Printers now have free access to Zaikio’s digital procurement platform
Print Solutions
Heidelberg is offering all print companies free access to the Zaikio procurement industry platform with immediate effect.
Zaikio networks print shops’ IT systems with those of their suppliers. Following a successful test phase with selected print shops and suppliers, all print companies who wish to do so can now register on the platform free of charge. They will then have direct, automatic access from their management information system (MIS) to the portfolios of the suppliers already linked to Zaikio and can place orders at the latest prices with just a few clicks. Following approval by procurement staff, the orders are transferred directly into the relevant supplier’s ERP system, which reciprocates by providing the print shop’s ordering system with information about availability and delivery options. This process lays the foundation for fully automatic orders based on various factors – from the current paper or ink consumption to stock levels. It also optimises the digital procurement processes of print shops and suppliers alike.
‘With Zaikio, Heidelberg is gradually establishing an industry platform that is open to all companies, digitises and automates numerous value adding processes between participants, and makes these operations transparent,’ explained Heidelberg CEO Rainer Hundsdörfer. ‘By making overall processes and collaboration in the printing industry far simpler, Zaikio is boosting the competitiveness of everyone involved.’
Prior to the launch of the platform, Zaikio already had some well mknown MIS providers on board. Alongside Heidelberg with its Prinect Business Manager, the other participating MIS providers are Printplus, Printvis, Datamedia, Utraxx, Keyline, and EPMS – and Zaikio is currently in talks with many others. In the future, this means print companies will be able to access the ranges of suppliers such as Sappi or Metapaper and place orders directly from their MIS, once it has been networked with Zaikio.
‘There are solutions on the market that already promise orders can be placed directly from an MIS. On closer inspection, however, it often turns out that all these solutions are doing is sending e-mails to the suppliers,’ said Matthias Prinz, managing director and head of user experience at Zaikio GmbH. ‘With Zaikio, printers can now access the portfolios of a growing number of suppliers direct from their MIS in an automated process, which means they benefit from maximum transparency and needs based supplies. It goes without saying that this also works to the advantage of MIS providers and suppliers, who can massively improve their level of service.’
