At Cepac we're incredibly proud of our people. This is one in a series of staff focus articles where we shine a light on the many faces who make up our team.
Can you describe your role within Cepac?
My current role is new business development for Darlington and Rawcliffe. Both plants are pioneering innovation with the very latest technology. Although state-of-the-art digital printing technology from Darlington has been my primary focus so far, our high-quality print and rotary die cut investment in Rawcliffe is already attracting a considerable amount of interest.
What changes have you encountered at Cepac?
The biggest technological leap in our industry has been in print. This is causing a revolution in the way that we work which, although only just underway, will prove to be significant.
That is reflected in our Darlington site because we now have the option for flexo, litho and digital print under one roof. Our reputation in flexo and litho is impeccable and the addition of digital print provides another very different dimension with respect to print quality, fast response and customer service. It is also fairly unique to offer so many print options at one corrugate packaging plant.
We now offer a wide range of print capabilities along with the tremendous flexibility of digital print which can be varied precisely, according to customer requirements.
What have been the standout events?
The advantage of digital is that of stunning graphics, superb flexibility and fast response. Many customers require a range of boxes of the same size with a multitude of different prints. No longer are we tied to long manufacturing order quantities and high stocks because we possess the capability to vary print upon demand.
We are now able to produce short print runs for promotional offerings, to cater for seasonal variations or for products with a short shelf life. If a product’s ingredients change, we can modify text very quickly and simply as has often been the case with the trend for low sugar alternatives. One-off graphics are readily available for Slimmer’s World or St. Valentine’s Day.
What is your typical day?
I tend to have three types of typical day.
The importance of market research probably goes without saying. This includes an understanding of not only of the customer’s products but also of the mechanics of the supply chain with respect to shipments and logistics. This often reveals the merits of challenging traditional methods in favour of an alternative approach.
My customer presentations frequently require working examples and visuals which illustrate the power of doing things differently. Fortunately, we have very good in-house teams who enjoy working together to agree the best way to meet our customers’ requirements.
My greatest satisfaction comes from explaining our proposition to a customer and demonstrating the power a different approach. Invariably it is about the fit of our proposed solution to our customer’s business model. It is rarely a question of ‘one size fits all.’
What does Cepac do particularly well?
They do the right thing and look after their people very, very well. It’s what Cepac do.
It wouldn’t be right if I didn’t mention digital printing here as well. Cepac were early adopters, including digital for short run packaging in our point of sale offering years ago. Recently we were one of the first in the UK to install a Nozomi printing press. And it’s there that we’re really making waves.
Digital print can produce stunning images so that branding jumps off the shelf. Artwork files are sent direct from computer to printer which can streamline the whole process. Digital is fast and flexible with the capability to print multiple different images within the same run. We are recommending our latest generation digital printing for flexible service and fast-moving campaigns.
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Hear more from our people, check out our staff focus roundup.
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Find out how Digital Print can benefit your packaging projects.