Italy-based print house Poligrafica is a pioneer in integrating new technologies with traditional offset and digital printing technologies. The company has created Quippe.it to offer a 100% web-to-print service offering low-cost, traditional-quality prints via the internet, from product selection to payment and direct communication with the end user. Quippe.it implemented Enfocus PitStop Connect to streamline operations between designers, prepress and production, and ensure top-quality output.
"Enfocus PitStop Connect proved to be the right product at the right time," says Marcello Pasinetti, owner of Poligrafica and Quippe.it. “When you print any document, the stage between the creative element and file control takes longer than the printing, bookbinding and shipping. With Enfocus PitStop Connect we were able to significantly shorten the production process, and offer our customers an innovative service - unique in Europe. It makes interacting with creative professionals very easy and removes any communication problems.”
Continuous development
Pasinetti began developing the web aspect of the business in 2009, so that the company could extend its reach across Italy. "We realised that we had to specialise in a service that others didn’t provide. And since Poligrafica operates 70x100 offset machines, we knew we could offer higher-value products like commercial flyers, catalogues and magazines.” Quippe.it also introduced a new logistics service, offering a complete print-to-delivery cycle. This includes the production of personalised labels as well as the mail handling through an agreement with the Italian Post Office and distribution contractors.
Quippe.it’s mission is to offer cost-effective, high-quality printed materials to small and medium-sized companies and communication professionals, in a way that’s collaborative, economical, environmentally sound and offers 'certainty' – the meaning of ‘quippe’ in Latin. "Our aim is always to provide a better quality service by anticipating problems,” continues Pasinetti. “Our lead times are extremely short because we’ve been able to dramatically shorten our production times, from document generation to printing. Having such short lead times means we can take on more last-minute work and turn around jobs faster.”
Greater customer satisfaction
When Quippe.it began working on the web, the company quickly solved the problem of verifying and correcting PDF files by using Enfocus PitStop Pro plug-in for Adobe® Acrobat quickly. PitStop Pro allows users to edit text, change colors and move, rotate or adjust any object.
Meanwhile Enfocus PitStop Connect is allowing customers to provide Quippe.it with PDF files quickly and easily, even if they have no technical knowledge. The tool allows printers and publishers to create Connectors that contain specifications for PDF preflighting and correction. The company opted for PitStop Connect from Enfocus because it considered it the only solution capable of handling its volume of orders while ensuring the whole process runs smoothly without mistakes.
Customers can download the QuippeApplet from the Quippe.it website, which is based on Enfocus PitStop Connect. Immediately after creating the PDF, users can check if it meets the requirements for creating prints of an acceptable quality. This automation ensures a fast, efficient process, and gives the user reassurance regarding the final print result. "For example, before uploading to our servers, QuippeApplet corrects the lines that are too thin (less than 0.0850 points), and increases the thickness up to 0.0850 points, which are the minimum visible and printable size in offset,” explains Pasinetti. “This option is very handy when you enter drawings created using technical drawing software in large format, which then have to be reduced so they can fit into technical manuals or catalogues.” To date, more than 500 customers regularly use the QuippeApplet. The high number of satisfied customers confirmed Quippe.it's confidence in both Enfocus and Technosolutions, Enfocus' reseller in Italy.
Innovation the key to growth
Quippe.it’s 20-strong workforce help generate a turnover of 3 million euros, which accounts for 30% of Poligrafica’s total turnover. Key to the success of the web business is the attention it pays to continually strengthening customer relationships. For example, on the website users can turn to chat assistance for help with any problems, ensuring they get the product they expect. Quippe.it is also committed to sustainability, and uses FSC-certified papers and vegetable-based inks.
"Our philosophy is to explore ways to become more innovative with our processes, products and services,” concludes Pasinetti. “In the near future, we plan to offer top-quality products to the B2C market, and continue developing our web-to-print operation. Key to this development will be Enfocus PitStop Connect. It’s ideal for when a large number of relatively inexperienced users need to send PDF files."
