Sync Your Shop With New Software

Investing in the right MIS/ERP system for your business can be a tricky and confusing venture. And it is also a decision that will have long-term consequences if you don’t make a sound choice.

“If you made the decision that you are going to buy a solution, there are some things you need to consider,” advises David Taylor, GM, enterprise software solutions at EFI. “Are you buying a solution from a generic provider or from someone who specializes in this particular subsection of the market? That makes a massive difference. Systems designed to work in the packaging industry from the ground up are very different from generic systems that are designed to handle common tasks.”

Esko WebCenter is a web-based platform that helps converters manage several aspects of the package production process.

Taylor points out that the package printing environment is inherently different than other industries. Decision makers need to ensure that they invest in a software solution that truly is designed to function in the packaging world, he stresses.

“That is a foundational point because there are a lot of horror stories out there where people tried to implement a system and they are trying to do something like estimating,” he explains. “Then they try to estimate the cost of a job, and there are so many issues that need to be considered that haven’t been thought through.”

Larry Moore, Esko’s VP, partner programs, North America, suggests packaging companies should first gain a firm understanding of what their customer expectations are before implementing any type of computer management system. He says converters should consider how their customers expect to be communicated with and the speed at which they will need to respond to customer requests.

In addition to managing customer requirements, Moore says it’s important to understand the needs of a company’s “internal customers” as well, which can include the sales, prepress, design teams and other ancillary departments, such as marketing and legal.

“You also need to know the forms of communication required, such as proofs, and which people or stakeholders will be involved for each client — as well as their level of involvement, such as approval, review only, etc.”

A converter will also need to have an understanding of timelines beyond their present status and incorporate pre- and post-launch targets, Moore adds.

Taylor maintains that finding a software vendor that speaks the language of the packaging industry will help eliminate headaches and bottlenecks down the line. He says converters should consider their software provider to be a long-term business partner, not just another equipment vendor.

“I really have a strong opinion that if you buy something that is designed for the industry, then the people that you are working with understand your business,” he says. “As an example, we lost an account, and three years later they came back to us and said, ‘Hey we really wish we had gone with you. We spent hundreds of thousands of dollars with this other provider, and they couldn’t spell printing or packaging for the first month, and their consultants had to be educated before we could even start the implementation.’”

Taylor points out that partnering with a company like EFI that has such deep-rooted experience in the packaging industry is advantageous because they already understand the necessary requirements of a successful package printing or converting facility.

“If you have someone who comes in immediately and says, ‘At the last folding carton plant I was in, this is how we configured things to make it successful,’ that is a dramatically different story than someone asking for a walk around the plant so they can get their mind around how they can configure the system to handle the unique needs of the environment,” Taylor explains. “We have been in business for 30 years, and the only thing we have done in those 30 years is help to refine the workflows from a sales job through to ordering raw materials to scheduling to planning production, checking to see if you are making money on the job, scheduling it and then producing the invoice.”

Similarly, Moore explains a company like Esko has the know-how to connect various software solutions together to add efficiency and reliability.

“An MIS/ERP acting alone, or Web-to-print or a collaboration system for that matter, is such a waste of efficiencies,” Moore says. “Esko Automation Engine Connect, for example, offers a very solid connection from any MIS — CERM, Label Traxx, EFI and even home-built — to its Automation Engine workflow, which ultimately connects to Esko WebCenter collaboration and Media Beacon asset management. Job data is imported into the workflow and collaboration systems, and data updates are communicated back to the MIS.”

Proofs and updates are also sent to the collaboration system, he explains.

“Esko has even moved forward with its Device Manager client application for the CDI flexo plate imagers and Kongsberg finishing tables, allowing the operational control of these hardware devices to be moved further upstream into the prepress department,” he says. “They can indirectly tell the MIS that a job has been done via communication through the Automation Engine and how much time was taken to do it.”

The EFI Packaging Suite provides a workflow solution that is designed for packaging. It is important for converters to seek out software that is packaging oriented.

Taylor says he likes to think of his company’s software offerings as three legs of a stool — product, people and implementation.

“We have done hundreds of implementations and have a very refined methodology,” he says. “I have spent most of my life refining to the point where we know we can help provide a smooth implementation instead of one where there are a lot of surprises.”

Esko, Moore contends, provides strong solutions for the packaging sector because of what it is able to do using 3D virtual proofs and its unique ties to and integration with Esko ArtiosCAD, a popular structural design software for packaging.

“There are some features that are more applicable to asset management systems, like Media Beacon, while some systems are more driven by collaboration and communication among the packaging supply chain,” Moore concludes. “These systems can work in any kind of ecosystem including, but not limited to, large packaging companies, small ‘ma-and-pa shops’ and mid-sized label printers.”