Comprehensive Production Support

Image of Offset team member

Packaging involves far more than just manufacturing a product and it is everything surrounding this that we see as Service. It encompasses supporting our customers at every stage of development, production and logistics of our product.

It also includes a partnership in considering how our product will perform in protection, handling, storage, efficiency in materials, logistics, and on-shelf presentation. All these technical aspects are considered by Offset when developing our packaging solutions.

Offset recognise the importance of providing customers with a comprehensive framework of support throughout the production process - we're here with you from start to finish:

How can we do this?

  • Supply Chain Solutions

    Image of a lorry in transit

    Offset has close relationships with a network of transport operations and regulary deliver throughout Europe. Tailor-made logistics solutions are therefore already in place to meet customers' diverse delivery requirements.

  • Customer Teams

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    Acknowledging that it is easier and more time-effective for customers to have as few contact points as possible we have developed management teams who have responsibility for individual customers.

    This means that you will rarely need to speak to more than one person internally to re-distribute your requirements throughout the organisation and one person externally in the event of site visits and personal customer liaison.

  • In-house Expertise

    Image of packaging design expert at his computer

    Enjoy the full support of our in-house experts in every field. They not only help optimise the packaging processes, but also help with project management, packaging development; internally and in partnership with our production partners.

  • Design & Innovation

    Image of a sample of Offset Packaging design Image of a sample of Offset Packaging design Image of a sample of Offset Packaging design

    Recommending the right constructions, materials, processes is essential to providing solutions that will protect a customer's product, provide the right image on-shelf, perform in the logistics chain.

    We start by obtaining a clear understanding of the customer's objectives, including their market and supply chain processes. We will also take into consideration, if appropriate, the requirements of retailers and consumers to encompass as detailed a project brief as possible.

    Then we explore different concept ideas and solutions. In order to make the design process concrete we produce physical prototype samples for internal and customer evaluation.

    To ensure our solutions fit the customer's requirements, we submit them to a range of tests. The performance of our prototypes is evaluated, with the cooperation of our customers, throughout the supply chain.

    In order to finalise the process, we have a last validation phase in which the selected concepts get tested even more in depth. If required even test runs will be passed on to production in order to base our judgement on real life data.

    Our process ends successfully once we see one of our new designs in production.

  • Design Studio

    Image of a graphic designer at work Image of Zund machine Image of cutting

    Offset have a dedicated design and development studio in Aylesford, with the most up-to-date Impact® design software and Zund® plotter. Coupled with highly skilled CAD designers with up-to-the-minute training every construction that can be manufactured is created to the customer's exacting requirements

  • Reprographics

    Image of a graphic designer at work Image of plate making machine

    Offset's printing activities, including colour management, proofs, computer-to-plate (CTP), and all Desktop Publishing (DTP) from minor text revisions to full artwork creation and brand management are managed by OP Digital. Ensuring we keep abreast of technological advances in the industry we have a state-of-the-art studio to support customers' pre-production requirements.

    Computers

    • 3 x G4 733 MHz AppleMac
    • 2 x G5 1.75MHz AppleMac
    • 2 x G5 2.50MHz AppleMac

    Operating software

    • QuarkXpress to v7.0
    • Photoshop to CS3
    • Illustrator to CS3
    • InDesign to CS3
    • Freehand to 11.0
    • ArtPro v8.0
    • Preps to v5.3
    • Pandora v2.9
    • Office 2004
    • Acrobat Professional

    Work flow

    • Rampage v10.5
    • TrapIT
    • PATHway v7.0

    Proofing

    • Epson 9800 with colour management
    • Epson 2100 with Rip
    • Canon CLC 3220

    Back-up

    • Apple X-serve Raid, scripted with Retrospect to external hard drive

    Plate-Setter

    • Screen Ultima 16000, fully automatic with CIP3 Link

  • Die-Shop

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    The main emphasis of the work in the Offset tool and die shop is the production of precision tools required for the manufacture of our cartons. Using expertise gained over many years of development, and with the aid of modern technologies, we can maintain control over the quality and cost of tooling and also react quickly to service the production demands. This helps our customers save time and keep costs as low as possible.

    1 Kasemake plotter KM526L

    • Maximum sheet size: 1300mm x 1700mm

    1 Kasemake plotter KM304

    • Maximum sheet size: 1000mm