Agfa's Asanti Brings Powerful Workflow to the Sign, Display Market at SGIA

ORLANDO, FL—October 23, 2013—To complement its inkjet solutions for the wide-format sign and display market, Agfa Graphics has introduced an advanced automated workflow solution that was built using the company's extensive applications experience. Offering a dedicated option based on the renowned Apogee technology, Asanti is designed for entry-level and mid-sized production companies who want to streamline their productivity, integrate color consistency and fidelity, and enable fully accountable end-to-end quality management.

Sign-makers and display producers increasingly are seeking to improve their efficiency, save time and lower costs across all areas of prepress and production, having been forced thus far to employ different software elements to implement file handling, color management, ripping and pre-flighting. Now, Asanti can be utilized to bring all these elements together in a single PDF-based workflow, with rendering based on the industry standard APPE (Adobe PDF Print Engine) that enables full JDF control for automated accountability.

The new Asanti solution is based on Agfa Graphics' many years of experience in PDF workflows and enables high levels of automation throughout the production process. The result is a very cost-effective end-to-end capability that incorporates all the requirements needed from start to finish, ensuring consistency in color and quality from incoming files, through file editing and ripping to printing on multiple devices.

This new solution is complemented by Asanti StoreFront, a Web-to-print system based on cloud technology that requires minimal up-front investment. This easy-to-use online shopping solution is designed to help print service providers grow their businesses and explore new markets. It handles incoming orders and their status via its dashboard, integrating seamlessly with Asanti to generate time-saving, error-free features throughout the job handling process.

Complete with full pre-flight and correction capabilities, Agfa Graphics' Asanti also interfaces with third-party RIPs and print engines. As a production hub that uses a common user interface, it enables operators to take input from various sources, including Asanti StoreFront. It standardizes functions to ensure consistent color reliability and profiles, regardless of the type or number of output and finishing devices.

Using Asanti workflow optimizes all procedures, removing the disadvantages caused when having to implement a variety of different tools and options. The complexity of the pre-press operation is reduced significantly, with the elimination of errors and reworked jobs thus reducing costs and saving time.

"Agfa Graphics is in the powerful position of having many years of expertise with our Apogee workflow for the printing industry," said Deborah Hutcheson, director of marketing, Agfa Pitman, North America. "By migrating and adapting the elements relevant for wide-format digital printing, the new Asanti workflow brings the sign and display industry a fully optimized solution which seamlessly integrates all tools required, simplifying the use of PDF and bringing the benefits of JDF compliance within reach."

Agfa Pitman products and services will be featured in booth #2228 at SGIA, being held Oct. 23-25, 2013, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. For more information click here.

About Agfa
The Agfa-Gevaert Group is one of the world's leading companies in imaging and information technology. Agfa develops, manufactures and markets analog and digital systems for the printing industry (Agfa Graphics), for the healthcare sector (Agfa Healthcare), and for specific industrial applications (Agfa Materials). Agfa is headquartered in Mortsel, Belgium. The company is present in 40 countries and has agents in another 100 countries around the globe. The Agfa-Gevaert Group achieved a turnover of 3,091 million Euros in 2012.

About Agfa Graphics
Agfa Graphics offers integrated prepress solutions to the printing industry. These solutions comprise consumables, hardware, software and services for production workflow, project and color management.

Agfa Graphics is a worldwide leader with its computer-to-plate and digital proofing systems for commercial and packaging printing and the newspaper publishing markets.

Agfa Graphics is rapidly developing its position in the new segments of industrial inkjet with comprehensive solutions for various applications such as documents, posters, banners, signage, displays, labels and packaging materials. Its experience in both imaging and emulsion technology has provided the expertise required for developing a complete assortment of high-quality inks.

About Pitman, An Agfa Company
Pitman, An Agfa Company, collaborates with world class manufacturers to provide a diverse offering of the most advanced solutions for the prepress, pressroom, wide-format, newspaper, packaging and commercial printing industries.

Pitman reinforces its customer-focused approach by providing the market with an unmatched distribution network, expert specialists, and unparalleled service excellence.

Together, Agfa Graphics and Pitman deliver integrated and complete solutions tailored to the ever-changing needs of the graphic communications industry, enabling businesses to produce powerful messages and be more profitable.

Source: Agfa.