Managing color in complex supply chains

Packaging makes a critical first impression. It engages the target customer with printed graphics that inform and activate key product messaging. When executed correctly, packaging also establishes the product’s quality position and reinforces the brand and product experience.

Given how important the role of packaging is, optimizing packaging and artwork development processes is critical to ensuring accuracy and consistency in printed graphics, from production through the point of purchase. And while this may sound relatively easy, it is not.

Many factors complicate the delivery of consistent, quality packaging. From a global supply chain perspective, the complexities that stem from scaling to serve many diverse countries with graphics tailored to meet individual market needs must be juxtaposed against feasibility and technical constraints, corporate social responsibility goals, and cost reduction initiatives. Opportunities to add value by reducing time-to-market for new packaging graphics, simplifying the print approval process, and increasing the efficiency and productivity of graphics management resources can be realized, but can backfire if managed as separate entities.

On the brand side of the equation, it is equally important to anticipate and integrate brand and design expectations for color standards within the execution platform, while facilitating real-time communication and data exchange throughout the process and across geographic regions and supply stakeholders. Significant advancements in the printing industry over the last decade have brought to market enterprise solutions for syncing production color measurement systems with cloud-based databases for brand standards and design expectations; still, delivering on-target color in a complex operating environment requires special attention by dedicated experts, managed through an established process workflow.

Furthermore, a comprehensive and holistic approach is required to improve the quality and consistency of packaging and artwork outcomes in complex supply chains. The approach must consider and integrate governance, the supply chain process, partnerships, and emerging technologies.