Global prepress leader EskoArtwork, headquartered in Ghent, Belgium, hosted its customers May 17-20 at the EskoArtwork Worldwide User Conference (formerly EUGI). The event, which took place in Orlando, FL, USA, was the 19th of its kind, and attracted 240 customers in addition to the EskoArtwork personnel and that of its partner companies on hand to assist in training.

The conference offered a mix of presentations, equipment and software demonstrations, and hands-on training and labs. It also provided a forum for EskoArtwork to unveil new products and even give customers a “sneak peak” at prototypes currently under development.

“The response to the conference has been outstanding, and we’re thrilled with the attendance numbers, particularly in today’s economy,” said Carsten Knudsen, CEO and president. “Our industry has evolved to the point where we’re seeing many of our customers requiring integration. Now, working with our partner companies, we are providing them with true integration,” he added, referring to the companies EskoArtwork is collaborating with, which include Gallus, HP, Sun Chemical, and DuPont.

Arjen Maarleveld, senior VP products, talked about some of the new products introduced at the conference, and used a colorful metaphor to describe their respective roles. “We are selling two types of products – vitamins and painkillers. The vitamins are long-term driven solutions, while the painkillers are for the short-term. In light of the economic downturn, in the last six months, we’ve seen people turning to the painkillers,” he said.

EskoArtwork’s Platform 10 had its formal introduction at the conference. “Platform 10 is a long-term strategic investment. It consists of both engines and tools, and is a direction we’ve taken toward integration. It’s a roadmap, a journey,” Maarleveld said.