BARCO Graphics Japan closes deal with Toyo Ink Mfg. Co. Ltd for PackEdge® sales
Barco receives the benefits for its extensive product adaptation to the Japanese market.
Gent, March 8, 2000. At the end of November 1999, Barco Graphics introduced PackEdge. Since then, PackEdge sales have reached nearly 3.7 million euro. PackEdge is Barco’s stand-alone software for packaging prepress on Windows NT platforms.
PackEdge offers a complete and flexible solution for packaging prepress. Furthermore, the PackEdge program has been completely localized for the Japanese market; this applies both to its user-friendliness and integration of typical functions for the Japanese market. These are the two reasons why Toyo Ink has chosen to sell PackEdge as their main product for the packaging market. As one of the main ink and printing material and systems suppliers, Toyo Ink, which was founded in 1907, is very well known in the Japanese market. Still, considering Barco’s reputation in the Japanese packaging market, they have decided to distribute PackEdge under the Barco name.
Toyo Ink aims at selling PackEdge licenses in the coming three years for a total value of 16 million euro.
Barco considers Japan as a very important growth market, among others for the activities of Barco Graphics. Barco Graphics Japan was already established in 1994 as a joint venture with its distributor Altech Co. Ltd. The object was to provide the necessary technical support to the rapidly growing number of customers in Japan. Since that date, more than 400 Barco Graphics systems have been installed in the Japanese market. Starting today, the joint venture will also integrate all sales and presales activities. This means that Barco Graphics now also operates completely in its own name in Japan. "The deal with Toyo Ink for the PackEdge sales is the first important result of this approach", says Jacques Bertrand, President Barco Japan. "It confirms the success of our strategy to approach Japan as a separate entity within Asia."
In line with Barco’s strategy of approaching the markets locally, Packedge has been completely adapted to the Japanese market. Since mid 1999, a team of Japanese R & D engineers has been at work in the Belgian headquarters of Barco Graphics. Frank Adegeest, Manager Business Development Barco Graphics Japan: "Back in 1997, we already introduced the complete Japanese version of the Barco Graphics software. This localized version not only comprises a user interface but also a complete set of Japanese typographic functions. Furthermore, we also developed a series of products for oriental page layout. This illustrates Barco’s commitment to the Japanese market." PackEdge now continues this trend. It is the first packaging prepress software package that is completely localized for the Japanese market: on-line help, menus, typesetting functions, documentation, packaging, etc. Hence, PackEdge fully meets the requirements of the typical Japanese prepress workflow.
Toyo Ink was established in 1907 as a manufacturer of printing inks. Today, Toyo Ink has diversified into industrial chemicals, synthetic resin colorants and printing material and systems. Toyo Ink has an extensive network in Japan and more than 30 subsidiaries, with manufacturing operations, in North America, Europe and Asia.
Barco consists of 5 key activities: Barco Projection Systems, Barco Communication Systems, Barco Graphics, Barco Display Systems and BarcoVision. In 1999, these 5 key activities delivered a turnover of euro 710 million. Approximately 50 % of this is realized outside Western Europe. Barco has a network of subsidiaries, distributors and agents in 97 countries throughout the world. Barco has been quoted on the Brussels Bourse since 1986. Barco is a BEL 20 company. You can find more information about Barco on the Web: http://www.barco.com.
For more information, please contact
JP
Tanghe
Senior Advisor to the CEO - Compliance Officer
Barco nv
Telephone
+32 56/26 23 22
jp.tanghe@barco.com
