Co-located with the company’s existing regional technical support centre and emulation laboratory at the Australian Technology Park, the epicenter has hosted almost 10,000 visitors to date and has proven to be a sought-after collaboration space for Fuji Xerox’s customers and industry associates.

"From strategic business discussions through to application development and testing, industry gatherings and events, the scope of activities that take place at the epicenter every week is vast and diverse," says Nick Kugenthiran, general manager of Fuji Xerox Australia’s Integrated Sales and Marketing Division.

"All however, are similarly focused on making the future potential of digital print and communication a present day reality."  

The Fuji Xerox Sydney epicenter  is living up to its vision of becoming a rendezvous point for the industry. It has become an integral part of the industry’s engagement calendar and is widely recognised as a high value environment supported by a team of skilled industry specialists.  

Assisting customers in their quest to grow cutting edge businesses is a key focus of the Fuji Xerox epicenter. As a hub of focused end-to-end print and digital communication solutions, the initiatives within this space reflect the shift in business value from mass production to mass customisation and from disparate stand-alone workflows to integrated print manufacturing workflows.   

Australian outsourced business services provider, HPA, has called on the epicenter regularly since its opening for business development events, strategy discussions and customer engagement sessions.

"We utilise the Fuji Xerox epicenter as we believe that this is the industry’s premier space to demonstrate the capabilities of the latest print technology and how it can deliver end-to-end communication solutions," says Neil Brener, chief operating officer, HPA.

"We add value to our clients’ businesses by managing their inbound and outbound communication requirements and providing cutting edge solutions in printed and electronic formats. We see the Fuji Xerox’s epicenter as a valuable support to our business as it gives us an opportunity to collaborate with Fuji Xerox in areas of innovation such as personalisation, multi-channel and ‘transpromo’ communication."

Linking the IndustryA host of commercial print providers from around Australia have also gathered at the epicenter since its inception.

"Working side-by-side with our industry partners we've shown how digital solutions can directly link to industry workflows via Fuji Xerox FreeFlow including Heidelberg Prinect and Kodak Prinergy to name a few," says Kugenthiran.

The power of these workflows is in the utilisation of JDF throughput which is streamlining and automating the process."

Workflow

Designed to replicate a multitude of print environments, the team at the epicenter emulates complete workflows – utilising Fuji Xerox’s suite of FreeFlow software – to provide  streamlined solutions that manage the capture and production of electronic and hardcopy print.   

Automated pre-press routines combined with JDF, JMF and hot folder functionality enable fast and smart production across a range of black and white and colour digital presses. 

The refinement of connectivity between the various stages of the print workflow is proving a powerful tool in advancing the competitiveness of print businesses.

Research

The epicenter also serves as a research facility for Fuji Xerox's partnership with RMIT on the Australian Research Council project, The Semantic Web. In this project the epicenter is used as a laboratory and meeting place to assist the research team understand the future of the internet and the capacity for improved functionality across the globe. 

The study is addressing the communication between creators and consumers; the underlying standards and issues of inter-operability which need to be developed in order to move documents smoothly and seamlessly from the point of creation right through to consumption. This includes considerations around ownership and control of Intellectual Property; and the impact of Copyright and Privacy law.

Education

The epicenter has allowed Fuji Xerox to successfully expand its long-standing relationships with a number of associations and industry partners through a range of jointly hosted educational and business consultation events:  These include: · 

Australian Direct Marketing Association (ADMA) –  Fuji Xerox and ADMA joined forces to showcase the new world of direct marketing utilising digital print technologies and interlinked multi-channel communications software. This event proved to be the most highly attended backstage tour in recent years providing valuable knowledge on new-age communication methodologies to its members.

Fuji Xerox Innovate '06 – Over 120 people attended the Sydney leg of the annual Fuji Xerox print, design and marketing business development event. With three international experts at the helm, Innovate 06 provided an agenda focused on how to achieve improved business communication results, as well as offering advice, tips and guidance to broaden services and grow revenue and profit.

ACPET (Australian Council for Private Education and Training) – Three events were held to support this reference group with the aim to assist independent education providers make the most of the new world of digital printing and document management.

Direct Marketing, 'Where it's going and what’s in it for you'. – This joint Fuji Xerox and ADMA event was dedicated to better understanding the "work that worked" in direct marketing in 2006. The ADMA Direct Marketing awards were studied and the winning campaigns and the ideas that surrounded them were discussed. A capacity crowd from agencies, agency clients and print providers gathered at the epicenter to learn about the ‘best of the best’ campaigns and how to coordinate and drive award-winning work.

Business-to-Business Direct Marketing – Direct marketing industry heavyweight Malcolm Auld recently ran his industry recognised direct marketing course at the epicenter. A select number of print providers took advantage of the seven-week course to improve their skills to more confidently engage this market. 

Fuji Xerox has provided my training company, The Marketing Campus, with an innovative venue – to assist in developing business-to- business direct marketing skills in the industry. As a plus, the attendees have experienced the benefits that Fuji Xerox print and software solutions can bring to their businesses first-hand. I’ll be using the epicenter again,” says Malcolm Auld, principal of Malcolm Auld Direct.

"No other printer manufacturer comes close to providing this level of additional business resources and growth opportunities for their clients."

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