At Labelexpo Europe 2019, GSE recorded four ink dispensing machine sales and reached several agreements to supply its newly enhanced management software, reflecting the growing importance of comprehensive ink logistics solutions to the label and packaging value chains.
The company sold four of its Colorsat Switch ink dispensers, to label converters in Belarus, India and the Netherlands, as well as to a major European ink distributor. Additionally, it introduced an enhanced “version 5.1” of its GSE Ink manager software, which enables packaging and label printers to reduce the costs of handling ink, simplify ink-related processes through the workflow and improve response times.
Launched in 2017, GSE Ink manager automates tasks such as formula preparation, production scheduling, reusing of return inks, management reports and tracking of ink batches through the supply chain – reducing human input and risk of error. The software is standard with all GSE’s ink dispensing systems and comes with optional modules so it may be tailored to the customer’s business needs.
The new version 5.1 of Ink manager includes improvements to the software’s record-keeping capability. A new report-generation package provides extra detail about ink stocks, such as booking-in dates after purchasing or returning from press, expiry date, supplier, batch codes and quantities used in production.
“The additional features of GSE Ink manager help converters conform to pharmaceutical and food safety standards, for tracing ingredients, raw materials and packaging components through the supply chain without excessive administrative burdens. They also allow more accurate job-costings,” says Maarten Hummelen, GSE’s marketing director.
The new software version also provides greater machine-connectivity in the ink kitchen, with options for controlling automatic conveyors, blenders and agitators, and scheduling ink blending times.
GSE Ink manager provides diverse ways of reusing inks returned from the press: they can be ‘clustered’ into a barrel as a new base colour that is dispensed with new jobs, or reserved for specific jobs. Additionally, new recipes may be imported from colour formulation software packages, providing swift recall or easy adjustment when preparing new jobs.
Management reporting capabilities include real-time stock level and consumption levels, updated with every dispensing cycle, for improved forecasting. Compatible with mobile phones, tablets and desktops, Ink manager offers WiFi connection to the dispenser for remote data entry and cloud connectivity.
“Our success at this year’s Labelexpo Europe reflects the growing importance of ink logistics for an efficient, responsive label and packaging value chain. This is being recognised by ink suppliers as well as users” says Maarten Hummelen. “The introduction of GSE Ink manager version 5.1 takes the remit of ink logistics beyond simply cost-cutting, and brings the concept of ‘Smart Manufacturing’ to the printing house. It provides a new level of control and information, bringing faster decision making, greater safety and quality assurance and reduced human input in the workflow.”
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