Advertorial
By Tony Curcio
In 2011, Leiman Chan set out to transform his family’s business, Los Angeles, CA-based Nonstop Printing, into a print manufacturing dynamo. After over a decade at the helm, Chan’s vision has now been realized, thanks to the enormous untapped efficiencies of customized workflow automation. With a staff of ten, Chan’s digital printing business specializes in short-run, high-quality art books as well as event printing and signage. His clients include some of Hollywood’s biggest celebrities and entertainment firms—so personalized service, accuracy, attention to detail, and exceptional print quality are essential.
Meeting Challenges with Automation
After ten years, Chan was still struggling with many challenges faced by other small printing companies—including profitability, talent acquisition, and staff burnout. In particular, he had difficulty retaining staff in his busy prepress department. “I was desperate for a breakthrough and realized that it was no longer sustainable to keep replacing staff,” he recalls.
Seeking a breakthrough, Chan came across Tilia Labs and learned that smaller printers were reducing imposition times from a few minutes to a few seconds. Realizing the potential for efficiency gains, Chan invested in Phoenix, which dramatically reduced imposition times and processed small orders more efficiently. Automation also eliminated stressful manual touchpoints that were burning out employees.
Automation Transformation
The CEO sought advice on how to take these efficiencies to the next level, and was introduced to Marc Raad, CEO, Significans Automation. After a thorough analysis, Raad and his team determined that the best path forward was to deploy the Enfocus Switch workflow automation tool. “So, we did the groundwork and we also taught Leiman advanced programming and scripting,” shares Raad. “He loved every minute of it!”
Chan’s vision was finally becoming a reality. “Significans Automation showed me how to create these incredible workflows and time-saving automation,” he says. With his unique insight into every department at Nonstop, Chan was able to integrate and automate all critical aspects of his workflow—including proofing, file delivery, finishing, and bindery.
Numbers that Speak for Themselves
Prior to automation, it took 15 to 60 minutes to proof a book. With automation, that’s now down to three to five minutes. Significans Automation also deployed GMG Color software to improve workflow and color management. This cut press downtime over ten percent due to reduced operator intervention to adjust color using curves. Rework due to proofing errors or miscommunication was cut by 15 percent, and prepress staff was eventually reduced by 50 percent.
Today, Chan estimates that he could add over $1 million in new business—without hiring new employees or buying new equipment. “Significans Automation helped revolutionize our business through automation even more than I had envisioned. I hope my success story gives hope to other small printers,” he adds.
For a review of your specific workflow automation needs call Significans Automation at 877-463-4465 or visit significans.com.
Sep2023, DPS Magazine
