Born in 1993—the pivotal year of the PDF and ICC profiles—corGae has always been at the technological forefront of the Italian printing industry. Originally focused on editorial organization consulting, the company quickly realized that to handle complex, high-demand projects, they needed a workflow that was not just fast, but fundamentally reliable.
The catalyst was a major Print On Demand (PoD) project for a global leader, IMA. corGae developed a crucial PoD model where materials, primarily catalogs for events, were printed exactly when and where they were needed.
“The Print On Demand model means you always have updated catalogs,” says a representative from corGae. “There’s also a financial advantage: no total immediate outlay for a run of one million copies, which often had to be thrown away because a dynamic company like IMA modifies its catalogs often.”
This successful PoD infrastructure, which Corgae now offers to all its clients via a proprietary web portal, created a new challenge: how to automatically route thousands of unique jobs from a client order through to production without human intervention.
The "Station Master": Enfocus Switch as the Heart of the Digital Workflow
Unlike many competitors who continued to rely on older, cost-prohibitive legacy software, corGae made a strategic decision to center its operations around the powerful software integrated into its modern digital presses, specifically HP Indigo.
Enfocus Switch became the linchpin, the ultimate traffic cop for their operation.
The core logic developed by corGae sees Switch centrally connecting three key elements:
- The ERP System: Receiving job specifications, run lengths, and paper types.
- The Client Web Interface: Receiving the PDF files and issuing the order.
- The HP Indigo Presses: Ready to receive the final, production-ready files.
The result is a workflow so streamlined that files arrive at the press pre-imposed, with the correct run size, and the designated paper type.
“The only error that can happen to our operator is putting the wrong paper in the wrong drawer,” notes corGae.
CorGae's representative describes Switch using a powerful analogy:
“I see [Switch] as a Station Master (Capostazione) who has crystal clear clarity, knows how to give priorities, and guides jobs onto the correct tracks.”
By utilizing versatile, high-impact tools like Switch, corGae was able to leverage sophisticated automation at a significantly lower cost compared to the prohibitive initial investment of older, proprietary systems.
Enfocus PitStop Pro: Ensuring File Quality and Driving Premium Service
Automation on the back end is only effective if the files on the front end are flawless. This is where Enfocus PitStop Pro steps in, acting as corGae’s essential inspection tool.
While they don't use PitStop for general image editing, it is indispensable for ensuring reliability and driving specialized automation actions. CorGae uses PitStop to:
- Inspect and Verify: Checking for ICC profiles, color coverage, and other critical preflight details that are often missed in non-print-specific design software.
- Execute Powerful Actions: Implementing complex, pre-defined automated tasks, particularly the Find and Replace Color action.
A standout success story involves using a powerful PitStop Action to transform a file into a complex Black + Cyan Duotone (Bichromia). This allowed a customer to achieve a highly professional, two-color look while utilizing a special two-color price list on the HP Indigo—a win-win for quality and cost.
CorGae has also embraced PitStop Review, finding it to be an accessible tool that has allowed them to expand their services, even developing a personalized Review service for their offset printing clients. This service uses Switch to automatically select the client's logo, ensuring a custom, professional proofing experience.
The corGae story is a prime example of how combining the strategic routing power of Enfocus Switch with the precise file correction of Enfocus PitStop Pro allows a printing company to not only maximize process efficiency but also to innovate new products and services for their clients.
