OCE : Imbalplast selects Océ ColorStream 3500

A technical innovation to gain market leadership

Venlo, The Netherlands, 18 January 2012 - Océ, an international leader in digital document management and delivery, today announced that Italian print provider Imbalplast has decided in favor of an Océ ColorStream 3500 printing system, the first to be installed in Italy.

Perfect for sophisticated color requirements

Imbalplast, headquartered in the municipality of Teverola in the south of Italy, is a leading provider in the area of consulting, research on, and development of, solutions related to printing, inserting and postage of transactional and promotional documents, as well as in commercial communication.

Imbalplast customers have come up with ever more sophisticated requirements regarding printed matter in color. With the new solution, Imbalplast can introduce all of the technical innovations necessary to take up a leading position in the market. Supported by Océ technology, Imbalplast will offer not only first-class print services but will also increase the productivity and automation of its print center.

The evolution of the business

Founded at the start of the 1970s, Imbalplast has enjoyed fast growth in print services, which initially were oriented towards publishing but today also encompass transaction and direct mail applications as well as services for GDO. Nowadays, Imbalplast operates a wide range of Océ systems. These include the , , , Océ Pagestream® 500, Océ Pagestream 440 and Océ Pagestream 88 printing systems. The company also utilizes the workflow management software that processes up to 50 million prints per year in a 3-shift operation. Due to its rapid growth, a total of ten new operators were employed in 2011 and the production floor was completely renovated and extended.

Another challenge Imbalplast has faced is an explosive growth in volume. This is expected to reach 100 million imprints a year, thanks to the acquisition of new customers after winning deals with ACI, RAI and Comune Milano. This consequently required an increase in productivity and in the degree of automation used in order to ensure an efficient three-shift operation.

The first Océ ColorStream 3500 in Italy

The acquisition of the new Océ ColorStream 3500 now allows Imbalplast to extend their range of offerings from transaction printing to direct mail and payment slip applications. For large-scale retailers, special printing operations on plastics substrates for customer loyalty programs can be carried out.

"We first saw Océ's new printer solutions when visiting Océ headquarters in Poing. The Océ ColorStream 3500 immediately attracted our attention," says Raffaele Cotena, General Manager at Imbalplast. "With this system we can ensure a smooth migration from monochrome to color without interrupting continuity."

"The Océ ColorStream 3500 easily supports monthly print volumes of around 4 to 32 million full-color impressions, perfectly suited for the requirements of Imbalplast's customers," notes Sebastian Landesberger, Executive Vice President Océ Production Printing. "When Imbalplast's applications develop further, the versatility and upgradeability of the Océ ColorStream 3500 will ensure the company a maximum of investment protection and flexibility."

At the core of innovation

In line with the communication possibilities that color in ultra-high volume printing offers, the new Océ ColorStream 3500 puts Imbalplast in a position to expand its range of services offered to its clients, particularly when it comes to handling complete production cycles that comprise everything from printing and packaging through to delivery.

Another benefit of the new solution is its commitment to sustainability with reduced energy consumption and paper waste. This fits perfectly with the environment protection policy Imbalplast has pursued for many years and which has gained the company EMAS and UNI EN 14001 certification.

Imbalplast emphasizes the efficiency of Océ's pre- and post-sales services: "We are very happy with Océ's competent management of the project in all its complexity. One specialist was at our full disposal to support our technical staff in working with the Océ ColorStream 3500, which is among the first five to be delivered in Europe. In summary, we can confirm that this investment lets us move with times" concludes Mr. Cotena.

For more information, please contact:
Nick Gale
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About Océ

Océ is one of the leading providers of document management and printing for professionals. The Océ offering includes office printing and copying systems, high speed digital production printers and wide format printing systems for both technical documentation and color display graphics. Océ is also a foremost supplier of document management outsourcing. Many of the Fortune Global 500 companies and leading commercial printers are Océ customers. The company was founded in 1877. With headquarters in Venlo, The Netherlands, Océ is active in over 100 countries and employs more than 20,000 people worldwide. Total revenues in financial 2010 amounted to approximately €2.7 billion. Océ is listed on Euronext in Amsterdam. For more information visit .

Océ and Canon: Stronger together

In 2010 Océ joined the Canon Group of companies with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, to create the global leader in the printing industry. Canon develops, manufactures and markets a growing line-up of copying machines, printers, cameras, optical and other products that meet a diverse range of customer needs. The Canon Group comprises over 197,000 employees worldwide. Global net sales in 2010 were more than USD 45 billion. For more information visit .

"Océ", "Océ ColorStream", "Océ JetStream", "Océ Pagestream", "Océ PRISMA", "Océ VarioStream" and the Océ logo are registered trademarks of Océ-Technologies B.V. All product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks, are the property of their owners, and are respectfully acknowledged.