Haybrooke and Tharstern agree JDF connection

Haybrooke Associates and Tharstern have arrived at a solution to connect their MIS software products via a JDF link

Haybrooke’s PDQ estimating system uses route-based logic to calculate the most cost-effective manufacturing solution for any given print specification. Following increasing requests from its customer base to connect its solution to incumbent MIS, the company began discussions back in December as to how to connect PDQ to Tharstern’s MIS. Haybrooke’s Managing Director, John Roche , said that connecting PDQ to MIS had become ‘an inevitability’ and that Tharstern was the natural choice to explore the possibility: “Many of our customers have the Tharstern MIS and we had come under increasing pressure to connect our system to it. When we first met with Tharstern late last year, the idea was to discuss the potential of mapping our existing XML file to their table structure. Keith McMurtrie, Tharsterns MD, however, encouraged us to look at using JDF technology as this would be in keeping with other Key Industry Vendors. So we did”.

Becoming JDF compliant is an important step forward for Haybrooke and PDQ as it will position the software above MIS in the JDF schema, making PDQ the only ‘intelligent’ solution to occupy such a position. “Keith has become a mentor to our staff and his knowledge of JDF is second to none” adds Roche “We feel very fortunate to have the opportunity of linking to a system that has arguably the most pedigree in MIS terms in the UK – and one of the largest customer bases.”

Tharstern has, of course, existing estimating functionality built into its system and this too has undergone great change over the years. A powerful solution in its own right, the decision to connect to PDQ was driven by the desire to offer real customer choice, and not pin them down to one option for the future. McMurtrie sees this future connectivity to other systems via JDF as a key driver of his company’s growth strategy “We want to be a solutions provider to our customers and if this means connecting to other systems that help to compliment our own offering, then we welcome this. The ethos of JDF is ‘connectivity’ and any vendor who can demonstrate this along with viable products that fit well with our own, will find us open to the concept”.

 

Barry Grindrod is Haybrooke's Sales & Marketing Director

IT and telecommunications specialist, Barry Grindrod, joins our team

Barry Grindrod has joined Haybrooke Associates as its Sales and Marketing Director. Formerly of Mercury Communications and Energis, Barry is a corporate sales and marketing professional with extensive experience focusing on business to business selling, primarily to large companies, in both existing customer and new business roles across various enterprise and public sector markets.

Bruce McKenzie-Boyle, former colleague of Barry at Vialtus Solutions says of him "Barry is a seasoned professional who knows exactly what to do, and then gets on with it. He creates excellent customer relationships, drives the business to deliver a class of service commensurate with the customers expectations and having done that, proceeds to develop the business to the benefit of both the customer and the company". Colleague Alun Lewis, also formerly of Vialtus agrees, adding "Barry is the consummate Sales Manager. I have had the privilege of working with and for Barry many times over the past twenty years. His professionalism and tenacity have been an inspiration".

John Roche , Haybrooke's MD, adds "I have worked with Barry twice in the past and it was an easy decision to work with him again. He is that rare breed of sales professional who somehow manages to combine the old fashioned skill of building rock solid, long-term business relationships, with a fresh, often innovative style, yet always a true gentleman. He is undoubtedly going to be a key driver of our business growth and we have already begun to measure the sales impact of his involvement with Haybrooke."

 

PDQ goes JDF

Increasing demand for connectivity drives PDQ's JDF evolution

What do you do when you have possibly the best estimating solution around, but it doesn't connect to other incumbent systems? Answer: you write a JDF-friendly xml file output that can be mapped to your partners systems. But wait, what do you do if these vendors are fully JDF compliant and want your xml file to be true JDF, not just 'JDF friendly'? Answer: you re-write your xml file to be JDF compatible. Simples!

From the very first time that PDQ was placed into the hustle and bustle of our printing customers, the requests for connectivity to their incumbent MIS began. Although not required to be connected to any system to provide our service, we believe that responding to customer needs and desires is one of the keys to being a successful company. As such, Haybrooke Associates have taken the step to completely reprogram its xml file output to become truly JDF compatible. This is no mean task and will make PDQ the first product of its kind to sit above MIS in the CIP4 JDF schema.

So what is JDF? The CIP4 website sums it up as follows:

"JDF is based in the Extensible Markup Language (XML), but not entirely. XML was selected as the underlying standard language for JDF because it is already a widely recognized language and is a standard... XML provides rules of syntax and default data types; however, XML alone is not enough.... JDF is based on the Worldwide Web Consortium’s (W3C) XML Schema Recommendation. By using a schema, JDF allows for validation (think preflighting, but for metadata) and allows CIP4 to create user defined data types, (ex. “Rectangle” or “Matrix” as used in transforms, or “NamedColor”). The JDF Specification also provides specifications for file naming (e.g., URL/URI usage for hot folder exchange) and methods for packing JDF and content files together in MIME Multipart Messages."

In other words, it allows two disconnected systems to communicate with one another (why didn't they just say that!) We have already agreed with one major MIS vendor to connect our products via the JDF link, the details of which will be released soon.

 

Philip Roe promoted to Haybrooke's Op's Director

Roe charged with making PDQ market leader within 2 years

Philip Roe, who joined Haybrooke Associates last year as Client Services Director, has been promoted to the position of the company's Operations Director. Phil has shown an amazing appetite for his role and enthusiasm for the company's products - in particular PDQ - and has, for his efforts, now been charged with the responsibility of making Haybrooke the market leading estimating and online solutions provider within the next two years.

John Roche, Haybrooke's MD, commenting on the promotion, said "Philip Roe is one of the most enthusiastic, energetic, 'glass-is-full' people I have ever met. He has brought an amazing depth and quality to our organisation and his professionalism is second to none. I feel very privileged to be able to give Phil the type of opportunity that I know he will squeeze every ounce of success from and in doing so help us to thrive and grow as a young and entrepreneurial organisation".

Philip said of the promotion "I am having so much fun working at Haybrooke. It's software products are amazing and it has become a catchphrase in the office already when I pipe up 'we are the next big thing in print' - but we are! - and I can't wait to help us fulfill our collective potential".