Page 81 - Packaging News Magazine Nov-Dec2020

PROFILE | PKN 60 YEARS SPECIAL
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labels, in-mould labels, shrink sleeves, inline folding carton, and inline pouch making. Visitors to LabelExpo in Brussels last year would have seen a complete pouch factory on the HP booth, comprising an HP Indigo 20000, a Thermal (Pack Ready) laminator, and Karlville pouch converting line.
Daws says: “Pouches are growing, and growing fast, they work on many levels as a form of packaging for brand owners, includ- ing cost, environmental, protection, and the graphics achievable with HP Indigo. Being able to supply a complete e2e line is benefi- cial to the market.”
With the flexible packaging market currently growing at 8 per cent CAGR, the opportunity for packaging producers is clear. Daws says: “Over the past two years there has been a clear trend to wide web digital flexible packag- ing, and this will continue as entrepreneurial printers work with brands to achieve great results across the board.
Currie Group has supplied half a dozen of its wide web HP Indigo 20000 systems to the local market, and will shortly begin installation of its first full Karlville KS-DSUP pouch making line, to a customer that is entering the market for the first time.
We have pivoted quickly during this period and adapted to new ways of customer engagement.” – Mark Daws
Although Currie Group has been in opera- tion for more than 70 years it is fair to say there has never been a year like this one. Daws says: “Covid has been a challenge, but thanks to our size, Currie Group has been able to meet the needs of our customers. Around 60 per cent of our staff are the technical service team, and we have service engineers based in every state, so we have been able to provide our usual level of service. We had to work out freight and supply challenges at the start for spare parts and consumables, which we did, and I am pleased to say we have not let anyone down. For installations where we have faced restrictions on personnel, we have been able
to use live video with factory technicians, which has proved to be a great success.”
Currie Group has even turned the challenge into an opportunity. Daws says: “We created webinars for the sales teams of our HP Indigo customers – who were all locked down – where we could provide education for their own sales activities, giving them in depth brief- ing on features such as specialty inks, security & brand protection along with HP’s suite of cloud based PrintOS apps. It provided the edu- cation, but also fostered a sense of community while they were all isolated.”
One of the major impacts of Covid was the postponement of print mega show drupa, at which HP Indigo was due to launch a slew of new printing systems. Daws says: “Overnight everything changed. The media week was can- celled a week out from taking place, then drupa itself was off. However, HP Indigo has been taking advantage of its IT expertise. We have been holding virtual demonstrations for instance, where we send over the customer’s file, they see it being printed in Israel, can talk to the demonstrator live just as in a face to face demo, and then receives the printed cop- ies a few days later. OMET and ABG have also been running live streamed demos. We have had to adapt, as well all have, but with more than 70 years in the market and significant resource, and a total commitment to support- ing our customers come what may, Currie Group has stepped up.”
Daws and the labels and packaging team at Currie Group are now eager to see restrictions come down so they can go to market with the new solutions from HP Indigo, which includes new label, flexible and carton packaging presses, including the recently announced HP Indigo V12 – 120mpm – digital press, as well as the new 670mm wide OMET X7 flexo press, along with new platforms from both ABG and Karlville.
November–December 2020 | www.packagingnews.com.au