Bytes Document Solutions showcases innovative printing solutions at FESPA Africa 2014

Additionally, a comprehensive range of software solutions will be demonstrated including XMPie Web to Print, XMPie Cross Media Marketing and CMI Colour Management. The exhibition takes place from 2-4 July 2014 at the Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg.

FESPA Africa is co-locating with Practical Publishing's established Africa Print exhibition this year. Founded in 1962, FESPA is a global federation of 37 member associations for the screen printing, digital printing and textile printing community. FESPA Africa is one of a series of events taking place in key regions globally and incorporates the Sign Africa and Visual Communications Africa Expos.

Paul Haglich, marketing manager for production systems at Bytes Document Solutions, says FESPA Africa is the ideal opportunity to showcase the technological gains being made in production printing systems from Xerox: "Production printing solutions have seen tremendous advances in recent years. New products not only deliver better quality output faster, but also shorten the supply chain for printers by incorporating print finishing, tasks which were once outsourced to specialists," he says.

Principal among the new devices Bytes Document Solutions is showcasing is the Xerox Versant 2100 press. Being demonstrated for the first time in South Africa, this machine is designed to handle up to 250,000 pages per month and has optional finishing accessories, including high-capacity feeding, stacking, and finishing. "There is a growing market for versatile devices and the Versant delivers. It handles coated and uncoated papers, bright papers, labels, business cards, glossy brochures, window decals, greeting cards and custom solutions. And it even handles mixed-stock jobs," Haglich says. "It's also the first time the press is being showcased outside of the US."

He draws attention to the Xerox iGen150. Capable of handling up to 3.75 million pages per month, this machine is suitable for producing books and manuals, collateral, direct mail items, photo publishing, and transactional promotional work. It incorporates finishing, too, such as booklet making, cutting, lay flats, perfect bound, stacker and stitched sets, equipping printers to deliver complete items from a single device.

Haglich also points to the Xerox IJP 2000 press, capable of handling wide-format jobs at remarkable rates of output: it can print an A0 page in full colour with a resolution of 1600 x 1600dpi in just seven seconds. The printer is suitable for a range of substrates such as textile, vinyl, backlit, banner fabric and stoplight films as well as standard and coated papers. Additionally, the Xerox J75 Color Press will be showcased, ideal for producing photo books, brochures and direct-mail pieces and catalogues on stock of up to 300gsm, at a maximum output of 75 pages per minute (ppm).

The Xerox D136 mono machine will also be on display. With a duty cycle of two million pages per month and a first page out time of just 3.7 seconds, this workhorse is ideal for high performance copying/scanning at up to 200 items per minute.

Haglich says the FESPA Africa exhibition will draw a broader and larger audience than any previous event. "In addition to the Xerox solutions we'll have on display, this event brings together the wider industry, providing a depth and breadth of exposure which can't be matched. It will be memorable - so don't miss out," he concludes.

About Bytes Document Solutions

Bytes Document Solutions, a division of the Bytes Technology Group, is Africa's leading document management technology and solutions company, offering a comprehensive range of products and services through three independent business units: Xerox, LaserCom and NOR Paper. A wholly-owned division of JSE-listed Altron, Bytes Document Solutions is the authorised Xerox distributor in 26 sub-Saharan countries, and has an annual turnover of more than R2 billion. In 2014, the company celebrates two important milestones: Xerox's 50th year in South Africa, as well as the invention of xerography, the basis of the most widely used document-copying machines, which was developed by Xerox 75 years ago. www.xerox.co.za