mr Abdel said that the Tharstern Australia team would take great pleasure in showing the product to Australian Printers as it sums up what the local printing industry has been waiting for in both MIS technology but also as an online sales tool; warehousing and logistics system and a means of building a solid base to the company's infrastructure.
New Team Member for Tharstern Australia
The Australian team welcome experienced TharsternSQL
user, Steve Bowers, in his role of Product Consultant for the
Melbourne office.
Steve emigrated from London to Melbourne in January with his Australian wife, Sarah. He has a history of 17 years with Sterling Financial Print: one of Tharstern UK’s key user sites. Steve's role prior to leaving was as Commercial Manager and a final project was to setup Sterling's New York office. His career has involved all areas of the trade. As Sterling morphed through various mergers and acquisitions over the years, so did Steve’s responsibilities: from MIS Administrator and Account Manager; and in the early days in Production and Finishing.
We will be taking full advantage of Steve’s industry experience and TharsternSQL product knowledge. He will be implementing new sites as well as speaking with prospective users about TharsternSQL and the benefits for those who are looking for a solid end-to-end, mature and scalable MIS solution.
For
further information:
AUSTRALIA: Sales Manager Napil Abdel:
napil@tharstern.com.au, Mobile: +61 4 37 8634 57
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Top
New names for 2008: Tharstern Australia and Tharstern New Zealand
2008 sees Mosaic trading under the names of Tharstern Australia and Tharstern New Zealand in their respective markets. Although the businesses remain locally owned and operated, it is indicative of the close relationship between Tharstern International in the UK (the owner and developer of the TharsternSQL solution) and Mosaic: a collaborative partnership in developing a market that is seen as key to the future of the product’s growing global market saturation.
Tharstern Australia has been in operation for little over a year, already with sites established in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Tharstern New Zealand has represented the TharsternSQL solution since 2002 and has installations across New Zealand and a growing customer base of label printers; sheetfed offset printers; digital sites; screenprinters and print brokers.
In recent times, the uptake of the e4print online solution has been significant with customer’s understanding that a seamless e-commerce solution connected to a fully integrated end-to-end MIS is not only a unique solution in the market, but epitomizes the benefits of total automation whilst locking customer’s in with technology that is unparalleled.
A number of users also have offices on both sides of the Tasman, using one integrated TharsternSQL solution; some with multiple databases and consolidated group reporting.
For
further information:
AUSTRALIA: Napil Abdel:
napil@tharstern.com.au,
Mobile: +61 4 37 8634 57
NEW ZEALAND: Tresta Foothead:
tresta@tharstern.co.nz, Mobile: +64 27 292 5440
Australian Printer Magazine: November 2007
MIS
Dedication
Tharstern
International is a UK based developer of MIS and ecommerce solutions for the
print industry, with its position as an MIS leader validated by more than
800 printers around the world who currently use Tharstern MIS
While Tharstern software is developed in the UK, local distributor Mosaic launched the product into the Australian marketplace at the end of 2006. Mosaic is an Australian-owned company which is devoted to supporting the local printing industry and creating long-term relationships with satisfied customers.
Napil Abdel, regional sales manager at Mosaic says, “The reason for the company’s strong global presence has been the maturity of the software solution; its dedication to the print environment and integration with other vendor based products to create powerful and customisable solutions.”
Tharstern is one of the few MIS companies which works closely with major graphic arts equipment vendors to ensure that its products are in line with technological trends.
Full service MIS
Tharstern provides a full-service MIS solution including estimating and job costing, workflow and production management, shop floor data capture; JDF integration and a full suite of e-Commerce functionality including online variable data and PDF generation that powerfully integrates with the MIS solution.
Latest
Tharstern International launched the latest version of its software ‘T3’ at Ipex 2006. The interface for the latest version, T3, retains its clean ergonomic style reflecting the look and feel of Microsoft products, and has the added bonus of being able to view Outlook emails and appointments within the new Tharstern homepage.
Tharstern has, without doubt, presented its most advanced MIS solution, which is packed with too many new features and functionality to list here. Napil Abdel says, “We all know that today’s printing industry is a tough business with decreasing margins and increased competitiveness, to offer lower prices and higher quality, to grab the customer’s attention. T3 promises to help a printer thrive in this environment by applying efficiencies across the entire business; providing accurate information to hand and identifying KPI’s, reducing overheads and administration, strengthening communication and helping businesses to get an edge.”
However, with a growing number of companies, it’s not enough to consider adopting the efficiencies an MIS can provide in improved workflow and communications within the plant; the manner in which printers are dealing with customers is equally of interest.
Online
Tharstern’s e4Print online internet-based solution is rapidly being embraced in Australia. e4Print provides a channel not only for customers to interact with their print company remotely, but for a print company’s own sales and management teams to do the same.
Abdel says, “e4print offers completely different value in that it is the way that printers communicate with their customers, add value with a lateral offer and build loyal relationships through a service that they can’t get anywhere else, and often didn’t even appreciate was possible.”
The Tharstern MIS suite comprises of ten primary modules – allowing users to begin with a foundation for the package that will address the needs of all manner of print requirements: commercial litho, digital, roll label, continuous web offset, packaging and screenprinters. This can be built upon with additional modules to link, for example, front office sales with real-time production scheduling, with actual costs and full accounts integration.
JDF
Tharstern has been committed to the JDF philosophy for a number of years, and has illustrated its commitment to making JDF automation a reality for printers by including its JDF gateway device as a standard feature rather than an add on, and so less prohibitive with the costs.
Already Tharstern have active installations encompassing MIS to pre-press, press and post-press environments
Abdel says, “I believe there is a gap in the Australian market for an MIS solution that is well established, mature and able to service small or large user sites without compromise. During the short time we have been here we have already added customers from all across Australia, from QLD to WA.”
Why is the Tharstern software as successful as it is?
· Nearly 30 years of R&D into what a printer needs from an MIS is reflected in TharsternSQL.
· Installation processes have proven to be a welcome experience to users replacing another MIS package. The setup process is more streamlined which means they start estimating within a couple of days.
· No re-keying or cut and pasting of information is required with a true endto-end flow of information.
· Users are able to create and generate their own forms and reports without having to be IT experts.
· Tharstern uses enterprise grade technology which means that handling large amounts of data is fast, searching is powerful and histories are unlimited.
· Extensive relationships with major equipment vendors.
· Proven JDF capability and experience gained in commercial operations.
Abdel says, “We are very keen to hear from printers who are interested in using or upgrading their MIS. Candidates involved would benefit commercially from the associated automation, increased communication, reduced administration and better working practices that we can provide.”
NZ Printer Magazine : November 2007
Mosaic making inroads into NZ's market
Mosaic, the New Zealand and Australian distributors for TharsternSQL, have started to make a real impact in both markets. Wellington-headquartered Mosaic have had to battle hard against customer loyalties to their existing MIS for a long time but feel that the public is starting to recognise the quality of the TharsternSQL offering.
Mosaic's Tresta Keegan says that printers are beginning to approach the company based on good reports they've heard about TharsternSQL.
"We feel that we've finally reached a milestone as Mosaic are now being approached by prospective users in both New Zealand and Australia who have been told that they should look at TharsternSQL first when considering an MIS choice.
"This has come from both other users and other partners in the industry who have complementary products to TharsternSQL. For quite some time we've had to battle the credibility questions of 'are we as good as we seem to be; how long will we be around; and why should printers consider anything new when other printers have used local solutions for such a long-time?' This is clearly now starting to change as customers recognise the quality and value of TharsternSQL."
TharsternSQL has also gained some special attention in recent times as users increasingly consider the possibilities that are available in a web-to-print or online ordering solution.
"Once they come to appreciate the value that such a solution can offer, they do their research and come to understand that such technology is best utilised when it is integrated into an MIS for fuller controls, functionality and reporting," Keegan says.
"But more than that, Tharstern UK is the only MIS supplier who has written their own online solution so one overall product is available from one source with the benefits of security in support, ongoing development but seamless integration between two aspects of the business that address very different needs for the user."
From its beginnings more than five years ago, New Zealand's Mosaic has grown into a strong international business and has created a large base of TharsternSQL users, with almost 30 sites, predominantly in New Zealand, but also in Australia. With offices in Wellington, Auckland and Melbourne and now a sales office in Australia, Mosaic has the trans-Tasman market covered. Customers are located all over New Zealand, Auckland to Invercargill and in Australia, Brisbane, Melbourne and as far afield as Perth.
Having succeeded in making the Tharstern brand a success in this part of the world in a relatively short time, Mosaic will undergo an identity change at the beginning of next year. The company will start trading in both Australia and New Zealand as Tharstern New Zealand and Tharstern Australia.
"It is important that we emphasise the Tharstern brand since that is the product we are selling," Keegan says. "It gives a greater degree of clarity for potential customers and gives more prominence to the Tharstern name, which is critical to building the brand in this part of the world."
Tharstern already has a very strong foothold and brand in UK and Europe, with now over 800 companies using the product, so the New Zealand and Australian operations will simply be falling in line with the worldwide image, including the 'gold T' that many worldwide users associate with a proven MIS partner.
The Australian side of Mosaic's business has taken off this year, following the appointment of Napil Abdel, who was appointed Sales Manager for Australia six months ago.
"This has changed the business for us in Australia significantly," Keegan says. "It is a hive of activity over there, with a number of deals in the final stages of sign-up."
The Australian side of the business is set to develop even further in the new year, with an ex-Tharstern user from the UK arriving in Australia over Christmas to start with the Melbourne office in the New Year. Stephen Bowering has been a long-time administrator and user at Sterling Financial Print in London and has worked in the print industry for 17 years in a number of roles so will add both product and industry experience to the team, Keegan says.
One of the beauties of Tharstern, and Mosaic as its representative, is the ability to work successfully with customers of all types and sizes, and that trend is set to continue as the company expands.
"We have managed to retain our objective of delivering to both the small and larger users with our smallest site being a single user, and the largest having 87 users.
"We also have a range of companies using the product from brokers to gang printers, multi-site operations with offices in both Australia and New Zealand, and the most recent sign-up being the Wellington Prison printshop which will add an interesting dimension to user training!"
Partnerships with other suppliers are an important part of a strong MIS, and Tharstern in the UK already has a strong relationship with a number of the biggest names in the graphic arts.
Locally, Mosaic and Kodak have partnered up a number of times to present integrated solutions to users and to actively demonstrate that industry vendor alliances are a reality.
Earlier this year, Kodak hosted an event in Australia where Tharstern product and development manager Eamon Booth and managing director Keith McMurtrie shared the latest applications of JDF technology that is being widely adopted in the UK.
"Vendor alliances strengthen the position of printers who wish to be very specific about who they want to work with and what products should sit on their floor; for hardware, plant, and software such as pre-press, workflow, web to print and JDF," Keegan says.
"Other partners we are progressing demo systems onsite with are Heidelberg (Printready), Agfa (Apogee X and Delano integration) and Fuji Film NZ Limited (Trueflow and Trueflownet integration)."
Mosaic puts the pieces together
New Zealand has a reputation for creating small, technology-savvy companies with an ability to prove themselves on the world stage. One such company is Mosaic, the MIS specialist and supplier of TharsternSQL MIS software.
The story behind Mosaic and TharsternSQL dates back to 2002 when Tresta Foothead, managing director, was looking for an MIS system to use with the graphics business she was managing. Having looked at and tested many different packages, she was most impressed with the capabilities of the TharsternSQL package developed in the UK by Tharstern International. So impressed in fact that she soon realised the potential market for such a system in her native New Zealand. Thus Mosaic was born, in the process becoming the first international distributor for TharsternSQL globally.
Since then, Foothead’s faith in Tharstern has proven to be well-founded and Mosaic has established a significant and highly-regarded presence for itself in the local MIS market. Today, there are more than 25 operating sites on the North and South islands, and Mosaic, based initially in Wellington, now runs an Auckland office as well and, last year, opened its first office in Australia with a two-person team in Melbourne.
Lynda Rees, account manager based in Auckland, says the success of Mosaic comes down to a combination of two main elements – the software and the support.
“Customers like the system but they also want the support, it’s not just one or the other. With us, they can have both,” she says.
Mosaic prides itself on being very customer-focused, working closely with clients to provide the software solution that best suits them with all the back-up they need. And while lots of companies claim to provide great customer service, Mosaic has the credentials to back it up. The mix of printing and IT skills in the Mosaic team, backed by the developmental prowess of Tharstern, makes for a powerful combination.
Understanding Digital
TharsternSQL is designed to work in range of print environments, not just offset but also digital print, continuous forms as well as labels and screen printing. This flexibility is based on an understanding of the different demands of each sector.
“TharsternSQL handles digital print operations particularly well,” says Rees. “It can be tailored specifically for digital print because we understand that digital is not like running an offset press, the job requirements are different, and we’re able to address those needs.”
Worldwide, there are now more than 700 users of TharsternSQL and it has been widely accepted as one of the most adaptable and easy-to-use systems for the print industry. In 1993, Tharstern was the first MIS supplier to offer a true Windows-based system and its SQL solution was developed in 1996, making it one of the most mature SQL print MIS on the market.
A recent development is the e4print e-commerce module that offers an integrated system for printers looking to provide an online solution to customers including handling online requests and quotes, building and supplying artwork, tracking and managing approvals of the entire job process.
“Customers might start with the basic estimating but they quickly see the potential for e4print,” says Lynda Rees. “A major benefit of TharsternSQL is that it allows users to reach the full potential of the system much faster. It’s designed to be user-friendly for the smaller environment whilst also capable of exceeding requirements of the larger and more demanding ones.”
Having established a bridgehead in Australia, all the pieces for Mosaic are starting to fall into place – and the big picture is looking very good indeed.
Print21 Online: 27 August 2007
Prinergy seminars give users what they want
First unveiled at this year's PrintEx (for which it earned
a prestigious Print 21 Hot Pick), Kodak has been busy making its way around the
country promoting the software to business nation-wide.
Demonstrated by Rich Ramirez, technical support, the session's - which some
Sydney members complained was delivered too speedily - showed audiences new
features including the Adobe PDF print version, Prinergy Hub and Spoke, new
linierisation curve, workflow plan automation and tiff download improvements.
The seminar was divided between advancements to Prinergy Evo and Prinergy Connect. Evo can now be used independently of Prinergy and is accessible by multiple Prinergy users.
"Evo now has more functionality," Ramirez said. "It has back up and restore functionality that a lot of people have been wanting for a while."
New features in Connect include the ability to create and assign free form text notes to a job, rules-based automation, the ability to run on a Windows 03 server, layered PDF versioning and the opportunity for print service providers to personalise Prinergy to match their business needs through adding details such as proof due dates, CSR and operator names.
"The notes mean
that CSRs don't even have to get on the phone and talk to each other," Ramirez
said.
Napil Abdel, sales manager at Mosaic, demonstrated how fellow workflow
specialist Tharsten and Kodak can work together by creating a job in Tharsten
and sending it over to Prinergy with ease.
"Tharstern has gone further than some other companies out there - it sends over imposition information as well," he said.
Abdel believes that breaking through the fourth wall with an interactive presentation is an important way of engaging with potential customers. "From the MIS point of view it shows that JDF integration is real and not just available in a brochure," he said.
The Sydney event drew a crowded room of over 50 people, many of whom were existing customers according to Sue McQuate, software trainer. "I'm thrilled by the attendance," she said.
Numbers in both Sydney and Melbourne were so strong that Kodak staff are now preparing to hit the road again. "We are planning similar events in Queensland and Western Australia along with a second Prinergy day in Melbourne," said Gord Weisflock, market development.
"A lot of customers mentioned that it is hard for them to keep up-to-date on technology and appreciate Kodak for having events like this."
Tharstern & Kodak CONNECTIVITY SEMINAR, Melbourne
Date: 5th July 2007
JDF pioneers Keith McMurtrie (pictured right) and Eamon Booth recently visited Melbourne to demonstrate new innovations in JDF integration between e-commerce, variable data and printing on-demand.
Two identical sessions sponsored by Mosaic MIS, Tharstern, and Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group was hosted on July 5 at the Kodak head office on Victoria Parade, Melbourne.
Tharstern Managing Director Keith McMurtrie and Product and Development Manager Eamon Booth traveled from the UK at the invitation of Mosaic MIS, sole distributor of TharsternSQL systems in Australia and New Zealand.
McMurtrie and Booth shared with a mixed Australian/New Zealand audience the latest application of JDF technology that is being widely adopted in the UK.
They demonstrated how Tharstern Print Management Software integrates with ecommerce solutions and Kodak systems to create tighter business controls, and to open up business opportunities with the introduction of advanced e-commerce and variable data capture and control.
Throughout the sessions, attendees witnessed:
· the benefits of MIS and having the capacity to connect estimating, job costing, purchase order processing, materials and stock control, and production scheduling;
· how to use MIS data to compare and evaluate Key Performance Indicators;
· the value of e-commerce and variable data;
· how the internet can be used to automate orders;
· print workflow innovations by Tharstern and Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group; and
· how to leverage the Kodak Prinergy and Kodak NexPress systems using the fully JDF compliant TharsternSQL solution to produce fully customised printing on demand.
Closing with a Q&A session, the intimate forum provided a unique opportunity for those attending to gain access to some of the world’s leading innovators in the application of JDF technology.
Currently, future shows are in the planning, with live demonstrations a must for anyone involved with sheetfed, reel fed, label, screen, digital print and pre-press environments. Seats are limited, and bookings are essential.
About Tharstern Ltd
Tharstern
provides innovative Print Management Information Systems
to
more than 700 printing companies worldwide. Tharstern is an
Industry leader in developing applications for JDF
technology. The company is dedicated to providing high quality
print management solutions that are easy to use, integrate
easily with a wide range of print set-ups and are designed to
meet the needs of a growing market.
About Mosaic MIS
Mosaic MIS Limited provides innovative software technology to
streamline production process whilst building a platform to
monitor company performance. Their flagship product is the
highly successful TharsternSQL system developed for the printing
industry. Mosaic MIS provides software support on behalf of
Tharstern, and is the sole distributor of TharsternSQL systems
in Australia and New Zealand.
About Kodak’ Graphic
Communications Group
Kodak is a leading provider of innovative solutions for
conventional, digital and blended print production environments.
Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group, one of Kodak’s strategic
business units, provides technologies; products and services
that help print providers streamline processes, optimize
efficiencies and broaden services.
With the largest global sales force, an experienced worldwide service network and extensive industry expertise, Kodak is the right partner to help customers grow their businesses.
www.mosaicmis.com: September 2006
New format Suite License
Tharstern International and Mosaic MIS Limited have reformatted the way Australasian printers can now buy the TharsternSQL software.
The Suite License consists of Estimating, Job Costing, Purchase Order Processing with Raw Material Stock Control and Production Scheduling. None of the modules have been scaled back to a 'light' version of the software but are fully functional with all the technology that has made TharsternSQL a leader in the Print MIS market.
The Suite License can be purchased PER USER, for instance one User can take advantage of this extensive offering for only $3,500 plus installation costs, support and GST. The Suite License cost is reduced dependent upon the number of users required.
Both Mosaic and Tharstern have taken this step so the small to medium print environments aren't forced to either wait until they could either afford to adopt the technology they want or were settling for interim solutions.
TharsternSQL's fully integrated e-Commerce product e4print has quickly become a standard requirement for many printers looking to establish long-term preferred supplier relationships with print buyers who want information and automation at their fingertips. To address this, the e4print pricing has also been restructured so users can get online for as little as $15,000 plus installation costs, support and GST.
TharsternSQL is widely known for it's ease-of-use; scalability and rich functionality that is the result of 25 years of ongoing development and innovation. TharsternSQL is used by over 700 companies worldwide, with sites from 1 user to 200+ users.
www.mosaicmis.com: September 2006
Mosaic Launches TharsternSQL in Australia with Whirlwind Print
Mosaic MIS Limited in New Zealand has represented the UK’s leading print MIS, TharsternSQL since 2001. TharsternSQL is a full-service MIS solution including estimating and job costing, workflow and production management, shop floor data capture; JDF integration and a full suite of e-Commerce functionality including online variable data and PDF generation that powerfully integrates with the MIS solution.
With the signup of the first TharsternSQL user in Australia (Whirlwind Print) and a growing interest from Australian printers in a new MIS offering to the market, Mosaic opened an office in Hawthorn, Melbourne on September 1st.
Mosaic is extremely pleased to be working with Whirlwind on their installation project as the overall flexibility of the TharsternSQL solution is ideally suited to the demanding business model of Whirlwind, who as an innovative team has always sought the best technologies available to improve their offering to a rapidly growing customer base.
Paul Cook heads up the Mosaic Melbourne office, having joined the company in New Zealand early 2005 from Tharstern International in the UK. Paul was with Tharstern UK for seven years in a number of senior roles in product development, sales and as the project manager of some of Tharstern’s largest user sites.
The TharsternSQL solution has recently been reformatted to sell in a Suite License format to break down the preconceptions that the product is only suited for the ‘big boys’. Both Tharstern and Mosaic have noted a growing trend for the small to medium companies to place an emphasis on investment in a good MIS infrastructure as a means of creating a solid foundation for the business, which is about more than just machinery on the plant floor.
Australian Printer Magazine: May 2006
TharsternSQL ‘T3’ launches at Ipex
A record number of Australian printers were welcomed onto the stands demonstrating TharsternSQL at IPEX.
With a customer base of 700 users worldwide, Tharstern International, the UK based developer of the TharsternSQL print management information system, launched version ‘T3’ at the recently concluded Ipex 2006 show.
Tharstern also showed buyers why TharsternSQL is renowned as one of the most capable JDF print MIS’s on the market with active demonstrations of JDF workflow integration and with technology partners such as Heidelberg, Mitsubishi, Agfa, Kodak, Komori and Muller Martini.
Managing director for Mosaic, the Australasian distributor of Tharstern, Tresta Keegan, says that the UK team are “overwhelmed” with the number of individuals from both Australia and New Zealand who made the trip to Birmingham and then specifically took time to examine the benefits the of TharsternSQL solution.
“Without a doubt, Australian printers are looking at all the options available to them from the international market not just with plant and equipment, but in all areas of the business, including MIS,” she says. “They are looking for ways of creating an overall package for their business, to give them an edge and the tools that will provide some level of future security in their ability to thrive in the local market. And they also don’t appear to be prepared to compromise.”
Keegan is particularly pleased with the level of interest in the e-commerce module, e4print. She says that with a growing number of companies, it’s not enough to consider adopting the efficiencies an MIS can provide in improved workflow and communications within the plant; but the manner in which printers are dealing with customers is equally of interest.
Each time Tharstern launches a new version of the software, the company has always incorporated the latest technologies and dramatically enhanced the performance power, and T3 is no different. With faster data search capabilities using ‘intelli-sense’, data can be located quicker based on analysis of common search criteria.
Tharstern has also illustrated its commitment to making JDF automation a reality for printers by including its JDF gateway device as a standard feature of T3 and so less prohibitive with the costs.
Keegan points out that the Interface of T3 retains its clean ergonomic style reflecting the look and feel of Microsoft® XP and the added bonus of being able to view Outlook™ emails and appointments within the new Tharstern homepage. The customisable Dashboard style page also acts as a ‘task manager’ providing a view of tasks that have been created or assigned within Tharstern.
“The benefits of TharsternSQL extend from reaching the customer through the e4print Internet-based e-commerce solution, stock control, warehousing and logistics; estimating, job planning and tracking; right through to JDF integration on the shop floor through touch screens and an extensive reporting infrastructure that comes standard with the system.”
The reason for the company’s strong global presence has been the maturity of the software solution; its dedication to the print environment and integration with other vendor based products to create powerful and customisable solutions.
Mosaic believes there is a gap in the Australian market for an MIS solution that is well established and able to service a five-user site or a 200-plus user site without compromise – which is where it believes TharsternSQL sits perfectly.
Mosaic has recently developed demonstration sites that interested parties can access via their website at www.mosaic.net.nz
Technology drives Roper into new era
Roper is not just another print management company. The Auckland-based business has a reputation for using technology to take it to new levels.
Roper is truly a unique company. As a print management company using a print MIS, they are unusual enough, but they were also the first user of TharsternSQL’s e-commerce solution. Clearly, technology has played a central role in Roper’s success since its beginnings in the early 1980s.
Gary Roper, who started the company 24 years ago, has developed a reputation of adopting technology to give his business an edge as soon as it became available.
The fact that Roper provides customer-centric print solutions across all print categories with literally hundreds of user locations across New Zealand using a print MIS is testament to the flexibility of the product. The Roper solution centres on having a job/accounts/reporting management system fully integrated into the TharsternSQL online e-commerce solution, e4print.
e4print is the second generation web-based solution that replaces the older product, Customer Online. The engine behind this comprises of several modules of the TharsternSQL MIS, sold and installed by Mosaic.
Three years ago, Roper was the first company in NZ to adopt the TharsternSQL e4print module.
From the outset, the team using the products and bringing customers online, could see that TharsternSQL was going to carve them a unique position in the marketplace. After the system was setup it immediately generated more business through automated processes that meant that the staff at Roper were able to provide higher service levels to our customers while reducing Total Cost of Ownership, with the transparent model for Roper and their customers.
Customers are able to log in on-line and create RFQ (Request for Quotes), track orders, see stock levels, create artwork online, pull off customised reports, view invoice histories, receive goods online and email account managers about specific items. With secure log-ins and user-defined settings, orders can also go through multiple approval processes to conform to the processes expected within many corporate organisations.
Roper attribute their success partly to the early adoption of the technology; to the hard work of the team at Roper to configure the product to match their business requirements and those of their customers; and to a close relationship and good communication with Mosaic.
“When we investigated the TharsternSQL solution, we knew this was the best solution in the market, that we should get into it immediately,” says Rachel Arlidge, Roper general manager. “Roper installed the Tharstern solution two months after we first saw it.
“We believe by moving quickly we could provide the right solution to our customers. Waiting was not an option. By bringing this level of technology to our customers, we had immediately set ourselves apart. We built huge customer loyalty but more importantly created new business with creative solutions to our customers’ requirements.
“Creating our own software was never an option. We’ve seen others do that and fail. Becoming a Tharstern customer provides us with up to minute R&D, utilising the IP and stability of multiple users using the product around the world, with low support fees compared to developing and maintaining our own software, so the solution we have today is another leap ahead of the one we started out with.
“TharsternSQL isn’t a ‘technology liability’ that we have to continue to pour funds into to try and keep ahead. We are constantly delivered innovations and have directly contributed to product improvements ourselves, by putting forward suggestions that Mosaic channelled back to the development team in the UK.”
Arlidge says that the decision to put in an MIS in the first place was based around customers and for the benefits those customers can gain from online access to Roper’s services.
As a print management company using an MIS, it wasn’t simply a matter of plug and play for Roper. There was considerable work that needed to be done in order to ensure a good fit between Roper and the MIS, and Arlidge says that Mosaic came up with the solution that made it all possible and made Roper the first print management company in the world to use the TharsternSQL solution.
“Mosaic have been very proactive in helping us to push the system to the limit to provide services to customers.”
The fluid and dynamic nature of Roper’s operation meant that Tharstern had to be prepared to work quickly and ensure the system fitted in straight away. It was not a problem, according to Arlidge.
Compared to the competition, Tharstern is very easy to set up and manage internally. It is not a complicated MIS. It has a very clear logical flow. If you’re logical in your thinking, then it’s very easy to work with. We’ve had new staff join us since we installed TharsternSQL and we only have to give them one day’s training and they’re straight into it.
“It’s a very easy user interface if you’re familiar with Windows. It has a very flat, very simple structure. You don’t have to continually drill down to get useful information. It’s all right there and it’s very simple.”
Arlidge says that, overall, TharsternSQL has made a major difference to Roper’s business: “It has reduced our costs dramatically and has meant that we can buy much better for our customers and allow us to pass those savings on, so that everybody benefits.”
LithoTechnics and Tharstern to demo MIS-Job Layout JDF integration at IPEX
LithoTechnics Pty Limited and Tharstern Limited announced today that they will be cooperating via JDF link in live demonstrations at the upcoming IPEX trade show in Birmingham, UK.
Visitors to the Tharstern stand (#20-C45) will see the latest achievement in linking MIS with job planning using the Job Definition Format (JDF). TharsternSQL and LithoTechnics’ Metrix will work together to streamline planning, estimating, and imposition. The capabilities of TharsternSQL to plan an entire publication and describe it in JDF will be combined with the ability of Metrix 2.0 to read and interpret the JDF and automatically calculate the complete layout for all signatures. Through this demonstration, the companies are proving in practice that JDF is a viable protocol for automation today.
Rohan Holt, founder of LithoTechnics, states "We are very pleased to be working with Tharstern on this link between MIS and job planning. Tharstern recognized early on the true value of JDF in realizing print production automation, and this demonstration is the continuation of that effort." Holt adds, "The beauty of JDF is that it enables the seamless linkage between various systems and applications – and this is one link that will bring tremendous value to our customers."
Keith McMurtrie, Managing Director of Tharstern, adds, "The JDF integration between TharsternSQL and Metrix 2.0 offers significant added value for our customers, who will be able to use Metrix to calculate and graphically review the signature layout based on the job information imported from Tharstern. It is an exciting development, and we are excited to be working with LithoTechnics to bring this solution to the print industry."
About LithoTechnics
LithoTechnics is a privately held company founded in 2003 by Rohan
Holt. Holt is the original inventor of SuperImpose™, the product that
was adapted and renamed UpFront® when it was acquired by ScenicSoft in
1999. Metrix, LithoTechnics' flagship product, received the prestigious
2005 PIA/GATF InterTech™ Technology Award, recognized industry-wide as a
symbol of technological innovation and excellence. Based south of
Sydney, Australia, LithoTechnics is a software company focused on
providing key tools and technologies to enable print workflow
automation. LithoTechnics is a full member of the CIP4 Organization.
For more information visit http://www.lithotechnics.com/
MIS on the move with Mosaic
In the world of management information systems (MIS) for print, 23 years is a very long time. Yet that is exactly the amount of time that TharsternSQL has been at the forefront of print MIS technology.
Represented in New Zealand by Mosaic, and with a growing customer base across the country, TharsternSQL has more than 700 users around the globe. And the reason for the company’s strong global presence has been its dedication to print, its knowledge of the industry and, ultimately, its ability to improve customers’ businesses.
“The base MIS is all about internal efficiencies and how to maximise throughput, information and profit,” says Mosaic sales manager Tim Clark. “And it is exceptionally strong in that area.
The TharsternSQL suite comprises of nine primary modules – allowing users to begin with a foundation for the package that will address the needs of all manner of print requirements: commercial litho, roll label, continuous web offset, packaging, digital and screenprinters. This can be built upon with additional modules to link, for example, front office sales with real-time production scheduling, with actual costs and full accounts integration. And every aspect can be tailored to each printer’s needs, and the needs of their customers.
For printers, as for any industry, the Internet has rapidly become a crucial aid to business, and TharsternSQL is providing a key for printers to unlock the door to profitable web-based business. Printers are increasingly demanding an internet-based ordering and artwork solution for customers, according to Clark.
TharsternSQL’s e4Print Online Internet-based solution replaces what has been known as Customer Online, providing the additional ability to customise the interface to match another website – and therefore emulate a customer’s brand. With artwork builder functionality, reporting, stock order and tracking, e4Print provides a channel not only for customers to interact with their print company remotely, but for a print company’s own sales and management teams to do the same. This powerful functionality is rapidly being embraced in New Zealand.
“e4print offers completely different value in that it is the way that printers communicate with their customers, add value with a lateral offer and build loyal relationships through a service that they can’t get anywhere else, and often didn’t even appreciate was possible,” Clark says.
While packing a big technological punch, TharsternSQL also delivers simplicity and ease-of-use. As a “true Windows solution”, it is built with Microsoft Windows technology, giving the system a level of openness that enables it to effortlessly integrate with commonly used Microsoft packages.
With increasing complexity in printing businesses, more equipment, more automation and more software (both in the office and the pressroom), there is a clear need for printers to find the most effective way to manage that complexity. And what works for one company may not work for another, a fact that Mosaic recognises.
“With TharsternSQL, printers can create a equation particular to their business and that of their customers,” Clark says. “The idea is unlocking choice for customers – so they can mix and match to get exactly what is needed at any time in the development of their business: unlimited, easy-to-use, feature rich and flexible.”
That flexibility and ability to choose is backed by the strength that is behind TharsternSQL in terms of research and development, creating a powerful product.
“It is especially motivating to see how and where Tharstern UK is pushing developments in all areas of the solution. These include initiatives from this market as well and results and benefits that are delivered directly back to all users.
Clark says that TharsternSQL is always only a part of the overall solution. The most desirable outcome for a printer will likely involve numerous vendors for hardware, software and machinery. Therefore, TharsternSQL is developed to work with other vendor products, not limit the options of the printer and the potential of their business.
While TharsternSQL is developed in the UK, local distributor Mosaic is a New Zealand-owned company which Clark says is devoted to supporting the New Zealand printing industry and providing local support for long-term relationships with satisfied customers.
NZ Printer Magazine: October 2005
Printstop gets started with Mosaic
An ambitious new hub and spoke printing franchise has adopted TharsternSQL to drive its ultra-high throughput.
When Astra Print decided to create Printstop, a new-concept hub and spoke printing franchise, it needed a powerful MIS solution that would help to ensure a smooth ride for the company.
Astra turned to Mosaic and its TharsternSQL solution to give it the power required to carry out a range of tasks that it says most systems just couldn’t handle
Astra plans for 60 Printstop franchise stores to be created around the country over the next four years, all of which will channel work back to Astra’s Wellington printing plant. By ganging all the incoming jobs on the company’s fleet of high quality, high productivity presses, Astra will ensure that the jobs are printed quickly, efficiently and with offset quality.
With a target market of SMEs, the Printstop model is “about making it easy for them to buy print, and giving them easy access to design” says Printstop general manager Steve Messenger.
Every store will have salespeople and designers, and when all stores have been fully rolled out, Messenger says the company will boast one of the biggest design networks in New Zealand with around 120 designers.
The company’s motto ‘Better, cheaper, faster’ sums up its goals and its intended appeal to the market, according to Messenger.
“It’s better because it’s all full colour, and printed on premium stocks. As our CEO, Lawrence Evans says, full colour is the new black.
“It’s cheaper because the efficiency of feeding all the orders to one hub gives industry-defining prices, up to 80 per cent cheaper than industry standard.
“And it’s faster because the workflows we’ve chosen, the high level of automation and standardisation mean we can guarantee lead times of three days. Our surveys have shown that most printers have not even returned customers’ quotes after three days.”
Obviously, with such a high productivity, high pressure model, workflow is critical to Printstop. Already, the company hub in Wellington is churning out about 50 jobs a day. Symon Yendoll, Astra operations director, predicts that this will grow to around 600 jobs a day once the Printstop concept is fully rolled-out.
Its previous MIS was past its use-by date and Astra needed “a bigger and more robust system that covered more areas,” in order to cope with the rapidly increasing demands, according to Yendoll. It turned to Mosaic and its TharsternSQL solution. “Tharstern covers many areas, and we use all of them,” he says.
“Tharstern is very strong in traditional print and it is clear that other systems don’t have the total overall strengths that they do, so it was easy to eliminate the others.”
Integration with Astra’s existing systems was critical and was something that Tharstern was able to offer. For example, Astra is using the Heidelberg Prinect Printready prepress workflow, with which the Tharstern MIS is able to work together seamlessly.
“Compatibility is vital to get the most out of the operation,” Yendoll says. “The beauty of this model is that it is such an efficient way of handling work, thanks to the smart use of technology. As the level of work grows, we will just get more efficient.”
One of the central parts of the Tharstern MIS for Printstop is the customer online module, which Yendoll describes as a very robust logistical system that allows Printstop franchise owners and their customers a range of methods to access jobs, including storing work online so it can be drawn on at will.
“The benefit is that it’s an easy portal into Astra. From remote sites around the country, all work can be fed in and there’s no need to have discs flying around.
“Tharstern will act as a huge database for all the work that’s coming in.”
The system has been designed by Tharstern in consultation with Printstop to ensure that all the company’s needs have been met, and Yendoll says the companies have worked together in a strong partnership.
“Tharstern’s support has been fantastic. They’ve been very cooperative and made us feel like a major player. They have treated us as if we are central to this product and they are clearly passionate about the development of our business.
“There is nothing simple with technology these days. If you think there is such a thing as plug it in and go, you’re dreaming. Having support like this is critical.”
The size of TharsternSQL and its ability to expand with Printstop was another important factor in Astra’s decision to choose the solution.
“We’re still not utilising it to the full. It is so big and there is so much to get your head around. We are so diverse and we chip away at everything. We have every piece of equipment imaginable, so it’s important for us to know that Tharstern is able to track everything and that, quoting, for example will be in sync with everything else.
“The scope of it is just amazing.”
Southern Colour Print, NZ, takes new direction with TharsternSQL
One of Tharstern’s newest and most southern customer is Southern Colour Print, in Dunedin, New Zealand. With a history as one of the country’s oldest and most established printing companies, Southern Colour is also clearly recognised as a survivor in the local marketplace.
SA manufacturer of security products, postage stamps and commercial sheet-fed, we asked Southern Colour why they chose Tharstern and local distributor Mosaic MIS Ltd as their technology partners.
Mike Thomas, Managing Director for SCP, said, “Having come through a receivership that was primarily bought about by failures linked to the use of a previous electronic management system, we have recognised that rapid access to accurate information, which is available to all management as appropriate, is essential.” Mike went on to say, “The deciding factor was the high level of support available in New Zealand from Mosaic, together with a realistic purchase option.”
“Prior to the receivership, management relied on financial information supplied and interpreted by accountancy staff that ran the system. What has changed is that now, all tiers of management are involved in the use of the system, to the extent that all of the past mystique has disappeared. Consequently the training of staff and system knowledge (at all levels) has increased massively and everything is transparent.”
Les McKenzie,
Commercial Publications Manager for SCP, was responsible for the research
and eventual recommendation of a 14 user TharsternSQL to the Board. Les
added “On-line ordering has become an essential part of SCP’s business and
Tharstern have developed a robust approach to this essential component, to
the benefit of our clients and the company.” Les explained some of the hard
lessons learnt by SCP but finished by saying, “TharsternSQL promises to pave
the way for a new era at Southern Colour.”
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