When leading Mumbai-based label printer and converter Janus International sought greater efficiencies in the label production supply chain and to reduce the pressure on margins, the specialists in alcoholic beverage labels looked to Esko.
The company utilizes a combination of flexographic, offset and digital printing to produce complex and high quality labels with additional value and security features built in for its prestigious customers in the alcoholic beverage sector. A longtime user of Esko DeskPack and Esko Flexo Tools for label production, Janus International embarked on a journey to increase its workflow efficiency by first investing in Esko Automation Engine.
The business then upgraded and fine-tuned the workflow by adding additional modules to Automation Engine, tailored to its needs such as job management, layout and report generation, as well as additional Processors scaling up capacity.
Robust and modular
“As a tool, Esko Automation Engine is extremely modular and flexible, so as the business grew we added more modules to make our system more robust,” said Denver Annunciation, Director of Janus International. “Over the years this has been a journey of continually enhancing automation levels in our system.”
Brand owners supply PDF files to label converters, which can often present a number of problems in terms of quality and accuracy. Pre-flighting, adjustments and corrections are necessary before the files are print-ready on a digital flexo imaging device. Automation Engine corrects these mistakes automatically, eliminating the need for operator intervention.
“With this enhanced workflow, whatever is routine for the business can be automated,” continues Mr. Annunciation. “For example, trapping and text correction, to name just a couple of critical processes – that’s how powerful this tool is. In the current print market environment, the volume of unique artwork is rising and the complexity is increasing too. Additionally, there is an upswing in the cost of raw materials and competition is heating up. Introducing Esko Automation Engine adds an extra dimension to the service we can offer our customers, and brings much-needed efficiency gains, which in turn reduces the pressure on our margins.”
Higher number of jobs per employee
Esko Automation Engine comes with extensive business system integration capabilities and is highly scalable. Not only does this make Automation Engine the beating heart of any prepress production operation, but also ensures the right information is fed to the appropriate system at the optimum time. It ensures increased efficiency and throughput, saving time and money.
According to Mr. Annunciation, Esko Automation Engine has helped Janus International to reduce artwork errors to practically zero. He adds that by using the various Automation Engine tools, the company has been able to significantly enhance productivity, efficiency and profitability in operations. “We are doing a far, far higher number of jobs per employee now than we did before opting for the system," he concluded.
