The industry and its challenges

The second largest segment in packaging, flexible packaging accounts for 18% of the industry according to the Flexible Packaging Association. The complexity of printing on a flexible substrate is daunting. The sheer variety of materials– such as polybags, extruded polyethylene films, overwraps, and rollstock– complicate the already challenging process.

Schedulers must account for ink changeouts, equipment set-ups, and different cure times. Add to this the normal floor constraints of job deadlines, labor skill-sets needed, and post-processing activities required, and it becomes apparent how much a facility in this industry can improve processes with a robust flexible packaging ERP. It can be a challenge to meet regulatory compliance.

Is there a way to coordinate, optimize, and efficiently manage all these processes?

YES.

A flexible packaging ERP creates efficiencies in your plant

Management throughout the supply chain

– starting from raw material up to film recipes and including versions management

Management of production processes

-from warehouse to shop floor to scheduling to finished product

Calculation of multi number ups, multi layer products

– including converting steps, extrusion steps

Configurable bag and pouch designs

– bottom fold, stand-up or pouch designs are configurable – The common ones are already predefined and ready to use in HiFlow’s imposition module

Visibility

– of all production steps (extrusion, lamination, calendaring, print, refining). Allows a clear view on complex products

Setup times

-includes set up times for all production steps, for example, for surface treatment like slitting or sterilization

Graphical visualization

– in HiFlow’s imposition app. Jobs are presented in visual form in HiFlow’s job production workflow diagram. See data transformed into visuals with HiFlow’s configurable Dashboards.