Design Your Future with Soltect at PacPrint

Systems architect Soltect encourages attendees to take the chance to ‘think big’ and design a seamless and efficient workflow that embraces all the benefits of the digital age, ensuring they survive and thrive into the future.

Yves Roussange, founder and CEO of Soltect, points to the dramatic culture change in our industry driven by digital innovation and the impacts of global shifts, saying it is critical for print and graphic communications businesses to move from a traditional manufacturing mindset to a technology mindset.

He says, “We live in a different world today from a decade ago. For businesses to keep up with this transformation, they need to not only continue to invest in equipment and systems but to foster a completely new way of thinking about their workflow and their business – to completely change their business DNA, if you like.”

PacPrint visitors who will be coming to the show to look for new systems and equipment should, he says, also consider how any new investments will fit together, with the goal being a totally integrated and streamlined system that takes advantage of automation and two-way, digital communications technologies to absolutely maximise efficiency, productivity and profitability.

“What businesses need to be thinking about – particularly if they are looking at new investments, but also if they are just seeking to maximise the value of their current investments – is how much they are losing in terms of time and efficiency by not designing the right business architecture…and how much that is already costing their business, every day.”

As the adage says, ‘time is money’, and Roussange says many businesses are unaware of just how much time – and, consequently, profit – is being wasted simply because their workflow is not optimised.

“Many workflows are assembled piece by piece as businesses grow,” he says. “But like a jigsaw puzzle, if you don’t take time to step back and identify where pieces are missing and work to fill the gaps and connect each piece to the other, you can’t enjoy the full benefit of the complete picture.”

As well as allowing businesses to correct more easily identifiable workflow interruptions and bottlenecks, Soltect finds many companies have more subtle and fundamental workflow interruptions and disconnects and far too many touchpoints in their production process.

“This has been highlighted during the pandemic when staff absences caused production delays and even closures for some businesses,” Roussange comments. “For our customers who were working with us to increase automation, however, the benefits of reduced reliance on manual processing were immediately evident. It allowed them to minimise disruption and keep the presses running.

“You don’t need a pandemic to be able to benefit, though – most businesses can identify and recoup wasted time and profits, but success does not come out of a box; you have to redesign the architecture of the business.”

This starts right from the first interaction, and Soltect will be launching a new, cloud-based customer interface at PacPrint, which Roussange says is easy, affordable and intuitive, helping to educate customers and giving them the tools they need to take full advantage of automation. With the recent Federal Budget providing significant incentives for this type of investment, businesses can claim 120% of their monthly investment for eligible cloud computing solutions;  Roussange says it’s really a ”no-brainer”.

Sitting behind the new customer interface is Soltects suite of software products, including Enfocus Switch for workflow automation, PitStop PDF pre-flight software and ConnectALL advanced PDF Pre-flighting delivery tool, as well as Callas PDF pre-flighting and template building solutions, Ultimate Impostrip imposition and finishing automation solution, and SwitchBOX-Approvalintu integrated web-based job approval system.

“Visitors will be able to talk to us about all of these at PacPrint,” Roussange says, “but the real value we can bring to your business is providing the intelligence behind those solutions – that’s the critical ‘missing piece of the puzzle’.”

Soltect’s service begins with investigation and analysis to provide a level of understanding. A lack of time and objectivity makes it difficult for business owners to achieve on their own. That, says Roussange, is where an independent solutions architect can be enormously valuable.

“We can come in, identify where the issues are, and provide business owners with an honest appraisal of how the business is going and what needs to change,” he explains. “The report can be confronting, but blunt honesty is necessary – I genuinely believe there is no time to filter information to make it more palatable. Businesses need to move quickly not just to stay one step ahead but to avoid falling quickly behind their competition.”

Soltect works with some of the industry’s leading print service providers. While any specifics are commercial-in-confidence, Roussange says the return on investment has been well demonstrated.

“Not only can any investment in developing your business architecture be recouped quickly, it pays significant long-term dividends in business adaptability and long-term profitability; it’s basically designing your business for success,” he concludes.

Soltect will be on Stand B86 at PacPrint, which will co-locate with Visual Impact Melbourne and the Label & Packaging Expo at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre from 28 June to 1 July.