The best of the best technology winners were selected at this year's biggest print industry event in North America, PRINT 13. From among the record number of companies and entries to the PRINT 13 Must See 'Ems competition, the judges combed through the submissions and selected 49 entries for the Must See 'Ems honor.
Fueling customer speed, quality and efficiency, EFI will present its award-winning products at PRINT 13. EFI won eight honors in the Must See 'Em competition, more than any other entrant.
The folding carton printers interviewed for this story face mostly the same agenda of business issues as the managers of other kinds of printing businesses. Two items of special interest in their segment—competition from offshore packaging manufacturers, and paperboard supply—came up in the conversations.
Karstedt Partners has put together a YouTube channel of Interesting Packaging Videos. The list includes videos about Coca-Cola's ice bottle, Beck's Edison bottle, talks with Mike Ferrari, EFI and others.
A federal court has dismissed a patent infringement lawsuit against EFI and dozens of others brought by Digitech Image Technologies ostensibly related to digital image processing technology. The court invalidated U.S. Patent No. 6,128,415 and entered judgment against Digitech and in favor of EFI and the remaining defendants.
In the world of packaging, labels lead in the adoption of digital with rapid growth in both electrophotography and inkjet. While the main force behind this is the proliferation of SKUs, driven by the brands, there are many other factors that are enabling this growth.
Rex Lane recalls that when he first joined label and package converter WS Packaging Group as CEO in 2010, he was known in professional circles as "that guy they hired from outside the industry." And Lane is emphatic that the fresh eyes of a newcomer can be the key to effecting far-reaching improvements in operational efficiency.
Electronics For Imaging has acquired privately-held GamSys Software, a leading provider of ERP (MIS) systems for the printing and packaging industries in the French speaking areas of Europe and Africa. While financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed, the acquisition is not expected to be material to EFI's Q2 or 2013 full-year results.
In an effort to strengthen its focus on efficiency and accelerated customer service, K-1 Packaging Group will replace two MIS/ERP systems with EFI Radius for its packaging and label operations in City of Industry, CA. The installation will consolidate different product workflows, processes and other information.
Set to be the largest in the show’s 33 year history, Labelexpo Europe 2013 returns to Belgium between September 24-27. "There is nowhere better to see the latest product launches, compare technologies, network and do business," said Lisa Milburn, managing director of the Labelexpo Global Series.
