In late 2008, digital print specialist Mediaware Digital Ltd from Ireland saw a business challenge and opportunity as Microsoft was seeking a folding carton producer for its Windows 7 software launch. Mediaware proposed a new workflow which was enabled by the Gallop digital print packaging line jointly developed by Stora Enso and Xerox.
Microsoft wanted a solution that would speed its supply chain, handle short runs for many countries and reduce the overall cost of packaging in multiple languages. Simon Healy, Mediaware's Chairman and the team at Mediaware based in Dublin, Ireland, recognized the benefits of digital technology. Working closely with Xerox, Mediaware successfully introduced a new digital workflow approach to Microsoft.
The workflow based on the Gallop production line enables lower minimum orders, less waste, less storage, quicker time to market, and more secure printing. Mediaware prints a unique code on each carton, allowing item-level tracking worldwide. The total solution prints a precise number of cartons per job, cutting the risk of counterfeiters gaining access to legitimate packaging.
"Early on, we also saw it as a sustainable process," says Healy. The environmental advantages of digital printing for folding carton packages include reduced ink and substrate waste from make-ready and die-cut scraps. "We've found that digital technology eliminates surplus inventory and overruns as well as plate production, saving the environment, budget dollars, and physical space."
