New SAi Flexi Cloud and SAi PhotoPRINT Cloud Deliver Breakthrough
Benefits to Sign and Large Format Print Businesses
SA International (SAi), the leading provider of solutions for the professional signmaking, wide-format digital printing and CAD/CAM for CNC machining
industries, has extended two of its most popular software packages to include useful web-based tools that enhance the way sign and print providers
do business. SAi Flexi Cloud and SAi PhotoPRINT Cloud bring state-of-the-art, Internet-based capability to SAi’s best-known brands, while adding
many useful functions.
SAi Flexi Cloud adds a new dimension to the feature-rich attributes of SAi’s leading sign making software, Flexi, which provides easy text layout and vinyl
cutting packages that offer high production capabilities with cutting and printing tools. In addition, the new SAi PhotoPRINT Cloud increases the
functionality of SAi’s PhotoPRINT RIP software, which offers an affordable, easy-to-use print-and-cut solution for wide-format print businesses.
Easily accessible via a Cloud Web Window that sits on a user’s desktop display, SAi Flexi Cloud and SAi PhotoPRINT Cloud have been introduced to
meet the changing needs of sign and print providers. Both programs offer three important tools that enable users to enjoy greater versatility across
production and job tracking, wherever they’re working:
· Local and remote production information through Job Reports – a valuable feature that offers an easy way for business owners to view
production information and trends. The Job Reports tool provides summary production information on completed projects, providing critical
analytics on print-and-cut jobs, printer and media usage, as well as total production time on each job.
· Cloud Storage – an on-line data hosting facility that provides sign and print businesses with 1GB of free storage for uploading and archiving
design jobs for backup, sharing and retrieval as required. Accessible via an icon within the Cloud Web Window, this convenient feature also
provides the platform architecture needed for future cloud-based business growth capabilities.
· FlexiQuote™ – an innovative web-based tool that allows sign and print businesses to quickly and effectively create customer quotes for
new jobs. FlexiQuote features a simple, user-friendly design, which comes pre-loaded with a database of standard media and their costs to
rapidly and accurately configure pricing, while factoring in materials, labor, commissions, discounts and taxes. As such, the handy FlexiQuote
‘wizard’ overcomes the occasionally troublesome and time-consuming job quoting process faced by sign and print providers, and can give a
customer quote within 30 seconds.
Information on the Go
In addition to Job Reports being viewable through the Cloud Web Window within SAi’s Flexi Cloud and PhotoPRINT Cloud solutions, SAi has
created a free, companion mobile application that also provides businesses owners with remote access to valuable production information while
on the road or away from the office. Known as the SAi Cloud mobile app, SAi is the first RIP manufacturer to offer such a mobile application,
which is compatible with both Android and iPhone devices.
SAi’s Cloud Web Window also provides useful links to a growing number of other resources and content. These include media profiles, software
updates, support information, and SAi’s dedicated social media channels, which feature informative training materials and videos.
“Our customers know us for simplifying and improving the way they do business, so we are delighted to once again lead the way when it comes to
delivering innovative tools that meet these objectives,” says Dean Derhak, Product Director at SAi. “Providing vital, instantaneous information,
whether in the office or on the go, SAi Flexi Cloud and SAi PhotoPRINT Cloud reflect the fast-pace at which business owners operate today.
“The result is design-through-production software that enhances efficiency and builds on the heritage of our best-known brands to deliver information
to users, wherever they’re working,” concludes Derhak.
SAi’s new Flexi Cloud and PhotoPRINT Cloud solutions are Windows 8 compatible. For the first 90 days after the new version is released, existing SAi
Flexi and SAi PhotoPRINT software users running version 10 can receive a complimentary upgrade.
SAi Launches the International Sign & Printmakers Guild to Aid
Business Growth for Sign and Print Providers
SA International (SAi), the leading provider of solutions for the professional signmaking, wide-format digital printing, and CAD/CAM/CNC machining
industries, has launched the INTERNATIONAL SIGN & PRINTMAKERS GUILD – a member-led organization designed to help sign and print
providers grow their businesses and reduce costs.
The Guild will offer a multitude of benefits to members. In particular, the Guild will send its members new customers, giving them the opportunity to
secure new long-term business relationships. Membership is currently free to any sign shop or print provider.
“Forming the International Sign and Printmakers Guild is all about expanding the universe of sign and wide-format business”, explains Mark Blundell,
CEO & Chairman of SAi. “Many of our customers are sign and print providers who continue to face the challenge of bringing in business and
maintaining healthy profits in this difficult business environment. Due to generous industry sponsorships, the Guild can directly reduce members’
operating expenses. More importantly, SAi and the Guild will solicit and provide new customers to Guild members.”
Sign.com
SAi intends to spend US$3 million on Internet advertising over the next few years to attract customers from the public at large who have sign and
print needs. These customers will then be referred directly to Guild members who will be charged a modest fee for referrals.
Key to driving new business to Guild members, SAi is dedicating www.sign.com as a central place for the sign-and-print buying public to quickly and
easily design and purchase custom signs, banners, posters and similar products. With the slogan of offering, ‘top quality signs, delivered locally’, all
jobs ordered through sign.com will be offered to Guild members to produce and deliver the sign or print job to a local customer.
Membership in the Guild gives sign and print providers significant other added-value benefits, one of which is the possibility to create a free web
storefront for their business using sign.com templates and content. By having their own “microsite”, branded to their individual businesses, members
can leverage the sign.com name and content to market their services directly to prospective customers.
With the objective of reducing turnaround times and costly re-prints, Guild members will also be able to take advantage of a free job approval system,
designed to facilitate the occasionally troublesome sign-off and approval stage of customer jobs. The Job Approval System works in conjunction with
the Cloud version of SAi Flexi or SAi PhotoPRINT software. Guild members will be able to direct customers to a private, dedicated website where they
can review, revise and approve artwork, with an audit trail of the process logged for each job.
Additional important benefits
The Guild will maximize group buying power to extend discount advantages to its members, including lower credit card processing fees, less expensive
business and health insurance, lower marketing costs, and other meaningful discounts. Guild sponsors are now offering discounts on certain supplies,
providing members with the ability to buy them at significantly lower prices.
The Guild will provide a free on-line network so that members can communicate directly with one another, enabling them to outsource or insource
jobs, obtain advice, and enhance their business in numerous ways.
Thanks to industry sponsorship, membership in the Guild is currently free and open to any sign or wide-format print business. In addition to SA
International, initial sponsors include: Arlon Graphics, Digital Output, Flora, Image One Impact, Mutoh, SignTracker, ST Media Group, and The Bad
Wrap.
SA International Announces the Release of Flexi and PhotoPRINT
Version 10.0.3
SA International (SAi), the leading provider of Solutions for the Professional Sign Making, Digital Printing and CAD/CAM for CNC Machining Industries,
today announced the latest release for Flexi and PhotoPRINT – version 10.0.3.
Thanks to the important feedback from Flexi and PhotoPRINT users and partners, SAi has released its latest update to Flexi and PhotoPRINT 10,
version 10.0.3. SAi is offering this update free to anyone who owns Flexi or PhotoPRINT 10.
Some highlights of the update include features like enhanced Fotoba support, certified drivers and profiles for the HP HPZ6200 Series, support for
Roland VS, LEC, and LEJ, RGB 8bit profiling, easy weeding around groups, cut overlapping lines once, and many new printer and cutter drivers. For
a full list of updates, visit http://www.saintl.biz/files/SAi%20ProductionSuite%20Readme.pdf.
The new release is available for instant download from www.FlexiSIGN10.com or www.PhotoPRINT10.com. An installation disk containing the updates
will begin shipping with all Flexi and PhotoPRINT packages for Microsoft Windows within the next two weeks.
“SAi is pleased to offer this update to our customers and resellers as a free service” says Don Feagan, President and COO. “After months of compiling a
list of requests and reported issues, our team’s efforts have culminated in this robust free update.”
SA International, developer of EnRoute CAD/CAM Software, has teamed with CLI Advantage Leasing to give customers a valuable financing
alternative. EnRoute’s new leasing option can now include the software, post and product installation and training options. Spread over affordable
monthly payments, the goal of the program is to fit the user’s budget and help customers maximize total cost of ownership.
“EnRoute Software can help many businesses increase productivity and yield better profits from their CNC routers. We wanted to do something to
help our customers realize a faster return on their investment,” explains John Albano, Director of New Business Development for SAI. “Working with
CLI Advantage, we can now provide our software at a minimal out-of-pocket cost.”
EnRoute Software has many productivity tools that can benefit sign makers, woodworkers and cabinet shops. The 3D Carving, Surfacing and Rapid
Texture tools make it easy to create customized designs and win new job proposals ultimately increasing profitability. Other time saving features include
Smart Toolpathing, a complete Advanced True Shape Nesting Suite, Efficient Bitmap Vectorizing, and Output Verification.
“With leasing, you pay for your software as it benefits your business,” says Christopher Simpson, Managing Director of CLI Advantage. “We’ve made the
leasing process very simple with just a one page application.”
SAi Announces Successful Completion of the HP Designjet Z6200
Photo Printer RIP Certification Program
SA International (SAi), the leading provider of Solutions for the Professional Sign Making, Large Format Digital Printing and CAD/CAM for CNC Machining
Industries, that Flexi and PhotoPRINT 10 have achieved a full star RIP (raster image processor) Certification rating for the HP Designjet Z6200 Photo Printer.
Flexi and PhotoPRINT received the highest rating possible in all applicable categories of the HP Designjet RIP Certification program, including Printing
Performance, Use of an Embedded Spectrophotometer, HP Media Support, Printer Reporting, and Job Management.
HP’s RIP certification tests are designed to ensure smooth integration with the unique features of HP’s printers. Only RIPs that meet the criteria for certification
are allowed to use the “Certified for HP Designjet Z6200 Photo Printer” designation. To see how Flexi and PhotoPRINT fared in the test, visit
www.hp.com/go/Z6200/solutions.
“The newest versions of Flexi and PhotoPRINT not only passed the RIP Certification, but achieved the highest possible ratings in all categories,” says Gudrun
Bonte, Product Manager for Flexi and PhotoPRINT. “When considering a RIP for your new HP Designjet Z6200 Photo Printer, you can be sure that Flexi 10
and PhotoPRINT 10 are a perfect match.”
The HP Designjet Z6200 Photo Printer produces gallery-quality prints with the highest speeds of large-format printers in its price class(1). New HP Vivid Photo
Inks included with the device offer improved scratch resistance, gloss levels and gloss uniformity and a wider color gamut with deeper blacks than previous HP
inks. For a more complete list of highlights, visit www.hp.com/go/designjetz6200.
SA International Announces Sign Tracker Launch at SGIA
SA International (SAi), the leading provider of Solutions for the Professional Sign Making, Digital Printing and
CAD/CAM for CNC Machining Industries, announces the launch of the online version of Sign Tracker at
SGIA 2009 in New Orleans, LA.
During SGIA, SAi and Sign Tracker will team up at booth 1258 to kick off the official launch of Sign Tracker
on SIGN.com. Booth visitors can participate in live demos, ask questions, and offer feedback about the recent
release of Sign Tracker online.
Created specifically with sign shops in mind, Sign Tracker is a comprehensive online management system that
helps shop owners keep track of their day-to-day business operations. Managing customers, creating estimates,
tracking inventory, managing projects, and generating sales reports are just a few of the tools that will help make
any sign company more efficient and profitable.
Sign Tracker maintains a pay-as-you-go, no commitment pricing structure that is scaled to fit the budget for even
the smallest shop. Most importantly, all customers will have a fully-functional package.
"SAi is excited to announce Sign Tracker, a wonderful new online program hosted through SIGN.com," states
Don Feagan, President and COO, SAi. "Sign shops will now have the industry's best online management software
right at their fingertips"
"Our goal for Sign Tracker is to provide the most effective and easy to use software, resources and technology
in our industry. We will strive to give our best so that our sign shop customers can build strong sign businesses
that positively impact their communities," said Joe Arenella, Sign Tracker developer.
SA International Announces the Launch of FlexiENGRAVE 8
Philadelphia, PA - November 17, 2006 - SA International (SAi), the recognized global leader in providing complete,
professional sign making, digital printing, proofing, and CAD/CAM for CNC manufacturing industries, announces
the release of FlexiENGRAVE to the Flexi Family 8 line of Products. The addition of FlexiENGRAVE reaffirms that
Flexi is truly the Heart of Every Successful Sign Making Business.
FlexiENGRAVE 8 is state of the art software for precision engraving, built from FlexiSIGN, the world’s most
advanced sign making software. FlexiENGRAVE maintains its status as the number one choice for dependable,
feature-rich engraving capabilities with ease of use you can handle. From the most complex designs, to simple
name tags, FlexiENGRAVE will complete your project economically, intuitively, and with incredible speed.
"SAi is extremely excited to bring the FlexiENGRAVE product back into the Flexi Family product line," states Jim
Cain, VP - Sales and Marketing. "Engraving is another important member of the ever growing power in the Flexi
Product Family and it will allow our Resellers and Partners more latitude than ever to solidify the Flexi Product
Family as the most versatile in the industry as the 'heart' of their sign making business."
FlexiENGRAVE can be purchased as an add-on option to your existing Flexi product or as a stand alone
package - FlexiENGRAVE-PRO or FlexiENGRAVE. For more information on FlexiENGRAVE and SAi, visit
www.SAintl.biz.
SA International Announces Release of Drivers for
the New HP DesignJet 10000
Philadelphia, PA--SA International (SAi), the recognized global leader in providing complete, professional
software solutions for the large format digital printing and sign making industries, continues to maintain a strong
partnership with HP and their line of industry leading DesignJet printers. SAi has created new output drivers and
ICC Profiles specifically to support the new HP DesignJet10000 Solvent Printer. The combination of SAi’s leading
RIP software solutions with HP’s industry leading printers is guaranteed for high productivity and quality color as
the industry would expect.
SAi has the ability to drive the HP DesignJet 10000 producing vibrant color with our PhotoPRINT 5 line of
products and also FlexiSIGN-PRO 8 and FlexiPRINT & CUT 8. Our RIP solutions are powered by a genuine
Adobe 3 RIP engine, which brings speed and reliability to support this high quality printer. SAi’s new driver and
ICC Profiles for the HP DesignJet 10000 are available immediately.
"SAi is proud to continue to support Hewlett Packard and it’s DesignJet Series of Outdoor Printers," states Jim
Cain, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, SA International. "The combination of the HP DesignJet 10000
and the world’s # 1 RIP and sign making software makes an unbeatable solution to all outdoor printing needs."
