Creation Link delivers ‘click to plate’ automation
Packaging Solutions
UK specialist in packaging artwork, reprographics and plate production, Creation, has further enhanced its sophisticated management information system (MIS) to create CreationLink – a streamlined and automated digital workflow process – to deliver enhanced production efficiency and client satisfaction.
Creation has combined its MIS and Esko WebCenter programmes into an increasingly advanced system that fully integrates all business activities – from artwork to plate production – into a single automated process.
CreationLink delivers faster workflows, accelerated service for repeat work and 24 hour production, maximising operating capacity with very little additional manpower, while removing the risk of human error.
Matt Francklow, Creation reprographics managing director, said:
‘At Creation, we are a small team of print experts who work closely with our clients to understand their needs and ensure that we perform on time, all the time, with the highest quality.
‘We have recognised that this is about utilising the benefits of digital automated workflows, not just in terms of approval management, but also to streamline and automate our complete operation and the click to plate concept delivers advantages for our clients unseen in the market before.’
With run lengths decreasing, lead times continuing to get shorter, environmental and waste pressures continuing to grow and quality demands increasing, companies need enhanced pre-press automation. These processes can also create bottlenecks in the business administration process, with more orders, more demands on production scheduling and inventory control, and as well as more invoicing.
Creation Link enables everything from production, distribution and accounts information to be held in one computerised system. The information is then integrated with other applications within Creation, allowing the company to collaborate and communicate with all partners in the packaging and printing supply chain.
Currently, more than 70% of business at Creation is completed through the Creation Link platform, with more clients being converted into the new system every day.
Matt added, ‘We invested in Esko WebCenter some years ago. However, our recent development work has taken the system, with a number of enhancements, to a new level. We have designed every platform individually and created a bespoke solution for each one of our clients, taking their specific requirements into consideration. This gives our customers a very personal area in the system, which we believe is unique within our trade. Our software solution now also operates as a true management information system across our business.
‘Not only is CreationLink simple and user friendly for our clients, it provides them with real-time feedback of our shop floor activity. It allows our customers to access the latest up to date information on the status of their product, with all parties involved regularly receiving notifications on developments with complete transparency.’
Today, Creation works across the food and beverage, personal and home care, horticulture and pharmaceutical markets designing solutions for labelling, folding carton, rigid and flexible packaging applications.
Francklow concluded: ‘At Creation we pride ourselves on challenging the status quo. We have invested heavily in developing a streamlined artwork, reprographics and plate production process to maximise the quality and service offering to our clients. We believe Creation Link gives us market-leading, sophisticated job planning and production scheduling capabilities that will be the envy of the industry and more importantly provides huge competitive advantage to our clients in terms of their speed of response and time to market.’
