- Sha Jumari
CGS Brings Brands to Life
As it wrapped up its distributor conference, CGS placed strong emphasis on its high-end packaging proofing and digital colour communication systems, signalling new directions for 2017.
CGS Publishing Technologies International recently concluded its biannual Asian Distributor Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand. Held from 17 to 19 January 2017, the event aimed to keep CGS’ dealers within the region informed on product updates and provide latest technical training. In attendance were over 40 delegates from Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Korea, Vietnam, India, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Over 40 delegates from Asia visited Roland DG's factory in Thailand as part of the CGS dealer meeting.
The focus of this edition was placed on CGS’ range of ORIS solutions namely Flex Pack // Web and CxF Toolbox. According to the company, the two solutions are gaining most traction for the Asian region.
“Following our theme of ‘Bringing Brands to Life’, CGS sets a clear focus on the demands of Asia’s fast growing packaging market with customised solutions,” said Yan Wei Phin, regional manager, CGS.
“This includes our Flex Pack//Web proofing and mockup solution with extended gamut inks and specialised media to match final prints, and also tools that do cold foiling and embossing. With our CxF toolbox we additionally have an open tool to communicate color from creation to production.”
ORIS Flex Pack // Web is a high-end packaging proofing solution that was first introduced at the end of 2012. Since then, the system has a worldwide installation base of 340, garnering fans from packaging designers, brand owners to producers. 80 of the system are within the Asian region.
Guest speakers were invited to provide additional valuable information.
As part of the conference, CGS provided updated technical training on how to maximise the potential of the solution. The Flex Pack // Web’s varnishing and embossing option was delved into, which, when used with the Roland LEF flatbed printer series can offer finishes such as embossing and spot UV.
A presentation of success stories by existing customers including iMSGroup, Schawk, and Nestle, showcased the range and quality of proofs created by the Flex Pack // Web system.
The ORIS CxF Toolbox is a software that communicates every component of a brand colour along the entire supply chain. It does so by using ISO-standard CxF spectral data to control brand spot colours. A presentation made by the CGS team explained the core technologies of ISO 32000 on the CxF Toolbox system, in addition to highlighting the importance of understanding the whys and the hows of controlling overlapping spot colours.
CGS’ Christoph Thommessen led live sessions with CGS Germany.
"It's important for us to have these meetings in order to provide the most updated product knowledge and training so our dealers can best address the needs of their customers. Beyond that, it strengthens the working partnership that we have with our dealers and demonstrates our appreciation and support for them," said Christoph Thommessen, sales director for Asia Pacific, CGS.
Roland DG’s highly automated factory
A highlight of the distributor meeting was a site visit to Roland DG’s facility in Thailand, where the Roland VersaCAMM VSi printers are produced. The large format printer is part of CGS’ ORIS Flex Pack // Web system.
President of Roland Digital Group (Thailand), Akira Suzaki, gave delegates a factory tour.
Located in Sinsakhon Printing City & Industrial Estate, Samutsakhon, the site is Roland DG’s first manufacturing facility outside of Japan. The Roland DG factory became fully operational in October 2012 and has already been expanded to cater for increased global demand. Today, the factory serves as a key worldwide export hub for many of their wide format print and print and cut solutions.
A unique feature of the factory is its utilisation of ‘Digital YATAI’, which is a cell production system technology originally designed by Roland DG. This technology essentially allows the Bangkok facility to mirror its Japanese counterpart in Hamamatsu.
Digital YATAI minimises risks caused by human error and seeks to aid employees in assembling products. It does so by using guided on-screen instructions and other automated systems including computer controlled tools that allows the factory to function at the same manufacturing level and achieve the same quality as the Japanese site.
By setting up a manufacturing factory in Thailand, Roland is now able to produce their premium products at a more affordable price to meet the increasing demand for inkjet printers in growing markets including Asia. With the factory becoming a central base for operations in the region, Roland can now respond quickly to the needs of the surrounding developing countries and realise prices demanded by the market.
CGS Publishing Technologies International will be exhibiting at the upcoming Asian Packaging Conference from 27 to 28 April 2017. Register here.
For the full version of this article and more print news, read the latest issue of Print Innovation Asia.
