Heidelberg has launched Zaikio, an independent and open cloud based platform for industry collaboration.
Rainer Hundsdörfer, chief executive at Heidelberg, says, “With the independent and open cloud based platform Zaikio, Heidelberg is actively meeting the challenges faced by the printing sector in the digital era. This marks the next milestone in the industry’s digitisation.”
Making transactions easier
Around a year ago, Heidleberg acquired cloud software business Crispy Mountain, enabling it to address issues it saw in the industry. It says print shops face the challenge of making shorter and more varied runs cost-effective. They need to manage the increasingly complex relationships between themselves, their customers, and various business partners. Heidelberg sees Zaikio as the solution to establish fully automated, integrated processes across company boundaries. It aims to make workflows and transactions between printers, software providers, equipment manufacturers, and suppliers simpler.
Heidelberg says Zaikio unites industry players on a single platform using three key elements. The free Zaikio Account enables users to log into all connected software systems with a single login. They can use the Zaikio Hub to administer personal and organisation-based accounts. These link the services and software of the various providers, from existing software to apps developed specifically for Zaikio. Mission Control acts as the print shop’s digital control centre. It receives all data in a standardised form and can be read, edited, and restored by other apps. Heidelberg says this results in a straightforward, standardised data exchange between software, hardware, and the partners involved. This creates the basis for end to end automated process chains.
Hundsdörfer says, “Zaikio makes complete processes and collaboration much simpler in the printing industry. It also has the potential to secure a profitable future for its users. As a founding partner and driving force of Zaikio, Heidelberg is open to working with other strategic partners and investors to grasp the opportunities digitisation offers an entire industry.”
An open cloud based platform
Anyone who wants to get involved can now create a free Zaikio Account at www.zaikio.com. This will help gradually shape, expand, and establish the platform. Zaikio interfaces and tools enable potential partners and investors to link their products with the platform and make them available to all users via the Zaikio Hub. Zaikio’s team of developers will provide the necessary support.
Heidelberg says a large number of the industry’s well-known software providers are on board. Further cooperation agreements will come. This means Zaikio’s range of functions will keep on growing. The cloud application will make new functions and inclusions immediately available to all users.
Matthias Prinz, managing director of Zaikio, says, “Only a shared, open platform that unites as many industry players as possible can bring about the change and standardisation so urgently required. Zaikio is just such a platform, combining the comprehensive Heidelberg know-how and network with Zaikio’s agile philosophy. Over the coming months, we’ll gradually be unveiling and establishing our platform.”
