Greg Hrinya, Associate Editor11.14.16
In the label printing industry, print management systems provide converters with a tool to streamline their operations. This software covers everything from dies and cylinders to managing rolls of raw material and costing new digital presses.
Label Traxx, a leader in this space, was designed and built specifically for labels. The company offers end-to-end management software that covers all aspects of the label converting process, including customer inquiries and company accounting.
Label Traxx provides users with a modular program, meaning customers can tailor the functionality of their tools to their specific needs. In addition, the modules can be expanded as the business evolves. Typically, the program includes the following functionality: Estimating for flexo, digital, hot foil and screen presses; order management; raw material inventory with a bar code roll tracking system; industry specific purchasing; job costing and shop floor data collection; CRM essentials; distributors/brokers support; quality control reporting; key business metric dashboards; and JDF connectivity to prepress software. Additionally, Label Traxx provides visual scheduling and an e-commerce web portal, as well as fully integrated accounting, which includes AR, AP and GL.
“The functionality of the program is only half of the picture,” explains Dorothy Asboth, North American sales manager at Label Traxx. “We partner with our converter customers to identify their goals, design a strategy to implement the program and work out a training plan. Our training team has wide-ranging experience in the industry and will adapt to the requirements of each unique converter they work with. The remaining half of the picture is a successful implementation that delivers the converter’s objectives.”
EFI, a machinery and software supplier specializing in the transformation from analog to digital, recently launched the EFI Packaging Suite 4.0, its latest ERP-based suite of software solutions providing packaging companies with end-to-end workflows. EFI’s certified workflows combine the EFI Radius ERP solution with modular, integrated components from the company’s portfolio. It also works in tandem with key third-party technologies like Esko’s Automation Engine. Users have the ability to configure their individual Packaging Suite workflow to address the specific production management needs for products like folding cartons, labels, shrink sleeves, in-mold labels, flexible packaging and blown film extrusion products.
EFI Radius MIS/ERP software facilitates the collection and integration of a business’ information for enhanced profitability and efficiency. EFI Radius features new enhancements such as automation of item, as well as order and job creation processes designed to simplify the workflow. The automated digital prepress workflow provides a nearly hands-off process, which is driven by the new Fiery XB blade-based server platform. According to EFI, Radius is “the core ERP component of the EFI Packaging Suite.”
The management information system (MIS) is a critical part of print management systems. Tharstern, a modular MIS that’s also fully integrated, assists customers by streamlining their workflow by connecting different departments through one central MIS system. “The different modules are integrated together, and other key software and hardware is too, so everything is accelerated and efficiency is improved,” says Keith McMurtrie, managing director at Tharstern. “By integrating with systems like Esko’s Automation Engine, we also help our label customers automate the flow of information between back office functions and production, providing even greater opportunities for efficiency.”
Effective print management software has several distinctive characteristics. For starters, the software integrates between business functions and departments to eliminate redundant data entry. This helps to eliminate errors. A user should not have to re-enter important data into his or her MIS system.
“In Label Traxx, if you have quoted a job, the data for the label pulls from the estimate to the order, to scheduling, to purchase orders, to packing slips and to the invoice,” explains Asboth. “Integration with material suppliers saves time in purchasing and also means supplier roll numbers can be used for tracking. Integration with key shipping companies pulls tracking data back into Label Traxx and automatically calculates freight. There are many more examples, but integration significantly streamlines the administrative process.”
An MIS enhances communication because it has the ability to track jobs, which can provide updates to customers wanting to know the status of a job at any point. “The MIS as a whole contains lots of opportunities to record important notes that pop up at various points in the estimating or production process, identifying information about the customer that may help to improve the experience for them,” says McMurtrie. “For example, you might have a customer that has certain product or delivery preferences and you can have these pop up at any given point, which will make things slicker and improve the customer experience.”
Cerm offers a modular, process-efficient software suite that gives narrow web printers a complete end-to-end MIS solution. Cerm’s print management systems feature eight specific modules designed to address a critical step in the printer’s integrated workflow - from estimating to shop floor data collection to invoicing.
Cerm’s modules operate within three product categories: shopfront, shopfloor, and backoffice. The company’s shopfront module is highlighted by Web4Labels, an all-in-one digital shopfront for online quoting and managing of assets. Meanwhile, backoffice includes specific solutions to relieve the practical problems that come from printing a larger number of different products with smaller print runs.
“To be successful, the print management software must connect all areas of the printer’s business,” says Peter Dhondt, head of business development and sales at Cerm. “Having ‘islands’ that are not automated will slow down the process and open the printer up to errors. The modules that Cerm offers as part of its MIS solution ensure that all team members – from the production manager and stock controller to the accountant and general manager – have access to the same information and can work from the same page. This type of collaboration improves efficiency and overall productivity, leaving more time to focus on the core business.”
Much like other aspects of the label printing industry, print management systems have seen a surge in automation. This trend helps to remove the burden of certain tasks. For example, Label Traxx integrates with Esko’s Automation Engine prepress software and workflows.
For customers dealing with short run digital orders that might include a plethora of SKUs, Label Traxx has the ability to pass over a file plan of how to gang labels together, and Esko’s Automation Engine can automatically generate the stepped files. According to Asboth, as the industry continues moving toward customized short run orders – often seen in the Oreo Colorfilled and “Share A Coke” campaigns – automation will emerge as a key way to reduce operating costs.
Communication is key in print management. Label Traxx offers a single system where all departments within the business can view accurate real-time data on job status and customers. “When internal company information is optimized, the customer benefits from a fast and accurate response from the label converter,” says Asboth. “Label Traxx’s end user web portal eTraxx adds another dimension to this, allowing converter customers to log in online 24/7 and see estimate, order, product, invoice and shipping information. They can even place orders online.”
For Label Traxx, the goal is stimulating change that promotes a positive impact on productivity, profitability and quality. To achieve this, MIS has the ability to streamline administrative tasks, improve company-wide communication and eliminate errors and redundant data entry. On the production side, data is collated to measure and analyze performance.
In addition to automation, there is a trend toward open APIs (application program interface), allowing for open integration with other software without the need to communicate with its developers. According to McMurtrie, though, there are still improvements that could use work down the pipeline. “What the industry still needs to improve on is reporting and analysis,” he says. “There’s a massive amount of valuable data contained within an MIS, but it’s historically been difficult to access in any kind of meaningful way. MIS providers must improve on how this data is organized, processed and formatted to give their customers the best ROI.”
Digital dilemma
Although digital printing provides a number of opportunities throughout multiple verticals, it does produce several challenges for print management systems. Since digital orders generally require a large quantity of small-value orders, converters must be able to handle large volumes of art files.
One way a company like Label Traxx handles the complexities associated with large volumes involves collaboration. “The nature of the digital label business has forced us to collaborate with other key suppliers in the market and this has had huge benefits for converters,” explains Asboth. “We partner with many of the leading digital press manufacturers. We have also worked with Esko’s Automation Engine to integrate prepress, AVT for vision inspection and we worked on a recent project with AB Graphic to integrate Label Traxx with their Digilase laser diecutting solution. Label Traxx also introduced an API module at Labelexpo, which will enable converters to propose their own custom integration projects.”
According to Cerm, the business climate has changed dramatically in recent years. “Increasingly, print runs are shorter but happen more frequently,” says Dhondt. “Brand owners have become more and more demanding about the information and brand identity that gets printed on their labels. Competition comes from other printers who see opportunity in printing labels. The good news is print management systems have also evolved to keep pace with these changes. Features included in solutions like Cerm’s go beyond just MIS and help the converter to better manage all aspects of their operations and enable a more productive environment.”
There are other challenges in addition to digital printing. According to Label Traxx, the company often has to persuade companies to admit they need effective print management systems to invest in the process. “Many business owners spend their time fighting the fires that crop up daily rather than focusing on the big picture of how to grow their business,” says Asboth. “There will never be time to improve your company workflow if you don’t make time. There will always be audits to pass, staff to recruit, building maintenance to complete, new presses to install, people to train. That will never end. Where could your business be now if you had taken the plunge with Label Traxx 24 months ago?”
Oftentimes too, companies will rely on stories of failed implementations. However, since print management systems have been specifically engineered for labels and packaging, the likelihood of roadblocks is greatly reduced. “Companies can work on process improvement rather than explaining their industry to an ERP consultant,” adds Asboth.
Customer support
As the label industry continues to evolve, Label Traxx believes that keeping a constant dialog with customers is of the utmost importance. “Continuous feedback from our customers is critical,” says Asboth. “We stay close to our customers to monitor the direction of the industry and make sure our software can handle all the new technological advancements. Label Traxx is a continuously evolving program, and the majority of our new developments are driven by customer requests. Participation in industry associations also enhances our strategic development.”
In order to stay abreast of the users’ needs, Label Traxx offers customers subscribing to its support program unlimited phone and online support, plus free upgrades. In addition to a multitude of online support tools, the company provides regular training webinars. Support is offered both online, onsite and at an annual user conference.
Tharstern will regularly hold user events in order to provide support, and the company also offers an online Customer Resource Center. “Converters have unique specifications, workflows and standards when compared to the rest of the printing industry, and so we have to make sure that our MIS speaks their language,” adds McMurtrie. “Plus, there’s a trend toward shorter print runs across all print disciplines, and so we have to help our label customers deal with this – by giving them the functionality to quickly compare flexo quotes with digital ones, for example.”
Meanwhile, installations of Cerm’s CermBoxx, a VMware-template-based box, allow remote installation and maintenance of a solution. The company’s trainers also focus on best practices, functioning in the role of business consultant.
Label Traxx, a leader in this space, was designed and built specifically for labels. The company offers end-to-end management software that covers all aspects of the label converting process, including customer inquiries and company accounting.
Label Traxx provides users with a modular program, meaning customers can tailor the functionality of their tools to their specific needs. In addition, the modules can be expanded as the business evolves. Typically, the program includes the following functionality: Estimating for flexo, digital, hot foil and screen presses; order management; raw material inventory with a bar code roll tracking system; industry specific purchasing; job costing and shop floor data collection; CRM essentials; distributors/brokers support; quality control reporting; key business metric dashboards; and JDF connectivity to prepress software. Additionally, Label Traxx provides visual scheduling and an e-commerce web portal, as well as fully integrated accounting, which includes AR, AP and GL.
“The functionality of the program is only half of the picture,” explains Dorothy Asboth, North American sales manager at Label Traxx. “We partner with our converter customers to identify their goals, design a strategy to implement the program and work out a training plan. Our training team has wide-ranging experience in the industry and will adapt to the requirements of each unique converter they work with. The remaining half of the picture is a successful implementation that delivers the converter’s objectives.”
EFI, a machinery and software supplier specializing in the transformation from analog to digital, recently launched the EFI Packaging Suite 4.0, its latest ERP-based suite of software solutions providing packaging companies with end-to-end workflows. EFI’s certified workflows combine the EFI Radius ERP solution with modular, integrated components from the company’s portfolio. It also works in tandem with key third-party technologies like Esko’s Automation Engine. Users have the ability to configure their individual Packaging Suite workflow to address the specific production management needs for products like folding cartons, labels, shrink sleeves, in-mold labels, flexible packaging and blown film extrusion products.
EFI Radius MIS/ERP software facilitates the collection and integration of a business’ information for enhanced profitability and efficiency. EFI Radius features new enhancements such as automation of item, as well as order and job creation processes designed to simplify the workflow. The automated digital prepress workflow provides a nearly hands-off process, which is driven by the new Fiery XB blade-based server platform. According to EFI, Radius is “the core ERP component of the EFI Packaging Suite.”
The management information system (MIS) is a critical part of print management systems. Tharstern, a modular MIS that’s also fully integrated, assists customers by streamlining their workflow by connecting different departments through one central MIS system. “The different modules are integrated together, and other key software and hardware is too, so everything is accelerated and efficiency is improved,” says Keith McMurtrie, managing director at Tharstern. “By integrating with systems like Esko’s Automation Engine, we also help our label customers automate the flow of information between back office functions and production, providing even greater opportunities for efficiency.”
Effective print management software has several distinctive characteristics. For starters, the software integrates between business functions and departments to eliminate redundant data entry. This helps to eliminate errors. A user should not have to re-enter important data into his or her MIS system.
“In Label Traxx, if you have quoted a job, the data for the label pulls from the estimate to the order, to scheduling, to purchase orders, to packing slips and to the invoice,” explains Asboth. “Integration with material suppliers saves time in purchasing and also means supplier roll numbers can be used for tracking. Integration with key shipping companies pulls tracking data back into Label Traxx and automatically calculates freight. There are many more examples, but integration significantly streamlines the administrative process.”
An MIS enhances communication because it has the ability to track jobs, which can provide updates to customers wanting to know the status of a job at any point. “The MIS as a whole contains lots of opportunities to record important notes that pop up at various points in the estimating or production process, identifying information about the customer that may help to improve the experience for them,” says McMurtrie. “For example, you might have a customer that has certain product or delivery preferences and you can have these pop up at any given point, which will make things slicker and improve the customer experience.”
Cerm offers a modular, process-efficient software suite that gives narrow web printers a complete end-to-end MIS solution. Cerm’s print management systems feature eight specific modules designed to address a critical step in the printer’s integrated workflow - from estimating to shop floor data collection to invoicing.
Cerm’s modules operate within three product categories: shopfront, shopfloor, and backoffice. The company’s shopfront module is highlighted by Web4Labels, an all-in-one digital shopfront for online quoting and managing of assets. Meanwhile, backoffice includes specific solutions to relieve the practical problems that come from printing a larger number of different products with smaller print runs.
“To be successful, the print management software must connect all areas of the printer’s business,” says Peter Dhondt, head of business development and sales at Cerm. “Having ‘islands’ that are not automated will slow down the process and open the printer up to errors. The modules that Cerm offers as part of its MIS solution ensure that all team members – from the production manager and stock controller to the accountant and general manager – have access to the same information and can work from the same page. This type of collaboration improves efficiency and overall productivity, leaving more time to focus on the core business.”
Much like other aspects of the label printing industry, print management systems have seen a surge in automation. This trend helps to remove the burden of certain tasks. For example, Label Traxx integrates with Esko’s Automation Engine prepress software and workflows.
For customers dealing with short run digital orders that might include a plethora of SKUs, Label Traxx has the ability to pass over a file plan of how to gang labels together, and Esko’s Automation Engine can automatically generate the stepped files. According to Asboth, as the industry continues moving toward customized short run orders – often seen in the Oreo Colorfilled and “Share A Coke” campaigns – automation will emerge as a key way to reduce operating costs.
Communication is key in print management. Label Traxx offers a single system where all departments within the business can view accurate real-time data on job status and customers. “When internal company information is optimized, the customer benefits from a fast and accurate response from the label converter,” says Asboth. “Label Traxx’s end user web portal eTraxx adds another dimension to this, allowing converter customers to log in online 24/7 and see estimate, order, product, invoice and shipping information. They can even place orders online.”
For Label Traxx, the goal is stimulating change that promotes a positive impact on productivity, profitability and quality. To achieve this, MIS has the ability to streamline administrative tasks, improve company-wide communication and eliminate errors and redundant data entry. On the production side, data is collated to measure and analyze performance.
In addition to automation, there is a trend toward open APIs (application program interface), allowing for open integration with other software without the need to communicate with its developers. According to McMurtrie, though, there are still improvements that could use work down the pipeline. “What the industry still needs to improve on is reporting and analysis,” he says. “There’s a massive amount of valuable data contained within an MIS, but it’s historically been difficult to access in any kind of meaningful way. MIS providers must improve on how this data is organized, processed and formatted to give their customers the best ROI.”
Digital dilemma
Although digital printing provides a number of opportunities throughout multiple verticals, it does produce several challenges for print management systems. Since digital orders generally require a large quantity of small-value orders, converters must be able to handle large volumes of art files.
One way a company like Label Traxx handles the complexities associated with large volumes involves collaboration. “The nature of the digital label business has forced us to collaborate with other key suppliers in the market and this has had huge benefits for converters,” explains Asboth. “We partner with many of the leading digital press manufacturers. We have also worked with Esko’s Automation Engine to integrate prepress, AVT for vision inspection and we worked on a recent project with AB Graphic to integrate Label Traxx with their Digilase laser diecutting solution. Label Traxx also introduced an API module at Labelexpo, which will enable converters to propose their own custom integration projects.”
According to Cerm, the business climate has changed dramatically in recent years. “Increasingly, print runs are shorter but happen more frequently,” says Dhondt. “Brand owners have become more and more demanding about the information and brand identity that gets printed on their labels. Competition comes from other printers who see opportunity in printing labels. The good news is print management systems have also evolved to keep pace with these changes. Features included in solutions like Cerm’s go beyond just MIS and help the converter to better manage all aspects of their operations and enable a more productive environment.”
There are other challenges in addition to digital printing. According to Label Traxx, the company often has to persuade companies to admit they need effective print management systems to invest in the process. “Many business owners spend their time fighting the fires that crop up daily rather than focusing on the big picture of how to grow their business,” says Asboth. “There will never be time to improve your company workflow if you don’t make time. There will always be audits to pass, staff to recruit, building maintenance to complete, new presses to install, people to train. That will never end. Where could your business be now if you had taken the plunge with Label Traxx 24 months ago?”
Oftentimes too, companies will rely on stories of failed implementations. However, since print management systems have been specifically engineered for labels and packaging, the likelihood of roadblocks is greatly reduced. “Companies can work on process improvement rather than explaining their industry to an ERP consultant,” adds Asboth.
Customer support
As the label industry continues to evolve, Label Traxx believes that keeping a constant dialog with customers is of the utmost importance. “Continuous feedback from our customers is critical,” says Asboth. “We stay close to our customers to monitor the direction of the industry and make sure our software can handle all the new technological advancements. Label Traxx is a continuously evolving program, and the majority of our new developments are driven by customer requests. Participation in industry associations also enhances our strategic development.”
In order to stay abreast of the users’ needs, Label Traxx offers customers subscribing to its support program unlimited phone and online support, plus free upgrades. In addition to a multitude of online support tools, the company provides regular training webinars. Support is offered both online, onsite and at an annual user conference.
Tharstern will regularly hold user events in order to provide support, and the company also offers an online Customer Resource Center. “Converters have unique specifications, workflows and standards when compared to the rest of the printing industry, and so we have to make sure that our MIS speaks their language,” adds McMurtrie. “Plus, there’s a trend toward shorter print runs across all print disciplines, and so we have to help our label customers deal with this – by giving them the functionality to quickly compare flexo quotes with digital ones, for example.”
Meanwhile, installations of Cerm’s CermBoxx, a VMware-template-based box, allow remote installation and maintenance of a solution. The company’s trainers also focus on best practices, functioning in the role of business consultant.