Page 26 - Packaging News Magazine Nov-Dec 2018

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DESIGN & DECORATION
www.packagingnews.com.au
November-December 2018
Cutler invests in quality
The past three months have been the busiest in the 80 year history of Cutler Brands. PKN associate editor Wayne Robinson finds out why.
ODAY’S business environment has
never been more competitive, and the range of choice available to brand owners in packaging promotion has never been so diverse. There are multi- ple stories of venerable Australian companies struggling to come to terms
with the competition, with the new technology, with the fragmenting mar- ket. However, there are also many inno- vative local businesses that are showing they are not only moving with the times, but leading the charge in giving brand owners what they want on their packag- ing: presence and power.
One such company is Cutler Brands, based in SA and established in 1946. Originally founded to service the auto- motive industry, for the past 20 years Cutler has become the major player in the Australasian container decoration mar- ket, specifically with wine and spirit bottles, and even more recently with jars and juices including the world-famous Vegemite.
Cutler is not a label printer: it produces decoration which it prints directly onto the bottle, either with screen printing, or in the last couple of years with shrink sleeve. Andrew Creighton, account man- ager for container decoration at Cutler says, “Cutler invests in the world’s best production equipment, and invests in its staff, and we produce best in class deco- ration for bottles as a result.”
The company has just had its busiest quarter in its entire eight-decade history, which Creighton says is down to the com- pany’s commitment to quality. “Our cus- tomers know there are cheaper options, from China or wherever, but they know with Cutler they will get quality decora- tion time after time, and for the customers who want to create the prestige look they know Cutler will do the job.
“We work hard with customers, and will do what it takes to get them over the line in creating exactly the kind of con- tainer decoration they are looking for.
Cutler’s non-scuff screen printing process enables 360-degree, direct to bottle printing.
We work hard with customers and will do what it takes to get them over the line in creating exactly the kind of container decoration they are looking for.”
Many of our staff have been here for more than 20 years, and are the most experi- enced in the country,” he said.
Cutler knows its market, too. It works with both major brands and bespoke op- erations, and its run lengths vary from five million all the way down to under 500. Its focus is clear, screen printing and shrink sleeve, and there are no plans to get into labels. “We have moved into shrink sleeving in response to existing customers’ requests," said Creighton. “They wanted Cutler quality and system- ic approach on sleeves for their products. It is a format that is popular with some brand owners as it can provide a great look. It is an all over application for a top- to-toe look, with which we can achieve some really outstanding effects.”
Screen printing though remains the major process that Cutler works with, thanks to its ability to print directly on to glass in a non-scuff process. “Cutler uses the world’s best screen printing equipment, purchased in Germany, and we are able to achieve 360 degree print- ing on bottles, which is not possible with traditional labels,” said Creighton. “With a good designer on board, a brand owner, whether a multinational or a boutique operation, can achieve out- standing results that will present a pres- tige package in any category.”
And contrary to popular misconcep- tions, screen printed bottles can provide savings depending on the configuration of the package. Ultra low volumes are often much more economical than tooling up for a short run of labels. Larger volume runs benefit from the high speeds bottling lines can run at with screen printed bottles.
Cutler has a long association and envi- able reputation with Australia’s leading brands. With almost a century of history, experience and world’s best equipment, it says it can help decorate any glass bottle to the highest standard. ■