Allegra Network, Aleyant Partner to Integrate Aleyant Pressero Web-to-Print Storefront Into WorkStream

WHEATON, IL and PLYMOUTH, MI—April 21, 2015—Aleyant, an innovative leader in providing robust software services to the graphic communications industry at value-driven prices, and Alliance Franchise Brands (parent of company of Allegra Network), one of the world’s largest marketing and business communications franchises, announced a joint development partnership. The Marketing and Print Division of Alliance Franchise Brands has chosen Aleyant Pressero as the Web-to-print storefront system for WorkStream, a fully integrated Web-storefront-to-MIS-workflow automation solution that will be offered across its North American network of more than 270 marketing and print communications franchises. As part of the agreement, Aleyant will work with Alliance Franchise Brands and other partners in the development of WorkStream, including Avanti, to offer franchise members a seamless multi-vendor workflow.

"We were looking for an affordable, open architecture solution from a partner that was willing to work closely with us to accomplish our goals," said Joe D’Aguanno, CTO of Alliance Franchise Brands. "We were extremely pleased with the flexibility and industry knowledge demonstrated by the Aleyant team, as well as the robust functionality of Pressero. We vet solutions on behalf of our franchise members to ensure that they will deliver a good ROI for our members who choose to adopt them, and that the supplier is as dedicated as we are to continuing to evolve with—or ahead of—the market. Aleyant met our requirements on all of those fronts."

D’Aguanno was also impressed with Aleyant eDocBuilder, the template-based variable data and online design solution embedded into Pressero, and added, "We have variable data functionality in our existing XMPie-based online ordering system. Any Web-to-print solution missing that functionality would be hard to consider. The variable engine is extremely important to us." Aleyant’s Automated Workflow Integrator was also an attractive part of the offering that contributed to this decision.

"We are looking forward to working with Joe, his team and other selected partners to integrate Pressero into WorkStream," relayed Greg Salzman, president of Aleyant. "The test bed, in the form of the Allegra corporate-owned centers, is the ideal platform for determining exact requirements, developing to those requirements and testing outcomes to make sure everything is buttoned up before release to the rest of the franchise network. This approach is likely to encourage a broader adoption rate within their system.”

D’Aguanno concluded, "Trust is an important part of relationships of this nature. We’ve had extensive conversations with Greg and his team, and our decision reflects the confidence we have in their ability to perform as promised. We have also had the opportunity to present Pressero to a number of our franchise members, and their initial response has been overwhelmingly positive. We are ready to get started!"

Pressero Web-to-print System
Aleyant Pressero is an affordable and easy-to-use, cloud-based B2B or B2C online storefront solution that can quickly and easily be customized to individual client needs. This includes 'mobile-first' design for branded sites to ensure proper display regardless of the viewing device being used. Pressero includes Aleyant eDocBuilder, a Web-based variable data publishing system built specifically to easily integrate into Aleyant or third-party web-to-print or MIS solutions. eDocBuilder features advanced typography control, imposition, scripting support, PDF workflows, rapid template creation, Excel merge capabilities and more. Aleyant’s Automated Workflow Integrator (AWI) connects the online storefront's to prepress and production using a rules-based approach to automate such processes as file retrieval and renaming, unzipping zipped files, or sending files and metadata directly to a third-party color management or preflight application, such as Tucanna tFlow, or a RIP for processing, eliminating multiple steps in the workflow.

About Alliance Franchise Brands (Allegra Network)
Alliance Franchise Brands, the parent company of Allegra Network and Sign & Graphics Operations, is a world leader in marketing, visual and graphics communications, linking nearly 600 locations in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom. The company’s Marketing and Print Division, headquartered in Plymouth, MI, is composed of Allegra, American Speedy Printing, Insty-Prints, Speedy Printing and Zippy Print brands of marketing, printing, mailing and Web services providers. Its Sign & Graphics Division, headquartered in Columbia, MD, is composed of Image360, Signs By Tomorrow and Signs Now brands of sign and graphics communications providers.

About Aleyant
Founded in 2005, Aleyant is an innovative leader in providing robust software services to the graphic communications industry at value-driven prices. Its expertise lies in developing highly functional and flexible applications using the most current Web development technologies available, including workflow aimed at lights-out automation. Its flagship Web-to-print software, Aleyant Pressero, is a highly customizable retail and business-to-business storefront interface and has launched many of its clients into the exciting world of Internet-based print sales. Aleyant also offers a Web-based online design and variable data publishing (VDP) system, Aleyant eDocBuilder, as a separate product. Aleyant's solutions are integrated with multiple MIS and Web-to-print systems.

Source: Aleyant.