At an impressive launch during interpack in which a gravure printed pack was produced bearing images and winning times of the London Marathon held just seven days before, Amcor Flexibles and ExxonMobil Chemical Films announced they have joined forces to create AdVantage. Based on Amcor's Forge technology (the Japanese inspired swift gravure concept) and ExxonMobil's PacVantage network, the new service will "unleash the full power of packaging as a brand communication channel".
Les Hawkins, Amcor Flexibles' strategic development director, said: "For a product to become a really effective advertising channel, the design and delivery of packaging needs to be as swift and efficient as publishing a magazine advert. Amcor and ExxonMobil have teamed up to make it possible for that to happen by collapsing the time to market in a controlled, quality certified process."
AdVantage combines the speed and flexibility of Forge, the short run, high quality gravure technology from Amcor Flexibles S&R (see January, 2004), with ExxonMobil's PacVantage internet 'backbone' for graphic design, order entry, planning and scheduling, and colour management in design and repro.
Forge is said to provide a fast, competitive, gravure printed short run product with consistently short lead times; and the new PacVantage technology for quality management, workflow integration, and fast response solves the problem of an unreliable workflow.
Said Tino Savvas, business director Amcor Flexibles: "With this new capability we have taken inflexible print and origination and produced flexible printing with streamlined originality. We have changed unpredictable workflow and achieved certified workflow and we have changed a fragmented business model to an integrated business model."
In the impressive presentation of AdVantage in action, Bob Eller, ExxonMobil manager, business process and new business, demonstrated the London Marathon promotion for the hypothetical 'Picnic Cake'.
On day zero, the day of the race, hundreds of images were shot. "By Monday morning the images were selected and in the afternoon a new pack had been designed. Tuesday saw the customer entering PacVantage through a web browser, the design was reviewed and approved using PacVantage technology including the ability to print a hard copy with 'true to press colour'. The designer uploaded mechanical artwork for repro. The repro was completed on Wednesday (the job had been colour managed in PacVantage) and the print colour managed proof was with Amcor - reviewed and approved for engraving and the engraving file transmitted.
On Thursday the cylinders were engraved on site at S&R and quality certified to PacVantage standards. On Friday the job was printed using the Forge technology. Five key areas in the system have been "forged together" to improve efficiency and reduce time: origination, cylinder bases, base film, press and logistics.
A key partner is Keating Gravure, who set up a specific facility for all Forge origination to ensure rapid turnaround. Central to the system is the 1,000mm wide Rotomec 10 station electronic line shaft gravure press with automatic cylinder change, enabling the company to reduce makeready times to under 10min. A second similar press was installed last year.
Slitting was completed on the Saturday and on Sunday the printed reels were shipped for packing. Packs were distributed in Düsseldorf the following day.
Confirming the speed to market claims of AdVantage, Tino Savvas added: "It means you can bring any promotion to market in seven days or less, from approved concept to printed packaging. This is not just as a rare exception with follow up required at every step, but consistently available as our standard lead time with guaranteed delivery."
| Contact |
| Amcor Flexibles Tel: +44 (0) 1506 412 845 ExxonMobil Chemical Films Tel: +33 (0) 1 47 10 67 56 |
