Lindsay Yates Group and Kiwi giant Image Centre Group have invested in "best-in-class" MIS systems to cut costs and bottlenecks.

Lindsay Yates signed for Tharstern Primo in November, with the system expected to go live at the 60-staff Sydney operation at the end of March.

Director David Shoppee said the software would help Lindsay Yates better manage its cost base and unlock production bottlenecks.

"We're pursuing a fair amount of automation through the modules we've selected. It will give us a greater transparency of our operations to allow us to make more informed decisions about the management of our business," he told ProPrint.

"We're moving to electronic scheduling. We're pursuing JDF integration and putting full WiFi-based shopfloor data capture into the business."

Shoppee said Lindsay Yates was switching from the DaVinci MIS system because Tharstern's larger install base meant it could offer better product development.

"We compared Primo to competitive programs in the marketplace, but we believe Tharstern stood up because of the Asia-Pacific support, and more importantly because of the install base across Europe."

[Profile: Kiwi consolidator David Atkins]

Image Centre also signed for Tharstern Primo in November, with its system expected to become operational on 1 April.

Managing director David Atkins said Image Centre would use Tharstern for its three print businesses; the rest of the 210-staff multi-media group will use NetSuite.

Atkins said Image Centre had decided to switch from EFI Prism because it wasn't the most efficient software for a print business.

"We've grown and diversified and we've been trying to fit everything through Prism," he told ProPrint.

"If we're going to be a world-class business, you need world-class systems. [Tharstern Primo] is a much newer, best-in-class software, so it will provide efficiencies and remove some inter-company duplication."

Atkins said investing in software was just as important as investing in machinery.

"If you don't get your information flow right and your data right, you don't know what you're doing. It's critical – it underpins so much of our work."

Tharstern Australasia managing director Tresta Keegan told ProPrint that Tharstern had also recently signed deals with Newcastle firm Who Printing and Kiwi operations Crucial Colour Print and NZ Print.

[LinkedIn: Which MIS do you use and why?]

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