When Does a Pond Become a Lake?
Complete product and service offerings help converters operate more successfully.
No matter what equipment is on the shop floor, what markets are served, or whether a company produces labels, flexible packaging, folding cartons or corrugated containers, every packaging printer has the same problem. They must all research and try to understand which printing technologies are best suited for their business, and when they invest in any of them, figuring out how they should be implemented. It can be quite challenging and more than a little intimidating.
For example, converters considering a digital printing system can be overwhelmed by the range of technologies and presses available. And it’s easy to make the wrong choice. We know that most package printers and their customers lack the time and resources needed to visit vendor demo centers to investigate and explore the options available, test and vet the technologies, and determine which are the best fit for their operations.
Gaining deep knowledge
A key part of our strategy at Anderson & Vreeland is researching and evaluating the nuances and overall performance of the various products on the market so we can make informed recommendations to our customers and prospects. We are continually talking with equipment and software vendors around the planet, learning about the leading software and digital presses of today, and hearing about those still in development. Similarly, we are in synch with the latest innovations in plate technology, plate processing, workflow, and color management to support customers in these key areas where innovation and change are the only constants. We go to trade shows, test new products, ask the hard questions, study the output, and do the due diligence on behalf of our customers and prospects so we can share insights that can help them make informed purchase decisions.
The other side of the knowledge exchange is upstream. In their travels, our product and technology teams—all FTA FIRST Implementation Specialist Certified Level III—help equipment and software vendors understand converters’ day-to-day operational needs so new generations of equipment and software can better address your needs. We can do this because our teams have the skills and knowledge to assess products ranging from tapes and flexographic plates to prepress systems to color management to high-end digital presses.
At the same time, we listen to what every type of packaging printer tells us about their business. We hear the good and the bad, the positives and negatives about every product, service, and the details of their operations. We learn about the pressures, demands and expectations of brand owners and how converters strive to meet those requirements. For example, we know that brand owners are looking for consistent color management so that brand colors are identical whether a job is printed in Indiana, Indonesia or Italy, whether it was produced on a digital, offset or flexo press. We hear exactly how vendors are addressing such issues, and what their decisions mean for converters. And we tell them what we think, and share what we hear.
As we learn new things we ask new questions, continually building a deep understanding of the rapid—and often critical—changes taking place across our industry. This newfound knowledge enables us to talk with customers and prospects not only about the technology available today, but that which will be rolled out next year, or even a few years in the future. Often, we find ourselves as visionaries, talking with customers and prospects about things they may not fully understand, but which wind up being the foundation for future discussions about technologies that offer new paths to efficiency and profitability.
This strategic approach is at the core of Anderson & Vreeland’s belief that customers need to be aware of know about all the products available if they are to make educated decisions about the equipment and services they buy and how to integrate them for optimal efficiency, productivity and profitability.
Market Awareness
Our industry has for too long been the target of a few companies that have taken advantage of marketing strategies that made them seem like the only options. These companies saw the market as a pond, with them as the biggest fish. But no more.
At Anderson & Vreeland we see the entire package printing marketplace—labels, flexible packaging, folding cartons, and corrugated—not as a pond, but as an immense lake comprised of a diverse array of equipment and software that can be configured to fit the exact needs of every participant. As a distributor with a broad product portfolio from an array of manufacturers—and as an OEM ourselves—we are able to identify and help implement the most appropriate solutions for individual businesses. Because we understand the marketplace from the perspectives of both manufacturers and converters, we know there is no one-size-fits-all approach, More importantly, we believe that no converter should ever have to accept a solution that cannot be optimized for their present day needs, or that does not offer a clear path forward as their business grows.
As we look into 2016, and beyond, we see every aspect of the package printing and converting industry as one ripe with potential for all types of converters. We will continue to learn more about the needs of every type of converter, build on our understanding of software and equipment development, and work with every company in our portfolio to ensure that the products they offer, and which we bring to market, are tightly matched to your real world needs so you can be successful today and in the years to come.
