Agfa’s Apogee Cloud technology receives vote of approval from UK printer Bridson & Horrox
Following the acquisition of two other printing companies, Isle of Man based Bridson & Horrox opted for Agfa Graphics’ Apogee software to streamline their complete workflow in the cloud.
Darren Horrox’ family founded Isle of Man based printing company Bridson & Horrox in 1933. Upon completion of the acquisitions of Lancashire based Haslam and Wallace in 2017, Darren decided to implement a program of investment and rationalisation. Lancashire production was centralised at the modern purpose built Wallace site in Bolton, new printing and platemaking equipment was ordered and a review of the company’s software solutions was initiated.
Having sites on the Isle of Man and in Lancashire, one of his main objectives was to find a prepress workflow allowing for all sites to work together, irrespective of the location of the production staff, and without the need to have an in-house workflow server.
“I started talking to various suppliers about a cloud solution but it worked out that only Agfa Graphics could provide what I was looking for,” enthuses Darren Horrox.
For every job the company produces, whether on the Isle of Man or at the Bolton premises, Apogee Cloud makes it possible to control each phase of the production process from a single user interface; there is no need to have servers at each site.
Apogee Cloud provides the group with Agfa’s full prepress suite to make each job press-ready from online file submission through to the workflow stages of pre-flighting and imposition. Apogee Cloud colour manages the files for hard copy proofing or online posting. It then drives production to the company’s Avalon platesetter or its digital presses. All this is achieved using software situated on servers based in Agfa’s headquarters in Belgium.
“Cloud technology helps reduce capital investment, as there is no requirement to invest in servers or maintain them. When an in-house server goes down it can cause no end of time-consuming problems. Agfa is a large company with huge resources and it has many customers relying on its cloud service so I feel more comfortable using Agfa rather than having my own in-house servers. Added to this, if the broadband line goes down I can access Apogee Cloud using another broadband link,” explains Horrox.
Cloud technology helps reduce capital investment, as there is no requirement to invest in servers or maintain them. I feel more comfortable using Agfa rather than having my own in-house servers.
Horrox is now considering Agfa’s PrintSphere, which will enable fast secure data sharing with colleagues, customers and contractors via Apogee Cloud. He also intends to integrate the Agfa solution with the company’s MIS system, which will complete the process of putting together a total cloud-based solution for the group.
Bridson & Horrox had already been a successful commercial printer on the Isle of Man for decades before deciding to invest on the mainland as a long-term strategy for the future. Like Bridson & Horrox, which celebrated its 84th birthday this year and is in third-generation family ownership, both Wallace and Haslam were previously family-owned and operated, Wallace having been established in 1921 and Haslam in 1959.
“I depend on Agfa as a key supplier that delivers market-leading technology together with added value service and support,” concludes Horrox.
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