Software Development for the Printing Industry | SAi

From highway advertising banners to full vehicle wraps on high-speed trains, brand visibility must be large-scale and consistent. The software that enables large-format printing must therefore perform reliably. SA International (SAi) develops this software and is a global leader in solutions for large-format printing and cutting. To continue innovating and scaling efficiently, SAi has been working with NetRom Software for more than ten years. Read how the partnership gives SAi access to specialized IT talent, accelerates innovation in this niche, and helps strengthen its leading market position.

SAi provides software to more than 250,000 customers in over 50 countries, available in 13 languages. Its products support sign makers, digital print providers, and CNC specialists in the production of large-format materials. The company is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and employs approximately 370 people. Its core products include Flexi, a desktop application for large-format design and production control, as well as cloud-based solutions such as the Artwork Approval Tool and FlexiQuote.

Developing software for large-format printing requires more than technical expertise alone. Software for print devices must calculate in real time how much ink is needed, where, and when. Lloyd Cundiff explained: “Software development is ultimately not about technology, but about people. They build domain knowledge and translate technical challenges into working code.”

For many years, SAi had an internal team of approximately 50 developers. The financial crisis of 2008 had a significant impact, forcing the company to substantially reduce its development capacity. When the market recovered, scaling up proved difficult: developers with expertise in large-format printing were scarce. Following a recommendation within the industry, SAi connected with NetRom Software, which had specific domain knowledge in this area.

The collaboration began in 2015. For this nearshore software development, NetRom assembled a Scrum team with experience in the print and media industry: eight developers and two QA specialists. This enabled the team to contribute immediately to architectural decisions and functional design.

In addition to working on desktop products, NetRom is now also involved in developing a cloud-based solution, with a blended team distributed across Salt Lake City and Romania. Lloyd Cundiff stated: “We asked NetRom to develop a new cloud application from scratch. Our goal was to build the best software available in the market.”

After further evaluation, SAi decided to use the source code of its most advanced desktop product as a foundation— a pragmatic decision that reflects the strength of the collaboration.

Product development: NetRom’s developers are responsible for the majority of SAi’s software development. NetRom has left its mark on the cloud-based Artwork Approval Tool and FlexiQuote.

AI-driven innovation: In addition, Flexi now includes an AI module that predicts how much ink is needed for a specific job. Cundiff: “NetRom’s developers have excellent skills, and there is a strong culture focused on collaboration and creativity. We can bring our challenges to them, and they come up with creative solutions that work.”

Management, support, and scalable development capacity: The partnership has expanded: NetRom now also provides support with management and support. Cundiff: “They are so familiar with the cloud solution that NetRom also provides support, particularly for the parts of the world outside our U.S. time zones. And if we choose to develop a certain component faster, we can scale up seamlessly.”