When roaming the halls at drupa in Düsseldorf, it’s easy to see that many suppliers want to inspire commercial printers in their quest for added value services. And you know what? Many booths carry a “Packaging” sign suggesting that packaging is the application they should diversify into. In our drupa hall 8b, there are at least 4 other suppliers promoting packaging besides a range of other applications.

Branching into packaging
These pictures taken at the Konica Minolta booth are great examples of the wide diversification possibilities for commercial printers. One of the many panels says “Packaging”. The same can be seen at the Xerox, FujiFilm and many other booths.

A printed package is never the end-result
When analyzing the product offering though, you discover that the main driver is digital print. The packaging signage basically says you can also print packaging digitally, in short runs and even personalized.

Sounds great at first sight, but what tends to be forgotten is that a printed package is never the end-result of the production process. In commercial print, the cut and folded brochure or leaflet is the end-product all right. In packaging though, the diecut pack goes through many more production and logistical steps to reach its’ final destination: the shop shelves.

So, when I see digitally printed packaging being promoted as the next best thing after sliced bread, I cannot stop wondering what the end-user application will be. I can think of a couple of obvious ones like highly specialized medication (pharma), but that’s a fairly small market segment. Have you heard or seen any feasible applications for personalized digitally printed folding cartons: tell me more, I’d love to know.

- Jan De Roeck

Jan De Roeck is Esko’s Director Solutions Management

On our drupa website, we have a daily blog about life on the Esko booth. At the same place, you’ll find daily pictures giving an impression of our stand and what goes on.
Tuesday May 8, 2012 - Studio Viewer Mania
After several rainy days, the sun finally comes out in Dusseldorf and so do the crowds. It seems every day now is bigger and better than the day before and the stand is packed from open to close.

Today was full of visits from many of our large global customers, some whom are new and some very good old friends.

Several demonstrators report getting lots of “Wow!’s” at the end of their demos. A few even report that some viewers say they plan to blog about their experience at the Esko booth. Perhaps a Google search is in order?

The Studio Viewer is such a hit with everyone that many who see it want to take it home with them (yes, the iPad itself kiddingly being slipped into the viewer’s bag). Keep those iPads in sight at all times!

Finally, several of our Gent colleagues pay us and drupa a visit. They report seeing lots of interesting things but also being very tired from so much walking. They needed to take refuge in the Esko booth at the end of the day with a cold (Belgian) beer. And we were happy to see them!

Drupa has finally started. After months of preparations on all levels – marketing, sales, admin, technical, logistics we finally kick-started drupa this morning. The 150+ Esko and Enfocus crew was right on time for the first morning briefing at the stand. Spirits are high, everyone is charged with ambition and energy for a very succesful drupa.

The first day starts a bit slow allover the show, but that gives us the opportunity to get used to the flow and the booth space. One thing is clear already: the green Esko-hats are a hit! People come from 3 halls away to pick one up and our people cannot follow scanning badges of visitors wanting to take one.

Sephora has partnered with Pantone to present the first Sephora + Pantone Universe beauty collection. Featuring the 2012 Color of the Year Pantone 17-1463 Tangerine Tango. Check out the movie.

Read more: Dexigner

drupa 2012 takes place in Düsseldorf, Germany: from May 3, until May 16, 2012. Esko is located in one of the two new halls called the “Innovation Halls”. Hall 8B, stand A23.

On www.esko.com/drupa, you can see what we will demonstrate/show on our stand.

Find out exactly what to discover on the Esko Stand at drupa

Your deadlines get shorter. Your colors need more consistency. You must supply more value to your customer time and time again.

Whether you create packaging, signs, displays or more: you need a trustworthy partner. A partner that supplies the best tools; and shares years of expertise to deliver results that make you smile. Come visit Esko at drupa 2012.

Suite 12
Adobe® Illustrator® users are spoiled. One particularly interesting new feature is scripting support for DeskPack. Operations typically executed manually can now be scripted and executed by the Automation Engine 12. A new Step and Repeat tool, including the creation of production marks and control strips entirely inside Illustrator, complements DeskPack 12.

With ArtiosCAD 12, box panels of a structural design can be tagged such that the Dynamic Content tool for Adobe® Illustrator® identifies the panel. “Such “intelligent dielines” are a major first step in the march towards semi-automated design. A step that promises time to market savings of over 50%, along with dramatically reduced waste.

www.esko.com/drupa

Looking at life with an open mind keeps you young and alert, allows you to go on and enjoy the good things in life.

That is why it’s always nice to see refreshing, inspiring packaging passing by!

Or, as Modny73 puts it:

Packaging is the science, art, and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use.

Packaging also refers to the process of design, evaluation, and production of packages.

Via Modny73

Color consistency and accuracy accross multiple print services is a major topic in the packaging and printing supply chain.
Brand owners, designers, printers and converters now can rely on PantoneLIVE. PantoneLIVE is a cloud based solution that makes it possible to share color specs around the globe.
In this video, Pantone Senior Vice President Ron Potesky and Cary Sherburne of Whattheythink.com confer about PantoneLIVE.

Also check out the PantoneLIVE website.