Company Description

ZBE Incorporated

ZBE is a multi-disciplined imaging systems, optics, motion control and software technology company based in Santa Barbara, California. It has broad expertise in professional and consumer photography, printing, feature film development, and their productive workflows. ZBE’s employees are well-versed in imaging-related research, technology and product development, manufacture, marketing, and service. The firm is celebrated as a pioneer in professional and commercial photo imaging technology.

ZBE develops, designs, manufactures, and markets Chromira digital printing solutions for professional, consumer, and commercial imaging applications. The company is committed to delivering the highest quality digital imaging systems capabilities at an affordable price. Its products are recognized in the industry for their imaging excellence, performance, robustness, and reliability. This dedication to “customer value and satisfaction” has led to broad market acceptance and fierce customer loyalty in all key imaging markets. ZBE products are offered worldwide.

ZBE was founded in 1980 by Zac Bogart, president. He formed the company to design special effects camera and motion control systems which were used in image-rich movies including “Star Wars”, “The Right Stuff”, “The Twilight Zone”, and “Top Gun” as well as hundreds of animated short films and television commercials.

In 1985, ZBE refocused from motion picture to broader commercial and professional imaging opportunities. It provided solutions for large image capture, enhancement, and printing applications.

In 1998, ZBE announced the breakthrough, award-winning Chromira digital printer line to great industry acclaim. Chromira broke established paradigms that “high quality was only available at high prices”. ZBE’s patented hybrid LED imaging technology has been used in its printers and lab systems delivering the highest resolution continuous digital photographic images. It produces stunningly beautiful prints with excellent reliability and easy, low-cost maintenance.

The Chromira 5x ProLab was introduced in 2005. It has been recognized by customers as “the ultimate printing solution” for unprecedented productivity, maximum versatility, cost savings, and easy workflow integration. The ProLab secures “lean manufacturing” benefits in imaging workflows. It produces small to mural size prints from one roll of media. It receives and manages simultaneous orders for printing. It automatically nests, prints, cuts, sorts, back prints and collates them for packaging across sizes. This process ensures perfectly color-matched prints and significantly reduces turn-around times, labor, energy, material waste and operating requirements.

The Chromira professional digital printer and lab portfolio has offerings to meet diverse customer needs. Its printers deliver productivity, flexibility, low operating costs, and easy integration into most popular workflows. It continues to innovate and recently announced the new Chromira 5x SE Lab aimed at providing efficiency, small size, versatility, and workflows leveraging more labor content.

ZBE has development partnerships with the providers of popular lab workflows to ensure seamless integration and operational management. It also directly offers ZBE WorkStream digital imaging workflow software and tools for professional labs and studios to improve order selection, enhancement, and processing capabilities.

ZBE is recognized for its environmental stewardship and commitment in product design. The Chromira Labs reduce their customers’ ecological footprint through lower power consumption, carbon generation, and paper waste.

ZBE will continue to pioneer to please its customers worldwide.

Products & Services

commercial imaging applications ,   special effects camera and motion control systems ,   product design ,   large image capture, enhancement, and printing applications ,   digital imaging systems ,   printing solutions ,   affordability ,   Chromira digital printing solutions ,   imaging workflows ,   Professional digital imaging solutions ,   quality ,   productivity ,   professional photography ,   versatility