Prepress

Phoenix Litho Racks Up Huge Labor Savings with Metrix

Wednesday 17. October 2012 - Metrix Software, developer of Metrix, the intelligent, automated job planning and imposition system, announced today that Phoenix Litho reported labor savings in excess of 85% on their most complex and time-consuming jobs, as a result of integrating Metrix into their workflow.

Philadelphia-based Phoenix Litho earns annual revenues of $65 million. Its 154,000 square foot facility offers an impressive array of services to a broad and varied client base including the fashion, fine art, and cultural markets. Robert Weir, Systems Manager at Phoenix Litho, was searching for ways to streamline and automate the workflow when he came across Metrix at the annual GraphExpo trade show. “Metrix caught my eye and I was amazed at how fast it came up with solutions to problems we face every day,” he said. When Weir learned that Metrix could export JDF to his Rampage system and also could import CSV spreadsheet data, Weir reported, “I knew then that I had what I was looking for – the opportunity to automate both the back-end and the front-end at the same time, and a product that could link together the planning and prepress departments.”
Within weeks of installing Metrix, the CSRs at Phoenix Litho were saving tremendous amounts of time on their most labor-intensive projects – large gang runs. “Metrix saves about 8 hours of figuring out the gangs and writing all of the different lots onto the imposition,” said Rich Marion, CSR. He added, “It now takes about an hour to format the spreadsheet and import the CSV into Metrix, and all the layouts are done.” That’s a labor savings of over 85%.
Phoenix Litho has discovered that Metrix streamlines and automates all types of work, including repetitive work. As CSR Jen Clarke explained, “As far as my repeat work, 36-, 40-, 64-page books, Metrix has made a huge difference in planning. These jobs are more complex and since the layouts have been approved by Manufacturing, I know the jobs will run well throughout the shop. These jobs repeat every quarter and now take A LOT less time to plan.”
Weir is very pleased that Phoenix Litho chose to partner with MetrixSoftware, a company he describes as “focused on the needs of their customers, and committed to the constant improvement of their product.” He added, “Who could ask for more?”