Page 22 - Packaging News Magazine Nov-Dec 2018

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DESIGN & DECORATION
Embellishment: to outsource or
Digital embellishing has plenty of potential to add value to short-run packaging, but when should a converter purchase their own equipment, rather than outsourcing to a for-trade company?
Jake Nelson spoke with the experts.
HE decision whether to outsource finish- ing or bring it in-house can be a tricky one, weighing up the benefits of having control over your own equipment versus the expense of machinery you might not use as much as you hope to.
David Murphy, national sales manager at embellishing supplier Kurz Australia, be- lieves investing in new equipment is worth considering – but the value of trade services shouldn’t be disregarded.
“Buying your own equipment provides increased production control. Sending work to a trade finishing house relies on their availability and priorities, and you need to factor in the cost of freight to and fro.
“On the other hand, trade embellishers offer service and experience, as well as you not having to invest in equipment that may not be fully utilised,” he says.
According to Murphy, many trade ser- vices have multiple options for application
on various size sheets and substrates – but that’s not their only advantage. “Using a trade service is buying not only the time on their equipment, but their expertise,” he says. “There is a trade-off between flexibil- ity and control on one side, and quality, ex- pertise and experience on the other side.”
ALL ABOUT THE CUSTOMER
Konica Minolta supplies the MGI range of digital embellishment solutions in Australia, including the entry-level cut-sheet JetVarnish 3DS, the top-range JV3D Evo, the JV3DW for labels, and the MGI Meteor Unlimited prod- ucts for foil and print.
David Cascarino, national manager for industrial print at Konica Minolta, said MGI’s success took off when KM assumed control of distribution in Australia. “We’ve had five installations since May last year when we stepped in – two Meteors and three JetVarnishes. Customer feedback has been positive, not just from our clients but their customers as well,” he says.
According to Cascarino, printers should focus on their customers’ needs when deciding whether to invest in new equipment. “It’s not about volume – it’s about value, and whether the return on investment can be realised across the smaller volumes that would produce a
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November-December 2018