The PrintCity conglomeration accounted for some 10 per cent of the entire drupa floorspace, with almost half of that space a common area, filled with the PrintWorks concept – a group of five specialist multi-supplier production factories, each one being a complete production system, based on realistic print company characteristics, for a particular market segment, producing real live print for the whole two weeks of drupa. In another new concept PrintCity created three entirely separate new brands, requiring the production of printed material that covers every point in the marketing mix.
PrintCity now comprises 48 graphic arts solutions developers led by MAN Roland and Agfa, and another dozen associate members. It sees itself as leading print to a CIM computer integrated manufacturing process, through the use of JDF for seamless integration. At drupa PrintCity announced it was becoming a member of the CIP4 organisation.
The five PrintWorks Factories were designed to show printers how JDF enables complete integration in both produciotn and business management. The quintet of factories were, Packaging & Labels, Web & Publishing, Small Commercial, Industrial Commercial, and Postpress.
All the PrintWorks factories are being overseen and managed through a JDF-networked head office in The Integration Centre, which also features a design/creative studio, colour management, and end-to-end integration through open JDF standards, on a scale that is unprecedented in an exhibition environment. Visitors to PrintCity will be able to have their own personal tour through the network.
To show how its members working together can create new business opportunities PrintCity created three new brands to work with. First was Nasty Beast – created by PrintCity’s Packaging Activity Group, this is a cosmetic and perfume umbrella brand, for which a range of packaging and promotional products will be created. Second came PrintCity Connections – PrintCity’s Web and Publishing Activity Groups created this innovative newspaper-magazine publishing concept.
Finally came PrintWorks – a range of media based on commercial printing trends and practices. The PrintWorks business-to-business brand, created by PrintCity’s Commercial Activity Group is designed to demonstrate how commercial printing can promote ideas and differentiate communication.
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