Users had the opportunity to inspect Esko’s products and network at the event
With 160 users registered for the event on 11 September, EskoWorld UK 2013 was a great success. The conference took place at Loughborough University and an interesting agenda covered the wide span of sectors in which Esko is involved.
Paul Bates, UK & Eire manager, welcomed the audience and spoke about recent developments. The company has declared its intent to purchase CAPE Systems, a provider of software solutions for packaging design, pallet load optimisation and supply chain profitability, to completely cover the whole packaging life cycle.
He also spoke of market drivers such as the recent horsemeat scandal, and said, ‘People are trying to take control of their packaging and ensure that the contents listed reflect the actual ingredients. We have an opportunity to help our customers take that control.’ Mr Bates also reflected on the Coca-Cola campaign saying that he believes we will see more projects pulling the whole packaging chain together to focus strength and aim at specific markets.
Chris Stowe, product manager – 3D Solutions Esko, revealed what was in store for visitors at Labelexpo. The company has teamed up with HP and Sharp Iris in a major collaboration that will see a large stereoscopic 3D HD LED video wall from Barco set up on HP’s stand to demonstrate a complete virtual supermarket where customers can ‘walk around’ and ‘pick up’ products. Generated by Esko’s Studio Visualizer software, customer can get a real feel for how their products will look on shelf and even upload their own design file in advance to see the result at the show.
Mr Stowe said, ‘Every brand manager in the process of bringing a new product to market wonders how the final product will stack up in the store, among all its competitors. Making physical mock ups is time consuming, and doesn’t come cheap. A setup like the one we have at the HP Pavilion is the perfect showcase for the high level of reality that the Studio Store Visualizer offers. It is an exciting submersive 3D virtual experience that completely changes the way that brand managers, designers and packaging converters will work together.’
Jan de Roeck, director of solutions management, described himself as a marketing research specialist, and spends a lot of time analysing market trends. He said, ‘Packaging is still prospering and is on the radar of many printers. However, the main growth is in the emerging markets, such as Africa, where there are big opportunities for packaging. In Western Europe, we need to find new ways of growing, hopefully our presentations here today will give inspiration to do so.’ He continued, ‘The last 18 months has seen what I would describe as an ‘accelerated transformation’ of our business. We want to help our customers be part of this transformation with our Esko solutions.’
The conference then branched out into four different breakout sessions covering pre-press for packaging, large format digital print and finishing, flexo imaging and digital print for labels and flexibles, and structural design for packaging. These smaller focused sessions gave users the opportunity to hear presentations on the products relevant to them and ample chance to ask more detailed questions.
