al Flexible, the UK’s largest distributor of polypropylene, laminates and special films, has invested in GMG FlexoProof to serve as the cornerstone to the growing range of pre-printed flexible packaging.Based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, the company’s 40 employees support blue-chip clients such as Nestlé, Unilever and Reckitt Benckiser by providing flexo, gravure and digitally printed packaging films via a global network of print partners.
“Prior to using GMG we were reliant on the individual repro companies producing the proofs, which we would then forward to the client,” says Andy Smith, National Flexible’s Marketing Manager. “We were looking at ways of reducing the lead time to produce a contract proof, centralising our proofing requirements across all the various substrates and print types that we provide, as well as looking into how we can reduce proof production costs. It quickly became clear to us that GMG FlexoProof could address all of those needs.”
GMG FlexoProof is a digital proofing and calibration solution specifically designed for the packaging and label printing industry. Featuring halftone digital proofing of flexographic and packaging print jobs, FlexoProof ensures accurate and consistent proofing output regardless of print device, colour space or substrate. FlexoProof includes the GMG SpotColour Editor for precise and repeatable colour matching of spot colours.
“One of the reasons that we chose GMG,” continues Andy, “was because it is seen as an internationally-recognised standard in colour accuracy, not just for packaging but in the commercial print sector too. We wanted a proofing solution that was known within the industry and would be recognised by our printers as much as our customers.”
Today, much of National Flexible’s proofing workflow is within a remote proofing environment. “The repro companies and printers can send the files directly to our GMG server, where they are optimised and output. This allows us to reduce proofing lead times for our clients, centralise our proofing quality and consistency, as well as reduce our direct proofing costs.”
“As a company we need to demonstrate where our added-value lies. One of the ways that we do that is by reducing client print production costs, while at the same time offering a higher level of service and a faster delivery.”
Andy sees today’s need for faster production as being at odds with much of how the packaging production industry is built. “Our clients are continually looking for faster turnarounds and shorter lead times, not just for print but also for the supply of the substrates. We’ve been very successful in being able to meet such client demands by combining substrate inventory management with centralised in-house proofing. The ability for us to take days – if not weeks - out of the process provides clear benefits to us as well as our clients.”
Toby Burnett, MD GMG UK, comments: “National Flexible are a great example of how to provide real world added-value by centrally managing proofing production. Offering powerful functionality in terms of spot colour handling and support of a wide variety of packaging print processes, GMG FlexoProof offers the most accurate, consistent and flexible proofing solution for even the most demanding packaging, flexo and label jobs.”
