First impressions

Historically, the focus in converting was on what went into the process, and pre-press and production equipment. Recently the tide has begun to turn in support of the finishing equipment. Converting Today investigated this trend to find out more.

In the packaging industry, manufacturers refer to the "moment of truth" as that moment a consumer sees a package on a shelf and goes through that internal decision-making process that deciphers whether they will purchase it. This process is subconscious and short-lived; if the product looks wrong, is poorly put together or otherwise compromised, the consumer will swiftly pass it by. In today's crowded industry, there is no room for this type of error, which can negate the billions spent in advertising and yet is easily resolved.
Whether applying a digital finish, laminating, coating, folding, cutting, binding or drilling, finishing is the moment of truth for converters. Errors can be taken off the line in the production process before they reach customers, and while this will incur a potential cost loss, it is preferable to losing business if the finish is poor.
For Ian Schofield, own-label and packaging manager at Iceland Foods, the UK's largest chain of primarily frozen food supermarkets, customers are demanding ever-better packaging at the same time as higher food quality, even in the budget sector. He tells Converting Today: "Our customers are well known for being value conscious, but they are also increasingly aware of food quality and provenance."

Quality vs price
Schofield says Iceland's quality control has identified that, by using better grade board and more innovative materials, its packaging quality has improved without any increases in price. "Everything is driven by keeping the customers happy - our prices can't go up, but we have to meet our sustainability targets. So by ensuring that we maintain tight control over our labelling through careful and regular testing, as well as by delivering accurate nutritional and recycling information, we are being as effective as possible with our resources. Our policy requires that all own-brand packaging is minimal but, with laminating in particular, we can't afford any issues with poor quality drying that leads to problems such as marks and tears, so we're always balancing quality control issues with material reduction and automation processes."
Schofield adds: "We have a number of long-term relationships with specialist packaging suppliers who work with us at the cutting edge of new product development, as well as our own in-house technologists who work with our quality assurance systems to make regular checks. All Iceland own-brand products are clearly labelled with a complete list of ingredients and nutritional information, so it is imperative that the quality of this message reflects our brand image. Tears and smudges don't fit at all! No mistakes, no waste and easy to understand."
Another person for whom the finish is imperative is Karen Graley, packaging and reprographics manager at Waitrose. "Today's consumer is looking for immediacy in their choices, and we have to be able to cater to this wide range of tastes on time and with eye-catching, sustainable and innovative packaging. The laminate sealing for fresh produce, the label with high-quality graphics, the variable information that needs to be printed to inform about ingredients and the quality promise we deliver... all need to be right first time. When you add seasonality into this mix, as well as changing tastes and shopping habits, we need to be able to adapt quickly or risk losing business."

Time is of the essence
At a recent conference discussing digital print finishing, the benefits of this quick turnaround were discussed further. Graley continues: "During the Diamond Jubilee, Her Majesty the Queen's estate wanted hampers for jubilee partners. Not only were there specific protocols about the products that could go into the hampers, but they needed to be able to cover different needs (meat, vegetarian, allergies) over 25 products. With the speed offered by digital, Waitrose was able to have everything printed and packaged within the eight-week timeframe. Had Waitrose not had digital finishing options, it would not have been possible."
With a diminishing volume of runs, turnaround time and tight budgets, finishing is continuing to grow in importance for customers and the consumers they provide for. "Whether you are selling a luxury product or a mass-marketed product, the package has to protect the product and its quality, and the labelling must be clear and informative," says Pau Gràcia Serlat, packaging and print development manager at Antonio Puig. Puig has a broad portfolio of premium, globally recognised fragrances, including Prada, Valentino, Paco Rabbane, Carolina Herrera and Nina Ricci. The finish is vital for the brand communications and the prestige of the products, as well as for the consumers, who will be using them over extended periods of time. Running ink, poor craft board for the box, and labels that smudge or tear with moisture all have to be addressed so that the final product is fit for purpose and ready for purchase.
Time is a critical element in the decoration and finishing process for Peter Singleton, principal engineer for Procter and Gamble on their Gillette line. "Currently, with each finish applied the product is going back down the line again. This provides another chance for error, additional cost in the finish, and this at vast volumes. Any loss is magnified across these volumes, and this is all before we are able to ship the product to be sold. Our current decoration may involve two to three runs to provide the precise finish or embossing we want. The time this takes becomes a fixed point that we can not reduce, and prevents opportunities to adapt to short-term trends, as by the time the line is adapted the time limit might have passed. It is vital to have the speed to finish all the products as efficiently as possible without compromising the quality of the package or the bottom line to do so."

Quality assurance
Responsibility for quality control and reliable consistency drives activity at Wm Morrison. Sean Hancock, lead print development manager at Morrisons, sees the necessity for all own brands to be of the highest standard. "Print quality is paramount to the success of any project, be it a launch or a reprint/repeat run. For colour balance, we need very minimal shifts across all substrates and print processes, as this is key to a successful brand colour when viewing packaging throughout the stores. I look to our print partners to adopt robust and regularly proven QA processes alongside internal software and hardware to aid accurate assessment and measurement of all print components.
"We use state-of-the-art spectrophotometers to remove all subjectivity and help the printers on the press side to make controlled and measured changes as required. Quality inspection boosts productivity, ensures consistent print quality on every job, increases overall press productivity, gains rapid return on investment, saves valuable time with faster press setup and so on, and also helps to reduce waste, resources and overall production costs. It also prevents customer rejections. Quality control of the product is vital, as the last thing a retailer wants is a product recall."
Ultimately, first impressions count. Whatever you are selling, the package it is in will be the last opportunity to communicate this to a potential customer. Poor print or labelling diminishes the product's value and decreases the chance of a customer selecting that product. This drive towards getting the finish right on time and at speed will continue to underline equipment development for converters in line with their own customers' needs.