The increase follows a thorough operational review that was conducted to improve on 2009 results. “2010 was a rebound year for Enfocus,” states Enfocus Vice-President Fabian Prudhomme: “The 2009 figures reflect the challenging economic climate during that period. We decided to scrutinize our operational procedures and looked at ways to improve the way we work. The review ensured we reached and exceeded the sales target set for 2010.”

Enfocus bounces back after strategic review
Enfocus significantly increased revenue and bolstered its market share in North America after appointing key personnel and making a number of internal changes: “For us, 2010 was very much about reaffirming Enfocus’ status in North America, and latest sales figures show we have achieved this,” says Prudhomme. “We aim to build on this momentum in 2011 and take a larger slice of this key market. We’re optimistic sales figures in 12 months’ time will indicate continued growth.”

The impressive turnaround in the company’s fortunes follows the implementation of an 18-month long strategy for ensuring sustainable growth. It included a business plan encompassing several initiatives to grow market share in key areas, geographical expansion, organizational changes, product-related changes and development plans. The strategy focused primarily on Enfocus’ automation solutions, while at the same time maintained the company’s market-leading position regarding preflight.

“We regained market share in some regions where we’d ‘lost contact’,” adds Prudhomme. “Crucially, we also significantly increased revenue from some of our key solutions that will play a major role in our mid to long term strategy.”

45% more customers made the Switch
One of those headline solutions was Switch, which enjoyed a sales boost of 45% compared to 2009. Prudhomme explains: “Our customers are beginning to understand the impact automation can have on their business. Our excellent entry-level automation solutions are scalable to meet their particular needs, plus they integrate seamlessly with our preflight technologies.”

Enfocus’ portfolio also includes PitStop Connect. The solution, which has been well received following its Ipex launch, helps designers, printers and publishers connect with each other simply and more effectively, and work more productively. The October launch of PitStop Pro 10 comprised a number of significant customer-requested enhancements and features, spurring a high adoption rate.

In terms of license and upgrade sales, preflight solutions continue to be the best-selling applications, with PitStop Pro clearly at the top.

Customer support doubled
At the heart of Enfocus’ strategy is its ‘You first!’ philosophy. “We pride ourselves on the quality of our products, but we’re aware that there’s always room for improvement,” says Prudhomme. “This is why we doubled our customer support capacity in 2010. Enfocus customers know they are valued – our greatly increased support operation ensures their voices are heard and any issues are resolved promptly.”

Enfocus is committed to developing its support operation, and in 2011 will continue evaluating its processes and make improvements accordingly.

Future focus
Enfocus will be launching a range of activities to support the continued growth of the new Crossroads program. It will develop an international community of Switch-using partners, while significant changes within the Switch architecture will be introduced to address the needs of different markets. The company will also continue to focus on growing the business in North America and expanding its presence in Asia. Finally, a new corporate website will improve the way it communicates with customers, prospects and the media.

Prudhomme concludes: “We’ve taken the time to establish the right path for growth while maintaining a very lean organization. Our team of software professionals is committed to building on the success of 2010, and have the ideal working infrastructure to realize this goal.”

About Enfocus
Enfocus provides modular and affordable tools safeguarding job quality and enabling automation throughout the complete production chain. Innovative solutions improve communication between design and production while enhancing productivity and predictability through automation of routine tasks.
Step-by-step deployment dramatically increases added value without forcing users to completely rethink their way of doing business. Well-known brands include Instant, PitStop and Switch.
Enfocus is a business unit of EskoArtwork and has its headquarters in Gent, Belgium.

About EskoArtwork
EskoArtwork is a global supplier of integrated solutions for packaging, sign and display finishing, commercial printing and professional publishing. Its products and services help customers raise productivity, reduce time-to-market, lower costs and expand business.
EskoArtwork employs around 1050 people worldwide. Its global sales and support organization covers Europe, the Americas and the Asia Pacific and is completed by a network of distribution partners in more than 45 countries.
EskoArtwork is headquartered in Gent, Belgium, and has R&D and manufacturing facilities in five European countries, the United States, China and India. The consolidated full year financials ended for 2010 with revenue of EUR 184.1 million.