How the Xerox iGen4 Diamond Press benefits MGX Copy

Written by Andrew Shu
Chief Technology Officer, MGX Copy

Running a successful printing services business today is a lot different than what it was ten years ago, and it will certainly be different ten years from now. As technology changes, so too does our customers’ needs. Prior to the Internet, print touched everything. Today, the Internet is forcing many of our customers to rethink the way their businesses advertise and communicate.
Part of being a value-added partner to our customers is being able to not only serve their needs this moment, but also anticipate how their needs will change tomorrow, and come to the table ready to support. We need to encourage them to experiment with different uses of print to expand their business. And while we advocate the importance of their innovation, it is imperative that they view us as a company with an eye towards the future. That is why we are so excited for our investment in the Xerox iGen4 Diamond Edition Press, as it underscores our commitment to innovation, to our customers, and to delivering on the promise of turning their visions into reality.
I’d like to share with you why MGX Copy has found the Xerox iGen4 Diamond to be helpful in our growth as a printer and some features that allow us to go above-and-beyond standard printing services.
Increased efficiency for shorter runs.
Marketers want to distribute brochures and catalogs that are constantly updated with the latest information while not straining inventory resources. Content producers want to profitably publish new materials in smaller than ever circulations. As a result, we are seeing our customers placing orders more frequently but in smaller quantities. This shift has led to an even greater chorus of “I needed this yesterday!” The Xerox iGen4 Diamond gives us the flexibility to quickly produce a run of 1 or 10,000.
Better color repeatability.
In addition to quicker-than-ever turnaround times, our customers also expect us to deliver benchmark quality. Thankfully, the Xerox iGen4 Diamond has automated color management built into the press. For those of you unfamiliar, this means that iGen operators only need to calibrate once per shift, no matter how many times they change substrate stocks, weights and sizes. Since the color management is automated, we can depend on it to be accurate—spending less time troubleshooting color issues and more time delivering outstanding quality to our customers.
Reliability and uptime.
As a machine, the Xerox iGen4 Diamond has the best uptime of any digital production press that we’ve had experience with. Not only are many critical iGen parts stored on-site at our facility, but prior to installation, our operators were given intensive training on how to troubleshoot and maintain the press. This combination has noticeably improved our ability to meet deadlines. When it comes to guaranteeing delivery times, the confidence level of our sales representatives have never been higher.
Substrate flexibility.
Our customers are always looking to push the envelope with substrates, and our Xerox iGen4 Diamond encourages them to do so. Prior to purchasing the iGen4 Diamond, we spoke with our paper vendors to discuss the new kinds of substrates we would like to offer, including synthetics (“untearable” & ”waterproof”) and linens. With the iGen, we found that we could reliably deliver these substrates and more, including magnets and stickers. When a customer comes to us asking for a way to “stand out” and be more “memorable”, we have a larger arsenal to tap into. And the expanded sheet size (14.33×22.5”, upgradable to 26”) means we can cost-effectively deliver products and open new possibilities for our customers.
The iGen4 Diamond keeps MGX Copy ahead of quickly changing demands.

I don’t anticipate our customers’ needs will ever stop changing. The world of commerce and marketing is being turned on its head, and they will continue to need to adapt. What MGX Copy wanted was a press that could answer a variety of customer demands while enabling new conversations for our sales team. We need to stay nimble in a market where customers are demanding smaller, more frequent, and more varied runs. We need to stay productive while hitting stringent color and registration requirements. And we need to stay flexible while increasing the breadth of substrates we offer. The Xerox iGen4 Diamond Press acts as a team player, backing our production department, expanding the imaginations of our marketers, and enabling our sales representatives to go out and win more projects in an ever changing marketplace.
 
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Andrew Shu is the CTO of MGX Copy, an online printing service in San Diego. You can reach Andrew to discuss business and technology at his Twitter handle. You can also follow MGX Copy’s blog/newsletter: MGX Mindshare. This complimentary newsletter offers a variety of pragmatic perspectives about the quickly changing world of modern marketing technologies; both online and offline.