Unprecedented boost in efficiency and profitability: How Significans customized Turbo Switch Pack technology transformed Allegra Bozeman’s business
After partnering with workflow integration specialist Significans Automation, Allegra Printing, a full-service printing and marketing franchisee in Bozeman, Montana, reduced prepress labor by 50%, prepress touchpoints by 78%, and production touchpoints by 30%. These improvements led to 50% faster turnaround times, the shop’s initial ROI began 30 days after implementation and an overall ROI of over 300% is expected.
Matt Cook, CEO of Allegra Bozeman
Matt Cook, CEO of Allegra Bozeman Marketing, Print & Mail, admits he’s an impatient person. “I’ve worked for almost 30 years running multiple companies. After my wife and I purchased the Bozeman Allegra print franchise in 2022, I noticed it was taking forever to get jobs out the door. I grew impatient because there were far too many human touchpoints slowing down production – sometimes up to 25 per order! Turnaround times were too long, customers were unhappy, and employees were stressed out.”
Cook did his research and considered recommendations from colleagues. He eventually installed Enfocus Switch workflow software. However, he was initially told that this solution was ideal only for multi-million-dollar companies. As it turned out, this information proved to be incorrect. He needed expert guidance. So, in September of 2023, he contacted Marc Raad, President of Significans Automation.
“I was surprised that I could speak to a workflow integration specialist right away,” Cook recalled. “Significans showed genuine interest in understanding my specific production set up, immediate needs, and future goals. The very next month, we partnered in an assessment. The aim was to boost revenue by driving out inefficiencies, eventually achieving 100% end-to-end in-shop automation and seamless integration with our existing systems.” Despite some initial skepticism, after their first meeting with the Significans team, Cook and his wife Tresa, who deals directly with customers, began to realize automation’s enormous untapped potential.
The best solution: A Customized Turbo Switch Pack (TSP)
On February 1, 2024, Significans installed a highly customized Turbo Switch Pack at Cook’s facility. This suite of software and support services helps companies ‘kick-start’ their journey into modern workflow automation. The technology combines best-in-class workflow automation and layout software with software maintenance, uniquely configured workflows, powerful Enfocus Apps (produced by Significans), as well as installation, training, and support. Unlike many other solutions, Turbo Switch Packs can be fully deployed in hours, delivering immediate capacity gains and fast ROI. Nathan Armata, Significans Workflow Deployment Architect, led the TSP deployment.
“Allegra Bozeman had no preflight, approval or imposition elements in their day-to-day operations. They had a PrintSmith ERP system but had no connectivity to it,” Armata recalled. “We began by building a preflight workflow that doubled as a job-folder builder. This allowed any user to drop files into a Switch submit point and get a detailed report on the dropped files. The new automation saved Allegra significant time, and gave them a consistent, organized job folder at the start of every project. Next, we worked with Matt’s team to connect their ERP software with Switch. He now has the ability to start automating jobs with data, instead of user inputs. This made for a timesaving ‘drop-and-go’ workflow and had a huge effect on boosting job efficiency and consistency.
We then moved on to connect the Enfocus Review module to the preflight workflow, allowing for a seamless transition from incoming raw files to a fully prepared proof approval. Previously, this was all done manually by a CSR. This automation allowed staffers to focus on other tasks related to the job. Imposition was next. We drove the Quite HOT layouts, feeding them data from PrintSmith. Allegra Bozeman went from manually doing this in Adobe Illustrator, to simply quality controlling the layout – immediately enjoying the ease and repeatability of the workflow, the reduced chance of human errors, and the speed to press that this new configuration allowed.
When an Aerocut Digital Cutter was purchased midway through the installation, we had an opportunity to show how versatile Quite HOT can be. We were able to use it to build out the Aerocut specified layouts, eliminating the need for expensive annual imposition software specifically designed for the Aerocut.. Adding this functionality to the workflow improved the finishing end of the process – something printers seldom see in automation. The connection to PrintSmith allowed us to map the progress of any job in Switch. The days of guessing where a job was located were over – users could easily check in PrintSmith. Finally, we connected all workflows into one seamless process. Any print project can now move smoothly from location to location with minimal human intervention, achieving the goal of becoming 100% paperless for job tickets”
Immediate results
“Tresa and I came from another industry which became more automated, so we understood the possibilities,” Cook added. “We knew that we needed to be automated as much as possible. This was a turning point for our business, and almost immediately after the work with Significans, we began to see major cost reductions.”
About a month after the deployment, labor costs were cut by 50%, and turnaround times were also reduced by 50%. Cook and his staff now have much more time to service and upsell his higher-paying customers – instead of wasting time dealing with production bottlenecks. Prepress touchpoints were quickly reduced by 78%, and production touchpoints by 30%. Walk-in and regular clients alike were receiving much better service. At the end of the day, Cook was also able to measure these results against Significans’ original assessment and ROI study. “Best of all, it took just over one month to begin recouping our original investment, and we expect our ROI to exceed 300% in the months to come,” he said.
“Matt’s ultimate goal is to be 100% automated, and it’s been a pleasure and a privilege working with him and his team,” said Marc Raad, President of Significans Automation. “As with all our clients, our personal commitment to Matt and his success as his company evolves will never end. I’m also confident that now, he and his team can better meet any challenges that come their way.”
Want the highlights?
You can download a bite-sized PDF version of this case study for quick reference. It’s a condensed overview of Allegra Bozeman’s automation journey, results, and ROI – perfect for sharing with your team.
Get in touch
For an assessment of your workflow systems, please contact Significans Automation or call 1-877-463-4465. You’ll be directed not to a salesperson or a third party, but to one of our regional workflow automation and integration experts with years of production-floor experience.
