Page 30 - Packaging News Magazine July-August 2018

30
FLEXIBLES UPDATE
www.packagingnews.com.au
July-August 2018
Reading it right
Read Labels & Packaging was one of the first label makers in Australia to offer digital-only label printing and now it’s one of the first to leverage the technology to service a gap in the market for short run flexible pouches. Lindy Hughson spoke to self-styled digital pioneer Ross Read about the growth of his business and plans for the future.
ABOVE: Examples of stand-up pouches made
by Read Labels
& Packaging.
FAR LEFT: MD Ross Read alongside the new HP Indigo 20000 press installed
in February.
LEFT: The company has also invested in pouch-making equipment.
“Coming off the back of our history in the label printing market, we’re only producing digitally printed pouches – we’re the first to do this and we’re de- livering to a new and growing SME customer base,” he says.
“Previously, a small producer looking for flexible bags would have to go to one of a few large packaging companies and buy 150kgs’ worth.
“The language is different now. Thanks to digital printing, we can offer runs of 2000 pouches, and on top of that, we’re able to split that 2000 into multiple SKUs,” he says.
“Now brand owners of all sizes can conduct market trials quickly and at relatively low cost, or create seasonal packaging, limited editions and personalised packaging. And all of these options can be scaled up for mainstream production.”
That Read sees scope for growth is evidenced by the company’s new cus- tom-built premises in Ravenhall, Mel- bourne. The light and spacious facili- ty houses all the new equipment, with plenty of room for expansion.
“This is just the start of our jour- ney with digital,” Read says. “As brand owners see the benefits of the technology, more will come along for the ride.” ■
AKING a product to market that
no-one else can offer gives Ross Read, owner and MD of Read La- bels & Packaging, tremendous sat- isfaction, he tells PKN. This is why, when he was one of the companies to take a relatively early leap of
faith on digital – purchasing an HP Indigo WS2000 press back when digital printing was very much the new kid on the block – he was able to grow his business by servicing the small end of town.
“If you’re smart about the way you use digital, it can take you places,” Read says.
The first label printer to focus on a digital-only offering, he quickly grew his customer base in the bou- tique wine industry, and also among food and beverage start-ups, by ad- dressing the need for labels with high quality graphics, produced in short runs and for multiple SKUs.
As the digital printing technology advanced, Read upgraded his HP In- digo press through several itera- tions, honing his craft along the way. Meanwhile, the flexible pouch mar- ket was taking off, and so too was the artisan food industry, giving rise to demand for stand-up pouches and centre seal bags, produced in short runs with a quick turnaround.
Read saw the gap and moved fast. He trialled converting flexible pouches in-house, investing in pouch making equipment and using the HP WS6800 to print the film.
“I was clear I didn’t want to be only a printer,” Read says. “To ad- dress this new market, we needed to offer a complete solution to create our point of difference.”
Earlier this year, Read took delivery of a new HP Indigo 20000 press, step- ping up significantly the quality of the printed rewind and the capacity.