ProCo streamlines W2P setup with Catfish

ProCo has filled in the “final piece of the jigsaw” by adding Infigo’s web-to-print system Catfish to its suite of software systems.

The Sheffield-headquartered commercial printer runs Tharstern MIS, while its web-to-print consisted of software from OneFlow alongside a self-developed platform that, according to technical services director Andy Lydiatt, had been taking up time, resources and staff to maintain and keep up-to-date.

The company finalised a subscription-based contract with developer Infigo Software at the start of this month to use Catfish as a replacement for its own system.

“With Catfish, we are plugging a gap we have had for a long time,” said Lydiatt. “After years with our own software, we had reached a point where we needed those functions to be more scalable, and maintaining that on our own would take up too many resources.

“Our workflow now comprises a number of different programmes and, including Infigo, they all have their own plans and updates provided by the developers that we don’t worry about.

“It allows us to focus on the next stage of developing products and looking after the customer experience. We can tailor services for our clients depending on whether they want to build their service out of portions of Catfish or OneFlow – it is fully customisable at their end.”

Lydiatt now oversees a “control room” of IT and technology staff at ProCo that has been able to move off the maintenance of its self-made web-to-print system to focus on building pages and store fronts as required by clients at speed, built out of selected parts of both Catfish and OneFlow.

ProCo’s web-to-print services are supported by a wide gamut of printing machinery across its main 4,831sqm Sheffield base and a secondary site covering 1,486sqm in Stansted. Its portfolio includes two SRA1 RMGT Ryobis, four HP Indigos – including an Indigo 10000 – and two Agfa Anapurnas for wide-format work. Last year, it was the first UK company to take on an Agfa Jeti Tauro H2500 LED.

It employs circa 150 staff and currently turns over £15m.