CaseStudyVolume controlFrom Document Manager Magazine Vol 17 No 05 - September/October 2009 Leading scanning business EDM Group has been able to achieve higher speed and versatility as a result of investment in ibml’s ImageTrac scanning platform Leading scanning business EDM Group has been able to achieve higher speed and versatility as a result of investment in ibml's ImageTrac scanning platform
EDM Group is a long-established UK scanning bureau that has grown organically and by acquiring complementary businesses over three decades. EDM Group offers a wide range of document scanning' document management and outsourced mailroom services. With around 330 staff across three regional sites' EDM generates an annual turnover of £15 million and scans up to one million images daily. EDM's business outlook and operational efficiency were transformed in 2005 when the company bought the ImageTrac High-Volume Scanning Platform from ibml.
Identifying inhibitors
Prior to 2005' 90% of EDM's scanners were Kodak 3500s' and the remainder were small Bell and Howell and Fujitsu units. EDM had 64 Kodak scanners' each with a dedicated operator' handling around 2'000 documents per hour. The business had difficulty in accommodating high-volume throughput in a cost-effective and time efficient manner' particularly at short notice. Cost-per-scan was unnecessarily high' and business growth was inhibited. EDM's management team was convinced there must be a way to drive down costs' increase efficiency and improve scalability using fewer scanners.
A beneficial transition
Following a thorough review of the high-volume scanning market' EDM purchased two ImageTracs' both with barcode readers and with inkjet printers which are used to date-stamp scanned documents. Each unit also included SoftTrac capture software' which ensures operational control' capture accuracy and document processing intelligence' and thereby maximises efficiency.
EDM selected ibml's ImageTrac because of its ability to deliver unparalleled speed and image quality; the platform was also highly robust compared to competitors' offerings. Both of the ImageTracs now run for 16 hours daily and capture more than 60% of the document volume handled by the bureau - one million documents daily - which equates to more than 300 million documents annually. In September 2009 EDM ordered two further ImageTrac units' taking the total to four.
Kevin Ord' Group Operations Director at EDM Group' notes the obvious impact this transition has had on the company's cost structure. "We currently operate the ImageTracs on two shifts' and they require significantly less manpower than our previous solution. Many workers have been re-deployed to more productive work. Each ImageTrac unit has two operators' so our cost per image has dramatically reduced. We are able to pass these cost savings on to customers' making our service offering highly competitive in today's market."
Bureau work now falls into two categories. Regular jobs (daily' weekly' monthly) account for 50% of the bureau's capture business' i.e. 500'000 images daily; these jobs generate a strong financial foundation for the business. Ad hoc project work adds 300'000 to 500'000 images daily. This kind of work was difficult to accommodate before the purchase of the ibml solution' particularly at short notice.
The ImageTracs have enabled EDM to offer outsourced digital mailroom services. This is the fastest growing area of the business' accounting for 12% growth in the first year of operation and representing a tremendous opportunity for business development.
Versatile' intelligent processing
EDM processes every size' shape' type and thickness of document imaginable' from relatively small' very simple items such as cheques and withdrawal slips' to complex medical records containing a wide variety of document formats. The ImageTrac's ability to scan all of these documents on one straight transport path in a single pass without interrupting the capture process provides a solution with unparalleled versatility and efficiency.
EDM uses the ImageTrac's intelligent processing capability' integrated with advanced recognition software' to capture pre-defined data from each document and route it appropriately. The implementation team worked hand-in-hand with ibml engineers' particularly on medical records projects' to optimise throughput and make the best use of the ImageTrac's Exporter technology. In addition to handling client documents more quickly and efficiently' the ImageTrac solution has enabled EDM to operate in a more environmentally-friendly manner. Separator sheets are out-sorted into a pre-defined pocket so that they can be re-used to minimise paper wastage.
In the four years since the ibml solution was first implemented there has been very little downtime' and the communication flow with the supplier has been outstanding. The two companies share a true partnership; service meetings are both regular and productive' and a knowledgeable member of the ibml staff is always just a phone call away.
Measuring results
"The bottom line is that we have dramatically increased our scanning capacity using fewer staff'" says Kevin Ord. "The impact on our business is significant: reduced cost' increased capacity' competitive and timely service and - above all - greater customer satisfaction."
Prospective customers are impressed by EDM's use of sophisticated yet reliable high-speed technology. "As soon as visitors see the ImageTrac in action their confidence in our ability to deliver on time and to a high quality is evident'" comments Ord. "You have to see it to believe it' but those of us who see these units in action every day are still fascinated by their speed and versatility."
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