EskoArtwork of Gent, Belgium, is joining the PrintCity Alliance Value Added Packaging (VAPack) knowledge sharing project. The VAPack initiative highlights the opportunities and benefits of ‘value added’ packaging techniques & materials. Focused on creative packaging professionals, it broadens understanding about such differentiation methods.

EskoArtwork is the worldwide market leader with software for artwork creation, pre-production, automation, quality assurance and collaboration targeted at brand owners, retailers, designers and packaging manufacturers.

EskoArtwork will contribute its Studio product family knowhow, to show how the Value Added Packaging techniques & materials from the VAPack project can be modelled and assessed in 3D before prototyping or manufacture. Such technology can significantly reduce ‘time to market’ for new product launches. The EskoArtwork Studio capability includes Studio Designer, Studio Toolkit for Boxes, Studio Visualizer and Esko Store Visualizer. For more information see www.esko.com/en/Products/overview/studio/overview   

Value Added Packaging – the Secrets of VAP   

For 18 months PrintCity members and partners manroland, UPM, Sun Chemical, M-real, Eltosch, Kurz, Merck, Weilburger Graphics and Bobst, plus a series of other technology partners, have shared knowledge on value added packaging techniques, and prepared a portfolio of ‘sample boxes’ to show what is possible. EskoArtwork is the 18th member of this project, which will be a major showcase for such techniques at drupa in May 2012 and beyond.

VAPack focuses on the many benefits of Value Added Packaging techniques:

·         Increased consumer attraction from new or combined VAP techniques

·         Enhanced product differentiation in all consumer market sectors

·         New opportunities in brand development and brand positioning

Jan De Roeck, Director Solutions Management for EskoArtwork states, “We at EskoArtwork recognize and endorse the efforts of the PrintCity Alliance to bring together the expertise of various stakeholders in the packaging industry and put the spotlight on how to create added value opportunities with packaging. With our engagement as a VAPack partner, we will share our extensive expertise in packaging design and prepress workflow, for the benefit of packaging converters worldwide. We are very happy to be a VAPack partner and we look forward to contribute to a showcase of value added packaging.”