Sponsored by:

 
Digital Smart Factory Forum
June 18-20, 2001
Orlando, Florida
Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport

Dear Colleague,

The goal to automate the intricacies of our printing and publishing industries has proven to be difficult.

• The custom nature of our design, preparatory and production processes.
• The growing dependence upon information technology and data and content management.
• The influence of numerous "hands" and competing interests throughout the manufacturing process.

All these factors conspire against standardization and the "frictionless" media supply chain.

But things are changing. It is increasingly evident that the necessary pieces are converging to achieve computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM). Over the next several years, in fact, driven by economics and competition from other media, CIM is poised to be the focus of much of our industry's development activity, by both vendors and sophisticated users alike.

... more than just another yearly conference with redundant agendas and the predictable faces.

The Digital Smart Factory Forum will be held on June 18-20, 2001 in Orlando, Florida at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport Hotel. It is designed to be more than just another yearly conference with redundant agendas and the predictable faces. Moreover, before adjourning, forum attendees will establish an on-going agenda for the next 12 months. Like the development of CIM, we will build a process, not a one-time event. And as the name implies, this year we have invited specific individuals to participate. We want to cultivate a group of influential industry participants that will be instrumental to make CIM happen. And we want Digital Smart Factory to provide management the information and resources that you can use to ensure success.

The Smart Factory agenda includes three major sessions:

1. In-depth tutorials that set the business and technical foundations for CIM,
2. Specific issues of CIM through white paper presentations, and
3. Case studies that implement CIM solutions.

During each session, attendees, moderators and speakers will examine and discuss content, issues and needs. This will facilitate the development of the on-going Smart Factory agenda.

Consider coming yourself or sending the appropriate staff. We envision the Digital Smart Factory Forum will evolve into a venue to help build your internal dialogues and planning between senior executives, production and IT management. We look forward to seeing you there and building the Smart Factory.

Regards,

Chuck Gehman Co-Chair & Executive VP & CTO Printable

Orlando Boleda Co-Chair & VP Research & Engineering Council