ePac Flexible Packaging has signed up to the Open Invention Network (OIN), joining Heidelberg and a community of high-tech companies producing hardware and software used by graphic communication and other industries.
ePac Flexible Packaging, founded in 2016, serves consumer packaged goods (CPG) producers with flexible packaging fully produced using digitally-based workflows. It is focused on a customer base consisting primarily of small and medium-sized brands (SMBs), offering what is claimed as the industry’s best time to market for short- to medium-run length orders. The company’s printing platform is based on 40 HP Indigo 20000/25000 digital presses located in 18 manufacturing plants around the world, while its in-house software team develops systems designed for ePac’s unique business model.
OIN is the world’s largest patent non-aggression community, with over 3300 members worldwide. All OIN members agree to cross-license other members under any patent claims they own or control that are essential to the Linux System Definition (LSD). These companies agree to a philosophy that technology sharing is a good thing in stimulating and growing world economies. Besides ePac and Heidelberg, other members include Sony, Philips, IBM, NEC, Red Hat, SUSE, Google, and Toyota.
Parag Patel, CIO at ePac Flexible Packaging, said, ‘We’re proud to become a member of OIN and join an impressive group of global companies in doing so. As many already know, ePac is a unique company focused on helping SMB brands grow, something no other flexible packaging company has ever done before. In charting our path, innovative technology is at the core of who we are, and we look forward to the collaboration that’s possible through OIN.
ePac Flexible Packaging CEO Jack Knott said, ‘Since opening our first manufacturing facility, our mission has been clear. It is to help give back to the communities we serve and contribute to the creation of a more sustainable, circular economy. Technology sharing is part of this. By joining OIN, we are now part of a world community of companies having this vision.’
Jaime Siegel, global licensing director at OIM, said, ‘We are extremely happy for ePac Flexible Packaging, a leading printing technology user, to join the OIN community.
‘ePac will surely benefit from all that the OIN community provides. The OIN LSD is a specification that includes 3393 software packages in the lower technology stacks of core Linux and adjacent open-source software. In addition to the cross-license benefits, OIN members get a lifetime, royalty-free license without a field of use restriction under the almost 1300 patent assets that are directly owned by OIN. These owned patents have been developed directly by OIN, as well as having been acquired from many world-class organisations including universities such as NYU and Duke, and corporations such as AT&T, Sony, Verizon and Huawei.
‘Importantly, this owned portfolio relates to many technology areas including networking, Cloud-based computing and virtualisation, database, mobile applications, biometrics, and others.’
