Customer Advisor Jens Fechtel and PACKZ Operator Sven Siegert
VN Reproduktion & Kommunikation GmbH is an owner-operated prepress house offering final artwork and repro service for brand owners and offset and flexo printers. The German based company delivers their customers creative packaging design, adaptation design and reproduction specifically implemented for the respective printing process. VN Repro has been creating artwork for folding cartons and cardboard boxes, outer cartons, displays, flexible packaging as well as labels for 30 years.
The Reason to Change Software Systems
As artwork for folding carton and displays becomes increasingly more complex, processing such orders without the right software becomes directly as difficult. Importing data manually is time-consuming and not to mention error prone. With their previous tool, VN Repro was not being supplied an evolving tool that was up to date with the printing requirements for print data preparation.
VN Repro needed a tool that was adept to support their daily processes and create print-ready exports from their proprietary system. It became clear that with ever-increasing demands on quality and timing, the need for productive software was the key to success in the future.
VN Repro needed a modern tool for data processing; a software that would support the modernization of their prepress department. They found this in the PDF editor, PACKZ, the establishment of a PDF workflow, and later, with reliable processes and customer collaboration in CLOUDFLOW.
“With HYBRID Software, we can meet the constantly growing requirements in terms of quality and deadlines.”
Ensuring a New Software Becomes Accepted
It is not always easy to change systems, it requires invested time and the team’s acceptance. VN Repro had the correct approach: by implementing HYBRID Software gradually, the prepress team was given time to get used to new processes and become convinced themselves of the potential efficiencies to be gained. After feedback was gathered, the optimal PACKZ workflow was introduced. VN Repro customers were also taken along on the journey from the beginning to minimize concern of errors from their side.
The PACKZ Advantage
Finally, the software was up to the mark: stable performance, complex PDF handling, including trapping and automation of instant color space and image resolution checks upon opening the PDF. Artwork from InDesign, for example, could suddenly be processed directly from within PDF, which significantly increased productivity in the repro phase.
“With PACKZ, we have found a powerful PDF editor that allows us to optimally prepare complex artwork for offset or flexo printing.”
Significant Improvement in Repro Productivity Through
- High performance software
- Innovative automation tools in PACKZ PDF editor
- Simple, efficient preparation of Adobe artwork for repro
- Strong quality control with PDF comparison and Analyze and Correct
- Historic transfer of previous jobs to PDF was easily achievable
However, the desire for further automations was now sparked, especially since they were dealing with shorter and shorter time to market deadlines.
VN Repro was interested in CLOUDFLOW for improved data exchange and communication with customers. A download portal was created for less manual data provision and necessary data to be generated from a complete document, including HighRes/LowRes PDF, Proof PDF, finishing, and more. Automations were added for barcode creation, the optimization of PDFs, and in the output process. Print data customization became a breeze with automatic retrieval and inclusion of customer’s unique number of licenses and logos filling in automatically.
Potentials Unleashed Through CLOUDFLOW Include
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- Innovative automation tools in CLOUDFLOW such as Live Objects and Pactions
- Increased productivity and process reliability
- Many manual data transfers have been automated so that operators have more time for their actual tasks
- New employees can be trained much faster due to high automation.
“With PACKZ and CLOUDFLOW, we were able to automate many recurring activities and improve our workflows. This increases our process reliability and creates freed up time that we can use for tasks that rely on our prepress expertise.”
Plans for the future?
Future goals include the extension of Proofscope for digital approval processes and quality management. This will provide the prepress team further quality improvements through PDF comparison in CLOUDFLOW’s browser-based app.
VN Repro is currently in the testing phase in their CTP department for digital printing plate production. By utilizing HYBRID Software for their existing plate production workflows, their goal is to harmonize internal production processes and increase flexibility as well for this division.
VN Repro Bio
- Print shop in Werther, NRW, Germany with 30 employees
- HYBRID customer since 2018
- Conversion from Esko to HYBRID Software in their repro division
- To come: HYBRID Software in their CTP division
- Several PACKZ licenses, CLOUDFLOW and PACKZFLOW
- Products, Printing Techniques and Services – Final artwork and repro service for brand owners, offset and flexo printers
- CTP for packaging printers
- Digital proofing and color management
- Digital printing
- Sample making, dummies
Visit the VN Reproduktion & Kommunikation website here.
