The packaging package

A specialist graphics studio for the packaging design industry, launched by a gravure cylinder maker, is bringing new capabilities to brand designers. Carol Houghton reports

Studio404 is using the technical knowledge developed during 15 years as the in-house graphic design division of Apex Cylinders to help brand owners bring projects efficiently from design to shelf.

The specialist graphics studio was founded in October last year and still uses part of the Apex Cylinder building. Its client base was originally the same but it aims to target a new range of customers. Allan Bendall, technical director at Studio404, explains: ‘In recent years we have experienced ever increasing demand for a range of stand-alone packaging development services from brand owners and creative services companies. It is this demand that has given us the impetus to establish Studio404 as an independent business.’

Product management

Bendall believes the packaging chain needs to be brought together at the earliest possible stage to avoid design concepts which cannot be printed using the available technology. Studio404’s role is to give a technical perspective on how to fuse a creative vision with the printed product

Being involved from the creative phase enables Studio404 to interact with a client’s technical team and marketing department to ensure the end result matches as closely – and cost effectively – as possible the original creative concept.

The creative agency supplies the base artwork, which is assessed by Studio404 for its print feasibility. ‘We commonly find that creative agencies send base artwork that has been constructed to look good on screen, which is not separated correctly for print and which can feature too many print colors,’ explains Bendall. ‘We make amendments to this and then submit it to the client’s marketing team for approval, where we discuss color choices, ink finishes, special effects inks and other technical details. We normally give the client a digital or fusion proof, and may also provide them with real ink drawdowns, which show multiple inks interacting with each other to create various effects’.

Once this step is completed, work begins on the initial mock-up. Using a Roland UV inkjet LEJ640, Studio404 prints a color accurate image onto the production substrate to ensure that it is ‘indistinguishable visually and in terms of the way it feels’ from the final product. This also demonstrates practicality and cost-effectiveness.

Bendall explains the reason behind choosing inkjet technology: ‘We need to print on the same substrate the client will use to create an effective mock up. UV inkjet allows print direct to a substrate without coating etc and it works across all processes.’ Clients have reported the mock ups are so authentic that they have been used in their television advertising campaigns.

Once the final concept has been approved, it can be evolved across the brand portfolio, removing the need to re-evaluate each new label variant. The process is completed with a production proof prior to the print run.

‘The customer benefits on a number of levels from our approach to project management,’ says Bendall. ‘The artwork is evaluated prior to bulk artwork construction for the whole brand family, timelines are greatly reduced by managing the entire process under one roof, we do not resample graphic data, we maintain it throughout the entire workflow and costs are reduced by working on achievable artwork, greatly reducing rework rates.’

Bendall concludes: ‘The gravure market is consolidating and is highly competitive. As a separate entity, Studio404 will be able to diversify and find new markets. The backing of a bigger company like Apex allows the stability and resources we need to develop’.

A key part of future strategy is for Studio404 to develop long-term relationships with brand owners – to become part of their development team. Bendall adds, ‘One area where this particularly pays dividends is in taking an established design and extending it to a family of products. This value added consultancy from retained knowledge and experience is the ethos that underpins our entire operation.’

Pictured: Studio404 brings specialist technical knowledge to the business of pack design and prototyping

This article was published in Labels & Labeling issue 1, 2013