Southern Colour is a rapidly expanding company with a focus on high quality printing for medium-to-large quantities. They started a long term implementation product with no MIS system or facilities for online customer communications, and their throughput, although reliable, was becoming too slow. Supported by alphagraph team GmbH and Heidelberg Australia, they have begun an end-to-end process automation implementation, with automated prepress, press setup, and enhanced online customer communications. They are now producing on average of 250% more CTP plates per month with 30% less staff, and have experienced a vast reduction in time and consumables in relation to proofing “This is an example of a company that views automation as a change in the way they do business, and keeps expanding into new areas with the process,” said Leininger. “They have legacy equipment and have intelligently prepared a long-term automation program, beginning in 2002 and ending in 2009, during which they have smartly phased-in automation, gaining many benefits, while maintaining growth and production.”