December 2015, Vistaprint＇s parent company Cimpress announced plans to buy German online printing website WIRmachenDRUCK, the cause has been the benchmark for the printing industry automation industry a great deal of attention.Vistaprint for many years, and its parent company Cimpress also is considering using two main strategies will enhance the future development to a new level. The strategy and a very interesting point. After the acquisition, foreign media interview the Robert Keane, Cimpress company CEO, through this article, you will learn to Cimpress Companies more strategic planning and development plan, these plans may be slightly confused Chinese printing electricity suppliers to provide new inspiration.
Through the acquisition of the ecological system to achieve mass customization＂
Q: in my opinion, you recently for the acquisition of WIRmachenDRUCK very has the meaning. I believe must also have many other choices, but why choose it?
A: in the past 18 months, we actually had a series of acquisitions, but two of the largest is from Germany WIRmachenDRUCK and from France Exaprint. this two company annual revenues of more than $100 million, all orders are almost entirely by more than 150 production partners outside the hair done. We love in the two companies because they are able to come to the fore in the European online printing market competition is unusually intense, and build the network model and our future vision fit. As we announced in the 18 months before that, I have is building a Will back-end production supply chain with many different dealers or face the customer＇s partner links to each other up ecological software platform. May the some of the front-end and back-end suppliers from Cimpress, but absolutely not accounted for most.
Q: This is a very interesting strategy for your investment in Vistaprint＇s business capabilities. Are you intended to bring new opportunities for your traditional production?
A: on the contrary.Cimpress in the past 15 years has experienced external similar leaflets, postcards, business cards, high-speed business migration to online printing stage. In spite of these products is currently an important part of our business, but we firmly believe that ＂mass customization＂ in other products will bring greater growth.
Q: please give me a detailed description.
A: first of all, transfers to mass customization of products must be the universal standard format prints, especially those terminal customers to himself through the template to generate something. ＂Mass customization＂did not spread out as such an increase of product complexity.
For example, a 16 page format magazine for 8.5x11 inch increase a organ folding, or what the customer requires an oval shaped products, and the complexity of the business beyond the scope of network printing standardization, so impossible
＂mass customization＂. But we firmly believe that if we build a ecological system for production and the client is large enough, will solve the problem.
Mass customization in the future will enter the long tail stage
Q: according to the recent financial statements of your company, your definition of ＇mass customization＇: ＂both the reliability of mass production, quality, cost and small batch orders can carry the personalized physical products.＂ could you explain in detail??
A: in the traditional custom field, each individual orders are usually through the proposed concept, the introduction of tender or quotation, equipment commissioning production, logistics is eventually delivered to complete the. Value chain of every step are performed in a customized way in the traditional manufacturing environment. If you have a large demand for a product, is high preparation cost and not a cause for concern, such as toothpaste or mobile phone and car parts, the preparation cost is only the overall scheme, a small part of the. But if the customized appears in the form of small batch, the preparation cost will be allocated to the individual products. This is known, print 10000 A small offset printing book prices and not more than 5000 high too much, because in this process, the overall preparation time increased only a very small part. ＂Mass customization＂ to solve the small quantities of customized orders can be produced at reasonable prices, but does not apply to ultra small quantity of orders.
A: similar paper cups, business cards, flyers, photo books, such as products long before will be able to achieve the degree of mass customization production, because this kind of product of millions of customers ordering can use standard format, and automation system of power to complete the amount of sea order. Last year in Vistaprint＇s business, we have handled more than 1800 million orders, average every order contains at least two or more products. A rough estimate for the product has 50 million times for. For the massive application, only vertical integration and the full range of automation to ensure product completed efficiently.
