Industry News
PowerScan Inc., a subsidiary of Star Technologies, Inc. announced it is being certified as a Kodak Independent Software Vendor (ISV)...
under Eastman Kodak's newly created ISV Program. Among the many benefits, the Kodak ISV Program promises a seamless working relationship between Kodak's scanner development group and its associated ISV development organizations, such as PowerScan. PowerScan and Kodak have jointly sold and supported a host of Kodak's major Imagelink customers, such as the Student Loan Marketing Association, Phillips Petroleum, Primerica/Traveler's Insurance, Aspen Systems, Ford Motor Company, Air Force, Army, and others. Furthermore, the former INTRAFED organization (the originator of much of PowerScan's software technology) was twice awarded the Kodak Imagelink Gold VAR Award of the Year. With more than 500 installations worldwide, PowerScan is a leading designer, developer and supplier of digital document imaging software for the capture and processing of images for both government and commercial users. In a separate announcement, an agreement was made between PowerScan and ZSource, Inc. for distribution of PowerScan and StageWorks image capture and processing application software. ZSource is a major imaging technology distributor located in Stoughton, MA. PowerScan Software is distributed through Value Added Resellers and Distributors. For information, call PowerScan at 301-315-0240, fax 301-315-0280, email info@pwrscan.com, or visit www.pwrscan.com. Star Technologies is headquartered at 515 Shaw Road, Sterling, VA 20166. Call Star at 703-689-4400 or email starinfo@star.com.
Xionics Document Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:XION) announced a multi-year extension...
of its existing technology development agreement with Hewlett Packard Company (NYSE:HWP). Although terms were not disclosed, Xionics' management expects the agreement extension to result in an ongoing revenue stream beyond the expiration of the initial contract. Xionics also announced a restructuring of its operations that will result in one time and unusual charges in the fourth quarter ending June 30, 1998, of approximately $9 million. In this year's third quarter, the company reported a net loss of $3.3 million on revenue of $8.8 million. Xionics first entered into a long-term development partnership with HP in 1994 with the customization and integration of portions of Xionics' graphics imaging software in HP's printer controller architecture. Since then, HP developed a PostScript compatible solution for several LaserJet printers, including the 4000, 5000 and 8000 series printers, using Xionics' IPS-PRINT P32 Postscript compatible print language interpreter. In addition, Xionics developed a Windows 3.1 Postscript driver for the HP LaserJet 8000. As part of the restructuring, the company announced it is seeking a buyer for its Digital Documents Products Division, which has been generating approximately $5 million in annual revenue. The total number of employees was reduced to approximately 195 from approximately 220. Still included in the current headcount are the approximately 25 employees working in the Digital Documents Products Division. Call 781-229-7000, fax 781-229-7119, or visit www.xionics.com.
OPServer, Inc., a Fidelity Technology Solutions company, announces the integration of Pitney Bowes Software Systems' (PBSS) StreamWeaver...
print stream processing software with its OPServer output management solution. The integration of these technologies allows OPServer customers to automatically route formatted print streams through StreamWeaver. The integrated StreamWeaver/-OPServer product then automatically delivers the enhanced print files to the OPS spool. OPServer's foundation technology automates the information management process by collecting, composing, and delivering data from virtually any platform to any output device, including OcE', IBM and Xerox printers, WWW, CD-R, microfiches, and tape. For information, visit www.opserver.com, email opserver@fmr.com, or call 800-734-6135 or 617-392-8586.
Wicks and Wilson LTD. and Amitech Corporation announced an expansion...
of their existing agreement whereby Amitech would exclusively distribute Wicks midrange 16mm/35mm microfilm scanners to the whole United States. The Wicks and Wilson ScanStation 4000 is a turnkey microfilm scanning system capable of scanning at up to 41 frames per minute (approx. 1.5 seconds per page). An average complete turnkey scanning system retails for less than $40,000 depending on the configuration of the controller. Call 703-256-2020, fax 703-256-9135, or visit www.amitech.com.
GLOVIA INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C., a provider of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, announced a strategic alliance with Trilogy Development Group, Inc....
a provider of enterprise software solutions for the front office. Through the alliance, GLOVIA will resell Trilogy's Selling Chain suite integrated to the GLOVIA ERP solution. The tight integration and comprehensive functionality will deliver an extensive front office-enabled ERP solution. Trilogy's Selling Chain software suite integrates each function in a company's sales and marketing operation, enabling 100% order accuracy, customer specific pricing, customized quotations, automatic order routing, and extensive data collection for market analysis. GLOVIA INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C. was formed in July of 1997 as a joint venture between Fujitsu and MDIS. GLOVIA is a proven enterprise software and services partner that helps discrete/repetitive manufacturers implement solutions in six to nine months. Call either 800-223-3799 or 310-306-4000 or visit www.glovia.com.
Zeh Graphic Systems, Inc. announced that Boeing has implemented ZEH's PLOT EXPRESS software...
as a network plotting solution for their Seattle-based operations. The multi-year, enterprise-wide agreement provides the potential for additional servers to be implemented throughout Boeing operations to support technical engineering and business applications that output CGM, PostScript, and TIFF. ZEH is driving both the OcE' 9800 and 9400 plotters with its PLOT EXPRESS servers at Boeing. In a separate announcement, Zeh Graphic Systems released a new Web-based interface, WebPlot, which allows users to view and plot files by using their local Web browsers. With WebPlot, users can submit plots directly from their UNIX, PC or Macintosh workstations to any server on their WebPlot network that includes ZEH's PLOT EXPRESS software. Users can access the server via the Internet or an Intranet by using their local Internet Explorer or Netscape browsers. Visit www.zeh.com.
BancTec, Inc. (NTSE:BTC) announced a long-term contract to provide a new image-based remittance processing solution to FDR Limited...
the United Kingdom's leading outsource payments processor. The BancTec solution will be installed at FDR's Basildon processing center and will process up to 750,000 remittances, checks, and credit card transactions per week for FDR's customers, including major banks and other financial institutions. BancTec also has announced its new ReadFIRST check document recognition solution which capitalizes on the latest ICR (intelligent character recognition) technology to offer the most efficient document recognition system now on the market. ReadFIRST analyzes character and field-level data in a variety of image-enabled applications, including remittance, sales draft, lockbox, check, POD, and international GIRO document processing. Its recognition process can be adjusted to match specific end-user application requirements and document quality needs. In another announcement from BancTec, an agreement was made with Minerals Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:MTX) to provide third-party maintenance ad servicing for their Novell NetWare network for a three-year period. Under terms of the agreement, BancTec will provide support to Minerals Technologies, Inc.'s New York, NY; Lehigh Valley, PA; Adams, MA; and Canaan, CT locations, as well as 24 more sites in the U. S. and Canada. In a separate release, BancTec announced that the Swedish National Police Board has selected BancTec to develop and integrate a new national system for firearms registry and case management based on the Plexus FloWare workflow product family. The order is valued at approximately $8 million (U. S.) over the next two years. BancTec has also announced a contract with Goold Health Systems for a new imaging system solution. The new system will enhance Goold's proficiency in processing medical claims for the State of Maine, along with its other forms processing functions. Installation was completed at the Goold service bureau facility in Augusta, ME, during June. Another announcement from BancTec indicates it has taken the next step in implementing its e-commerce strategy by aligning with MSFDC to provide systems integration for customers of MSDFC's electronic bill presentment and payment services. BancTec has signed a letter of intent to join the MSFDC Systems Integrators Program for transitioning billers and bill processors into the e-commerce arena. Visit BancTec's Web site at www.banctec.com.
Spicer Corporation announced that MatrixOne, Inc. (Chelmsford, MA), has signed an agreement...
to resell Imagenation, Spicer's industry-leading imaging software. The integration be between Matrix and Imagenation, called SpicerLink for Matrix, was completed in 1997 and has been used successfully at a number of customer sites. SpicerLink for Matrix provides a complete solution for retrieving, using, distributing, marking, editing, annotation and storing company's product-related processes and information throughout the enterprise to facilitate improved collaboration and communication. In a separate release, Spicer announced its new relationship with Clark Associates (Huntsville, AL). The reprographic sales and service bureau signed as a Spicer reseller to add Spicer's imaging software, Imagenation, for their plotting and scanning business. A Xerox distributor, Clark Associates will package Imagenation as the imaging software for its engineering-sized plotters and scanners. Call 519-748-2462, fax 519-748-9457, or visit www.spicer.com.
Minolta Information Systems, Inc. (MISI) announced a strategic marketing and integration alliance with Cardiff Software, Inc.... Minolta and Cardiff Software will create a unique version of TELEform, which will integrate with Minolta's MI3MS 3000 Plus and DocX 2000 document imaging and information systems. The integrated solution enables users to send batches of business forms from the MI3MS 3000 Plus or DocX 2000 desktop to Cardiff Software's TELEform system for processing. TELEform is an integrated software program that provides departmental, high-volume, and enterprise-wide data collection solutions for faxed, scanned, electronic, and Internet/Intranet forms. TELEform automatically reads and interprets hand print and machine print information from forms. Any mis-marked or illegible entries are verified and corrected before release to the Minolta system. Visit MISI at www.misi.minolta.com and Cardiff Software at www.cardiffsw.com.
WorkPlace System Solutions, a Bentley Strategic Affiliate, announced that the Nabisco Biscuit Company in East Hanover, NJ... is implementing a WorkPlace ActiveAsset software solution for engineering information management at its corporate headquarters and eleven bakeries. The engineering information management system will move Nabisco from a file-centric focus, where search, navigation, and workflow capabilities are limited, to a system where engineering content is managed as an asset throughout its lifecycle. Nabisco Corporate Engineering is the product and process design center for the ten local bakeries that support one of the largest packaged food providers in the world. WorkPlace can be reached at 978-952-2559 or on the Web at www.workplacesystems.com.
The Business Imaging Systems division of Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) has agreed to sell...
its line of document management solutions software, with service revenues of approximately $4.5 million, to a new subsidiary of Tyler Corporation (NYSE:TYL) of Dallas, TX. Kofile, Inc., a new subsidiary in Tyler's Business Resources Corporation unit, will be based in Kodak's home community of Rochester for development, support and marketing of the products. Under the agreement, Tyler will acquire Kodak Business Imaging System's document management software products and services used for image storage and retrieval in a wide range of document-intensive applications. The transaction does not include products offered by or involve in any way Kodak's Eastman Software subsidiary. For information, call Tyler at 214-754-7800 or visit www.tylercorporation.com. In a separate announcement, Kodak Business Imaging Systems and Adaptive Solutions, Inc. jointly announced the shipping of next-generation data entry products utilizing the Kodak Digital Science Scanner 3500 and Adaptive's EntryLink family of Computer Assisted Data Entry Products. Building upon Adaptive's acquisition of Kodak's ImageLink OCR (optical character recognition) business last October, EntryLink incorporates significant recognition technology originally developed by Kodak and now commercialized by Adaptive. For more information about Adaptive Solutions, visit www.asi.com. Call Kodak Business Imaging Systems at 800-243-8811 (U. S. or Canada).
ImageSoft Technologies, Maitland, FL, and Wausau Financial Systems (WFS), Mosinee, WI, announced a multi-year, multi-million dollar agreement...
which extends their five-year relationship. Under the agreement WFS will continue to market ImageSoft's entire suite of applications for both UNIX and NT based systems, focusing predominantly on the community bank market. These applications include Check Image Statements, Check and Document Archive, and Retrieval/Distribution Software. Further, ImageSoft will promote WFS' POD and remittance processing applications when there are opportunities in the larger financial tier. Wausau Financial Systems is a solution provider of item, image and remittance applications, specializing in the small to midrange tier of community financial institutions and a variety of commercial operations, including the utilities, government, and telephone industries. For information, visit www.wausaufs.com.
Storage Computer corporation (AMEX:SOS) announced that it has entered into a strategic OEM relationship...
with ATL Products, Inc., a worldwide supplier of automated tape libraries. The addition of ATL's tape libraries expands Storage Computer's capabilities to offer backup, restore and archival functions to its STORAGESUITE family of high-performance, fault-tolerant storage solutions. Effective immediately, Storage Computer will offer ATL's DLT tape libraries as either standalone or rack-mounted units. For information about Storage Computer Corporation, visit www.storage.com. For information about ATL Products, call 714-774-6900 or visit www.atlp.com.
Intel makes significant investment in Open Market...
purchasing approximately 330,000 restricted shares of Open Market commonstock. Open Market is a major proponent of a digital society, and develops and sells technology to promote this, primarily e-commerce software and Folio electronic publishing software. Intel's investment should encourage the process of mainstreaming electronic media, requiring greater and more desktop processing power. In a related announcement, Open Market announced that it will make its Internet commerce software, Transact, available on Pentium II-based servers. and on Intel's next generation IA-64 processors. For more information call Open Market at 1-888-OPEN MKT, or visit their web site at www.openmarket.com. Courtesy of The Delphi Group (www.delphigroup.com).
Open Text announces the acquisition of Information Dimensions, Inc....
long-time developer and vendor of the BASISplus family of integrated document management and text search products. IDI has annual sales in the $20 million range and 170 employees. IDI will remain intact as a division of Open Text. The Basis family of products will also be maintained and integrated with Open Text's LiveLink Intranet family of products. For more information contact Mia Pearson, Open Text Corporation, 519-888-7111 ext. 2410, mpearson@opentext.com; or Bill Forquer, Information Dimensions, Inc., 614-761-7323, forquer@informationdimensions.com. Courtesy of The Delphi Group (www.delphi-group.com).
Lotus and Verity announce resolution of contract dispute, additional licensing agreements...
After several months of negotiations following Verity's suit against Lotus/IBM and Lotus' countersuit for software licensing agreement violations, the two companies have reached a new agreement under which Lotus will license Verity's Keyview document filtering and viewing technology, as well as other search and retrieval technology. For more information, contact Ron Weissman of Verity, via email at info@verity.com, or visit www.verity.com or www.lotus.com. Courtesy of The Delphi Group (www.delphigroup.com).
PC DOCS Group International Inc. announced the formation of a new division...
dedicated exclusively to the development and delivery of Internet software. Former iSTAR Internet CEO Craig Wallace has been appointed as the President of this new initiative. According to Wallace, the initiative gives them the framework to exploit the significant new revenue opportunities presented by the Internet, while still maintaining focus on leadership within existing target markets. For more details, visit PC DOCS Group International Inc. at www.pcdocs.com. Courtesy of The Delphi Group (www.delphigroup.com).
IBM to sell its Digital Printing Systems Division...
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that IBM has hired Goldman Sachs, the New York investment banking firm, to help it sell its $2 billion Digital Printing Systems Division. IBM has apparently decided that the Boulder, CO division, which employs over 5,000 people is no longer strategic to its overall business. The business has been offered to, and turned down by, Canon which reportedly felt that IBM's corporate base was inconsistent with Canon's focus on SOHOs and consumers. Other Japanese suitors including Ricoh and Sharp are considering a move. For more information visit www.printers.ibm.com. Courtesy of The Delphi Group (www.delphigroup.com).
Canon re-enters wide format color printer market...
with the new BJ-W7000. Initially available only in Japan for 998,000 yen (US$6,930), the machine uses four individual print headsÑeach with 128 nozzlesÑthat are fed by high-capacity ink tanks which can be refilled while the printer is operating. Canon says the device is compatible with both Mac and Windows systems but PostScript compatibility and a hardware RIP are extra-charge options. Contact Canon at www.canon.co.jp/index-e.html. Courtesy of The Delphi Group (www.delphigroup.com).
UPS unveils UPS Document Exchange Service...
Market research conducted by United Parcel Service indicates that "approximately one-third of all urgent document deliveries will be switched from physical to virtual transmission over the Internet by 2002." That represents $11.2 billion in lost package business. In order to hold onto as much of this business as possible, UPS is offering Document Exchange, a secure Internet-based method for transmitting documents electronically. Offered at a 20% discount below their physical delivery rates Document Exchange will also be faster. for more information, visit UPS' Web site at www.exchange.ups.com. Courtesy of The Delphi Group (www.delphigroup.com).
Network Imaging announces name change to TREEV...
which more accurately reflects the Company's new orientation as a provider of integrated, production-level document management solutions and is a precursor to the introduction of the Company's forthcoming software product suite. The new product suite was announced to over 20,000 attendees at the AIIM '98 (Association for Information and Image Management International) trade show in May in Anaheim, California. The NASDAQ trading symbol for the Company's common shares has changed from IMGX to TREV. The NASDAQ trading symbol for the Company's Series A Cumulative Preferred Stock has changed from IMGXP to TREVP, and the trading symbol for the Company's publicly traded warrants has changed from IMGXW to TREVW. TREEV (formerly Network Imaging Corporation) is a leading developer and marketer of integrated document management solutions. Built on their patented object management technology, TREEV's suite of software products extends a company's investment in legacy and client/server applications by providing users with flexible, cost-effective document management solutions. The Company's software is marketed through partners such as Sybase (NASDAQ:SYBS), Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT), ALLTEL (NYSE:AT), EDS (NYSE:EDS) and Intergraph Corporation (NASDAQ:INGR). Contact Kelly Rae Mullins, APR, Corporate Communications Manager TREEV (formerly Network Imaging Corporation) at 703-478-2260, ext. 114.
BancTec selected by Bank of Scotland to provide its new check-imaging solution...
Scotland's oldest financial institution, the 750-branch Bank of Scotland (BoS) with assets exceeding $60 billion, has selected BancTec's ImageFIRST TPST software solution to handle its newly automated image-based check processing tasks. By installing ImageFIRST TPS at its processing centers in Edinburgh and Glasgow, BoS anticipates a substantial reduction in costs associated with processing the 1.5 million items it averages every week. The system is valued in excess of $3 million (U.S.). ImageFIRST TPS captures a digital image of items for automated amount entry and balance. The system compares the handwritten figures on customer checks with the amounts entered by branches. Should the amounts on checks and deposit slips within a transaction not match, the system presents the images of the items to an operator for verification or correction. This error-checking function improves customer service by cutting down on the number of incorrect amounts being debited or credited to customer accounts. It also improves the quality of the data exchanged between settlement banks. At BoS, a centralized "Proof of Deposit" processing system will handle all customer transactions passed to processing centers by branches. Although branches will retain the capability of processing transactions, automating the process through the centralized ImageFIRST TPS solution will significantly reduce the amount of processing done at each branch. BancTec Limited, the UK-based subsidiary of BancTec, Inc., will oversee the implementation of the ImageFIRST solution, scheduled to be completed this summer. BancTec is a diversified systems integration and services company specializing in automated applications solutions for the banking, financial services, insurance, healthcare, government, utility, telecommunications and retail industries. For more information about BancTec and its products, visit their Web site at www.banctec.com.
Staffware and MacroSoft announce strategic alliance...
Staffware Corporation, a leading enterprise workflow provider, announced the formation of a strategic alliance with MacroSoft, a leading provider of document management and COLD technology. The newly formed relationship will allow Staffware and MacroSoft to jointly market Staffware 97, Staffware's production workflow technology and Synergy, MacroSoft's global information management system. Established in 1987, MacroSoft (Rochester Hills, MI) provides client/server software solutions that replace microfiche, microfilm, computer report printing as well as traditional paper-based file folders. Utilizing the latest in Windows/NT and LAN/WAN based application technologies and CD-ROM/Optical storage media, MacroSoft solutions provide fast electronic access to previously paper and file folder-based information. Contact Sandy Hannawa at MacroSoft at 248-853-5353, ext. 141, fax 248-853-7140, send email to shannawa@-macrosoft.com, or visit www.macrosoft.com. In a separate announcement, Staffware announced a joint alliance with ALOS, the exclusive distributor of the DocuWare line of document management software in North and South America. The newly formed partnership will allow users to seamlessly integrate Staff-ware's workflow product with DocuWare's document management software. DocuWare is Windows-based software for managing documents electronically either over a network or as a standalone application. Functions of the DocuWare product include image capturing, storing, retrieving and displaying images with output to paper or fax. DocuWare is integrated with Staffware via scripts, defining the tasks have to be performed during each step of the workflow process. DocuWare makes the necessary functions (scanning, storing, displaying and printing) available to the required user(s) at the appropriate step of the workflow procedure. Staffware delivers solutions to companies in need of a production workflow technology that is easy to deploy, scalable, and adept at high transaction processing. Contact Loulou Tran at Staffware at 781-271-0003, ext. 103, fax 781-271-0066, email ltran@staffware-corp.com, or visit www.staffware.com.
VICI on its way to ANSI/ISO standard...
A working group composed of leading document imaging vendors working under the auspices of VICI (Vendor Independent Component Imaging) and AIIM (Association of Information and Image Management) met for the second time this year. They announced their next step in the creation of a new standard that will allow developers and end users a quick and easy way to build, deploy and support systems and solutions better tailored to business needs. The group also released a communiquE' announcing their achievements. VICI is an industry initiative designed to simplify and lower development costs of imaging products, and providing customers greater ability to implement and upgrade their systems and solutions more easily and cost effectively. More than twenty leaders in the industry attended and positioned the group as a candidate for an official AIIM and ANSI/ISO standards committee. For more information, visit AIIM's Web site at www.aiim.org.
Kalthoff Int'l and Plant-Wide Research Group...
sign a collaboration agreement on the development of conferences and projects that focus on the role of ERP in managing product data throughout a manufacturing firm. The initial conference to be co-produced under the agreement is Engineering ERP 98, which will be held September 28 - October 1 at the Omni Rosen Hotel in Orlando. This event will address critical issues of integrating ERP to PDM in manufacturing firms and will provide advice on improving the flow of product information between engineering and manufacturing. Contact 513-794-3367 or www.kalthoff.com.