IFRA Expo 2008: Saarbrücker Zeitung orders new ppi ad workflow in Amsterdam

10/27/2008

Integration of IS-M/AM and IS-M/AMC Editor planned
The Saarbrücker Zeitung, based in Saarbrücken (South Germany), has decided to upgrade its ppi workflow at the IFRA 2008 in Amsterdam. In order to optimize both our ad workflow and edition planning and output management workflows in future, the ppi products AdPag (ad pagination), AdMan (ad production), AdCept (web-based customer ad review) and ProPag (automated page assembly) will be installed at the beginning of 2009. This upgrade coincides with the company's announcement to replace its current CICERO ad system with a new SAP workflow with IS-M/AM and IS-M/AMC Editor. The SAP media solution will be seamlessly integrated in ppi Media's Publishing Solutions.
"We are very pleased that the Saarbrücker Zeitung will use our open workflow concept for installing the SAP systems", said Norbert Ohl, managing director of ppi Media, after receiving the new sales order. "With the joint solution from SAP and ppi Media, the company can realize substantial savings, achieving a more flexible and efficient workflow."

New approach to the ad workflow
The main objective of the Saarbrücker Zeitung (SZ) is to link the technical system with the booking system in order to improve the overall workflow. "We are convinced that with SAP and ppi Media we have made the right decision in order to optimize our business processes in the advertising market with regard to time, costs and flexibility and to expand our customer service", says Dr. Joachim Meinhold, CEO of the Saarbrücker Zeitung. When the ppi/SAP installation goes live, all ads booked in SAP will be directly available for ad production in AdMan. For ad production an outsourced subsidiary of the SZ will be seamlessly integrated in the automated workflow via the AdMan add-on WebLink. Finished ads will undergo a preflight check and then be transferred to the customer for approval or correction with AdCept. The Süddeutsche Zeitung expects savings potentials from the new ad pagination system AdPag and the page assembly system ProPag, with which ad pages will be automatically produced and then forwarded to printnet OM for imaging.

Patric Schäfer, head of production at SZ and, at the same time, project manager, said, "ppi Media has proved its worth as a competent and innovative workflow supplier in earlier projects. Together with ppi Media we have therefore developed a long-term project plan that will cover both the installation in Saarbrücken and also system migrations in Trier and Cottbus within the next two years."

About the Saarbrücker Zeitung
The Saarbrücker Zeitung is the leading daily newspaper in Saarland with a daily circulation of approx. 151,100 copies. Eleven regional editorial offices have created an information network across the whole of the Saarland. The company has its headquarters in Berlin and a network of correspondents worldwide. This not only makes the Saarbrücker Zeitung one of Germany's leading regional newspapers, but also one of the most-cited. The company also publishes the tabloid paper "20cent saar", the scene magazine "POTATO" which is published fortnightly, and "saar.amateur", the only sports newspaper published in Saarland. The Saarbrücker Zeitung and its subsidiaries from the field of advertising papers and multilingual services employ approx. 2500 people.

About printnet
With printnet, manroland and its subsidiary ppi Media offer a highly efficient workflow management system for printers and publishers. As a flexible, modular system, it networks all print sites and production areas in the sales, prepress, press and postpress departments. Production systems from third-party suppliers can be integrated in the fully automated printnet workflow via open interfaces. For further information please contact:

manroland AG
D-86219 Augsburg,
Mr. Andreas Aplien
Phone +49.(0)821.424-4739
Andreas_Aplien@mra.man.de

ppi Media GmbH
Hindenburgstraße 49
D-22297 Hamburg,
Mr. Christian Finder
Phone +49 (0)40. 227 433-637
finder@ppimedia.de