Leading RIP, Workflow, and Interface Developer Reflects on History and Future Contributions to Printing Industry
Xitron, the foremost independent provider of RIP and workflow solutions for commercial, digital, and high-speed inkjet printing, proudly marks 40 years of delivering prepress hardware and software to the printing industry. Since its inception in 1977, Xitron has been a trailblazer, offering innovative “blue box” interfaces that enabled newspapers to choose their editorial systems independently from their output systems.
“Throughout our 40-year journey in the print industry, our mission has remained the same: to provide technological independence to our customers, allowing them to select prepress solutions without being tied to a single vendor,” explained Karen Crews, President of Xitron. This commitment to independence has resulted in the installation of nearly 35,000 RIPs and over 20,000 CTP and imagesetter interfaces across printing companies worldwide.
Gary Fry, CEO of Global Graphics, commended Xitron’s dedication to independence, stating, “Xitron’s achievement truly reflects their unwavering commitment to providing users with the freedom to make prepress choices that best suit their needs.” To commemorate their 25-year partnership, Global Graphics plans to present Xitron with a special Silver Partner award at Print 2017.
Looking ahead, Xitron is set to release several new products that expand their commercial catalog. These include Raster Blaster 4.0, an intelligent TIFF catcher for supported CTP devices, B3, a network-based interface without the need for a computer platform, and a cost-effective USB/SCSI interface for legacy Fujifilm platesetters. Additionally, Xitron plans to upgrade their Sierra workflow, developed in cooperation with Adobe partner FFEI, Ltd., utilizing the Adobe PDF Print Engine (APPE).
While Xitron continues to excel in the commercial market, they also have their sights on emerging technologies. Their color matching workflow software, tailored for high-speed inkjet press manufacturers globally, demonstrates their commitment to staying at the forefront of industry advancements.
As Xitron celebrates 40 years, they extend gratitude to their worldwide dealer network and OEM customers for their invaluable contributions. With an eye on the future, Xitron remains dedicated to their mission and looks forward to further enhancing the print industry.
While continuing their successful approach of delivering alternative RIP and interface strategies to the commercial market, recent innovation in print technology has required Ms. Crews to keep one eye focused beyond traditional printing. This has fostered the development of color matching workflow software designed specifically for the needs of high-speed inkjet press manufacturers around the world.
“Staying relevant in a market whose technology moves as quickly as ours is not easy,” said Len Lauer, President and CEO of Xitron’s inkjet technology partner Memjet. “And yet, here they are, developing remarkable color RIP and workflow software for over half of Memjet’s OEMs. We’re looking forward to sustained expansion of this market with Xitron.”
“This is a very exciting time for Xitron and I have to thank our worldwide dealer organization and OEM customers for their contributions.” said Crews. “While being firmly entrenched in the traditional print landscape, we also have clear vision of the technological future of our products. Forty years of development have provided us with an excellent foundation to move forward with this industry.”