Founded in 1907, Japs-Olson Company is one of the 10 largest commercial printing and direct mail production firms in the U.S. For more than 100 years, Japs-Olson has been at the forefront of the industry. Much of the company’s success can be attributed to its highly skilled workforce and ongoing investment in equipment and technology.

As a commercial printer with a multitude of departments and equipment relying on files from prepress, being able to control file movement is key. For Japs-Olson, this is finally achievable using one software solution throughout its entire production environment: Enfocus Switch (Booth 555).

Enfocus Switch is a simple, yet robust automation backbone for organizations of all sizes. Available as LightSwitch, FullSwitch, and PowerSwitch, Switch is a modular, open automation platform that gives printers, publishers, ad agencies, and those interested in higher efficiency across departments the tools to accomplish repetitive tasks associated with receiving, sorting, and processing files automatically, thereby eliminating those tasks from the user’s scope of responsibility.

With an easy-to-use visual interface, customers such as Japs-Olson can automate processes using simple drag-and-drop. Switch has no complex installation procedure and requires no special hardware or software.

“Switch has become a simple and reliable conduit for connecting our various pieces of equipment and production software,” says James Boudreau, Prepress Training and Workflow, Japs-Olson Company. “I cannot overstate the importance of simple and reliable operation when it comes to workflow creation and management. Switch has allowed us to automate application processes that now require no operator interaction, such as the preflight of customer supplied PDFs using Enfocus PitStop Server in a Switch flow.”

Another way the company uses the power of Enfocus Switch is with custom Java Scripts it has written for Adobe Illustrator. Boudreau explains, “With this, we are able to pass complex Illustrator files through the Switch flow for clean up and optimization, and then send them back to our primary workflow. Using Switch in conjunction with our primary workflow software, we are able to achieve a level of automation virtually unmatched by anyone in the industry.”

Switch enables companies to automate the tasks that don’t add value and are repetitive. Automating those tedious tasks allows for more standardized processes, which, in turn, reduces errors, saving time and money. In addition, by automating those tasks, time is made available for activities that create added value for a company like Japs-Olson—such as customer service, creative tasks, new marketing and sales opportunities, or simply concentrating on core business services.

Enfocus Switch was recently named a recipient of the coveted 2011 InterTech Technology Awards, an honor presented by the Printing Industries of America.