HP has added HP SmartStream Director to its SmartStream workflow portfolio for print service providers. As part of this introduction, HP has formed a new original equipment manufacturer relationship with graphic arts business flow automation technology provider Press-sense. HP will sell and support HP SmartStream Director, providing small to large businesses with an integrated and open workflow system that can automate, manage, customize and optimize business and production processes from job creation through fulfillment, including online job submission, placement of variable data and integration with partner systems. The product is expected to launch November 2008.

HP SmartStream Director will integrate a wide variety of Press-sense applications and technology as well as HP tools and systems. Features, components and benefits to HP SmartStream Director include: An integrated production framework for managing jobs from online submission through print to fulfillment, based on Press-sense’s new iWay version 5.0; enhanced efficiency of production environments for print service providers through tight integrations with HP SmartStream portfolio components; a built-in, high-performance variable data printing package that handles workflows from creation to fulfillment based on HP SmartStream Designer; and a broader range of production applications based on embedded integrations into optional HP SmartStream and partner components, including the HP SmartStream Photo Enhancement Server, Creo Darwin and products from DirectSmile, Digilabs and others.

“HP SmartStream Director will empower customers to pursue profitable growth opportunities by leveraging our industry-leading digital press technology with the comprehensive business automation and workflow management, including optimized variable-data printing and partner application integration,” said Alon Bar-Shany, vice president and general manager, Indigo division, HP. “This announcement, along with our expanded partnership, is the latest outcome of the long-standing close collaboration between HP and Press-sense, which has culminated in dozens of joint customers.”

HP SmartStream Director was co-developed with Press-sense to be scalable and based on an open architecture. Initially developed to support HP Indigo presses, HP SmartStream Director will be expanded in the future to support other HP Graphic Arts digital printing technologies. Existing Press-sense iWay customers will be able to adopt the HP SmartStream Director system through an upgrade offering. It is part of the HP SmartStream workflow portfolio, which was announced at HP’s pre-Drupa event in March and is being shown for the first time at Drupa. The portfolio enables graphic arts customers to create a variety of digital print applications using components developed by HP and its partners.  

“Press-sense is excited to strengthen the level of cooperation with HP,” said Shlomo Ben-David, chief executive officer, Press-sense. “With this alliance, HP customers can significantly improve their response to print buyer requirements for more advanced print services and grow the business, while enhancing the management of their entire business and production processes from a request for quote, all the way through to delivery and billing, with unmatched flexibility and scalability.”  

HP SmartStream Director is being shown in the HP booth at Drupa in Hall 8A.