Impact Invests in Océ VarioPrint i300 and Océ ColorStream 3900 Z from Canon Solutions America

MELVILLE, N.Y.—December 17, 2015—Canon Solutions America, a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., has announced that Impact, a leading marketing services provider for over 30 years, has expanded its inkjet offerings to include the revolutionary Océ VarioPrint i300 sheetfed inkjet press, along with the Océ ColorStream 3900 Z L Twin configuration, part of the recently launched Océ ColorStream 3000 Z Series.

Founded in 1983, Impact provides multidimensional services in direct mail, fulfillment, data management, critical documents, email marketing and print management. Devoted to enhancing its clients’ vast marketing initiatives, Impact helps companies of all sizes improve performance with expert guidance and support in applied technology, analytics, and production services.

Since its inception, Impact has invested in next-generation technology that gives its customers leading-edge services and solutions, coupled with uncompromising quality and attention to detail. With a particular focus in aiming for a future where it continues to help its clients gain enhanced results, Impact embarked on a partnership with Canon Solutions America to stay at the forefront of the evolving print industry. As new inkjet technology emerges, Impact knew the time was now to work with Canon Solutions America on solidifying an inkjet solution that best fit both its internal and customer needs.

"It was never a 'why' question; rather, it was a question of 'when' we would take the jump into the color inkjet space," explained Tim Johnson, CEO at Impact. "We knew where the technology was going and how it’s now shaping the industry. As a result, we wanted to assure our clients that we are prepared to grow with them."

The Shift
When Impact started the research process and determined it would move to the color inkjet space, it wasn’t initially looking for two separate products. But as Canon Solutions America prepared samples from both machines and showcased the dynamism of both, Impact quickly realized the two could seamlessly complement each other and offer unprecedented, peak productivity. Combining the reduced costs of inkjet with the media and application flexibility of sheetfed production, the Océ VarioPrint i300 gave Impact an advantage as it related to cost and the ability to effectively run monochrome and color jobs on one engine. Additionally, Impact, with a commitment to maximizing uptime, now has a machine that boasts automated maintenance routines to help diminish any chance of interrupted production.

"We needed to make pivotal decisions on where we were going as it related to inkjet and the evolution of print technologies overall," said Jakob Bruhnding, director of business development at Impact. "Our clients are growing and we needed to prepare to stay ahead of the curve while gaining new customers as well. We’re very excited about our partnership with Canon Solutions America as the pieces of the print industry puzzle are coming together for us more so now than ever before."

As discussions intensified between Impact and Canon Solutions America, the Océ ColorStream 3900 Z began to emerge as an additional answer to Impact’s growing inkjet needs. Johnson noted that his company was aware there was now a sheetfed option with the Océ VarioPrint i300, but with the ColorStream 3900 Z he quickly realized the opportunity for a robust print fleet, capable of next-generation output. The recently launched Océ ColorStream 3900 Z is Canon’s newest high-speed commercial inkjet printing system, and its slimmer design helps reduce space impact while providing industry-leading productivity where a smaller footprint is needed. These two important qualities met Impact’s print room needs as the company looked to optimize space and efficiency. Impact was now convinced that the updated and enhanced print fleet was an ideal match that could effectively blend with its existing continuous-feed operations.

With the ability to now perform both short- and-long run jobs, Impact almost immediately recognized the synergy and fit of having both pieces of equipment. By combining the highly productive and versatile VarioPrint i300 and its sheetfed, white-paper-in, full-color-out workflows with the flexible ColorStream 3900 Z, Impact is poised for expansive growth in the upcoming years. Additionally, advanced features of the ColorStream 3900 Z’s configuration enable Impact to offer up to six colors for monochrome and full color printing. These unique enhancements will help drive Impact’s growth and entry into the world of inkjet printing and accelerate its transition to color.

"It’s a very exciting time for Impact, Canon Solutions America and the industry all together," said Francis McMahon, senior vice president, Marketing, Production Print Solutions, Canon Solutions America. "As the shift to inkjet becomes more prevalent, companies are taking print technologies and productivity to new levels. By working together with forward-thinking companies like Impact, Canon Solutions America and its partners are at the forefront of that movement."

Pete Studer, Impact’s chief operating officer, was primarily tasked with selecting the manufacturer to partner with in this new endeavor. He explained, "While it was not the initial path and made for a surprising conclusion, the investment in both machines sets us up to move closer toward our goals of intuitively diagnosing our clients’ needs and providing them with unique opportunities." He continued, "This technology will help us engage in more insightful conversations with both new and existing customers."

The Final Piece
Adding to Impact’s recent acquisitions is Océ PRISMAproduction, the all-in-one workflow and output management software that has already helped the company manage workflow through its different technologies. Streamlining prepress workflow from start to finish, the software further complements Impact’s recognized ability to understand its costs and get the most from its print fleet.

"This software helps us to stay competitive with other players in the market while staying extremely cognizant of our document preparation and expanding our service offerings," noted Bruhnding. "We are at an advantage with PRISMAproduction in place, and we believe our efficiency will rise as well."

Johnson remarked, "Impact is ready to enter a new era of our business and to install a print and workflow program that allows us to run high volumes of work on one platform." He continued, "Our people are engaged in this new phase of technology and together with Canon Solutions America, we are very excited for this journey."

About Impact
Impact has been in business since 1983, providing services in direct mail, fulfillment, data management, critical documents, email marketing, creative and print management. Impact’s mission is to enhance and execute our clients’ marketing process to achieve remarkable results. Impact’s skilled staff can leverage insights gained through experience and analysis to help improve performance amidst expanding brands, more marketing channels, and budget pressure. Impact provides expertise in applied technology, analytics and production services, and it strives to combine hearts, minds and expertise to create the strongest possible connection between clients and their customers.

About Canon Solutions America
Canon Solutions America provides industry leading enterprise, production, and large-format printing solutions, supported by exceptional professional service offerings. With the technology offerings of the Canon and Océ brands, Canon Solutions America helps companies of all sizes improve sustainability, increase efficiency, and control costs through high-volume, continuous-feed, digital and traditional printing, and document management solutions. A wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Canon Solutions America is headquartered in Melville, New York, and has sales and service locations across the United States.

Source: Canon Solutions America.