Rotherham, South Yorkshire – For printing manufacturers and retailers like BlueTree Group—the parent company of Instant Print and Rout One Print—efficiency is defined by the speed and reliability of file processing. Yet, like many growing print operations, BlueTree found itself struggling under the weight of fragmented, template-based workflows.
Matthew, a Software Engineer at BlueTree Group, details how the decision to adopt Enfocus Phoenix (formerly Tilia Labs, now part of Enfocus) and integrate it with their systems created a truly dynamic and automated production environment.
The Challenge: Fragmented Workflows and Template Fatigue
As BlueTree Group acquired new equipment, each new press introduced its own proprietary, standalone imposition application. This practice quickly became unsustainable.
"After acquiring a few [pieces of machinery], we ended up stacking up a few different solutions in the factory. They were always template-based, and hot folder based as well, which led to numerous folders that we had to maintain and also numerous templates that we had to maintain on a daily basis."
Matthew Kay, Software Engineer at BlueTree Group
The team realized they needed a comprehensive, market-based solution that could unify these disparate systems, eliminate the overhead of template management, and provide the flexibility needed for an evolving product line.
Finding a Dynamic, API-Based Imposition Solution
The core requirements for the new solution were forward-thinking and centered on true automation:
- API Integration: The solution had to be API-based to integrate seamlessly with BlueTree's modern internal systems and future-proof their workflow.
- Dynamic Imposition: They sought a dynamic imposition solution to "remove the need for templates" entirely.
This search led them to Enfocus Phoenix, which they now use for virtually all products: flat work, folded work, bound work, large format work, and even packaging.
From Digital Presses to Offset Ganging
BlueTree’s implementation of Phoenix was phased, starting with their most demanding workflows:
- Digital Printing: Phoenix was initially rolled out for their digital fleet, including their Indigos, Jet Presses, and True Presses, to immediately remove "those template pain points".
- Ganging Expansion: The solution was then expanded to handle ganging in their large format department, and has since grown into a universal tool for offset and digital ganging.
The "Night and Day" Difference: Eliminating the Template Burden
The most significant benefit for the BlueTree team has been the ability to launch new products and sizes without ever having to design a new template.
"The main benefits for us really is the need to not have templates, so we don't have to be maintaining imposition templates. If we want to launch a new size or a new product, we don't have to make a new template for that. Phoenix just works it out on the fly..."
Matthew Kay, Software Engineer at BlueTree Group
Phoenix dynamically calculates the ideal imposition based on two crucial variables: the specific press that will be running the job and the sheet size.
This shift was instantly transformative: "We really found it the night and day once we first started implementing it," says Matthew. The dynamic calculation ensures the correct quantity of jobs and the ideal fill of jobs on the sheet, directly addressing previous issues of waste and reliability.
Seamless Integration with Enfocus Switch and MIS
To power this dynamic workflow, BlueTree Group leveraged Enfocus tools for robust connectivity.
- Enfocus Switch: The integration of Phoenix into their overall workflow was "really straightforward," initially using the Switch configurator and later the provided open-source code on GitHub.
- Advanced MIS Connection: For their most complex ganging requirements, BlueTree has also established a direct integration from their MIS system into Phoenix.
This powerful combination ensures that production data flows automatically from the business side, through the workflow engine, and directly to the dynamic imposition engine, proving that Phoenix truly "does everything" required of an automated, enterprise-level solution.
