SABC Broadcast Information Technology has acquired an Oc'e VarioStream 7450 Twin digital press to get television licence statements and licences out to viewers on time.
Anton Kilian, BIT operations manager of the SABC Data Centre in Auckland Park, says: "It is important to communicate the right message in our interaction with out customers. We also need to control sensitive customer data and provide efficient access to the latest information. The combination of hardware and software that Oc'e has provided allows us to optimise our customer contact."
Oc'e installed a VarioStream 7450 Twin web printer and Oc'e Prisma and PReS software to enable the SABC print room to meet the challenges of processing large quantities of data reliably and efficiently.
The VarioStream 7450 twin is capable of printing 880 A4 images per minute, with the capability of upgrading should demand on the SABC print room escalate. Prisma software enables the print room to produce personalised documents and forms by integrating data with design. PReS is a document composition software that will allow the print room to take advantage of the colour capabilities of the VarioStream 7450 in the future.
Alongside the quality of the Oc'e machines, service, flexibility and the total cost per page were what ultimately swung the decision in favour of Oc'e systems, according to Kilian.
The VarioStream 7450 system can be upgraded to deal with growing print volumes and to print colour. Oc'e South Africa's digital document systems product manager Stephen Bell says: "Studies have shown that accounts printed in colour have a much higher response rate than those printed in black and white only. Colour documents are easier to understand and could certainly increase the payment of television licences."
The printer is network-connected to enable printing from multiple systems like SAP, Oracle and Windows-based systems, and to the mainframe for printing from the Mobius archiving system.
For the past nine years, the SABC Data Centre has utilised Oc'e printing equipment to produce its television licence statements, licences, pay slips and other printing requirements.
Kilian adds: "We wanted a system that would complement our existing set up. Within the space of a week, the VarioStream 7450 was installed and connected to our mainframe. The printer is currently printing at twice the speed of our old system. This has several advantages, not least that we don't have to print after hours to complete our print run, which allows us to better manage our capacity load and saves on overtime."
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