Bobst Connect makes digitized, inter-connected packaging value chain a reality

12 Jun 2020 --- To survive and thrive in the packaging industry, companies need to be agile, according to François Martin, Senior Marketing & Communication Advisor at Bobst. Thirty years ago, industry’s focus was on speed and power, Martin tells PackagingInsights, but brand owners today – both large and small – need to be flexible throughout the value chain in order to cater to rapidly changing consumer demands. Addressing this shift, Bobst has unveiled Bobst Connect. The cloud-based intelligence platform enables efficient data flow between physical equipment and digital solutions to help brand owners transparently communicate production line adaptations throughout the supply chain.

“The biggest challenge [in evolving the packaging industry] is human resources. We need people to understand the workflow and how to communicate with clients. Once I have the clients’ specifications, for a specific box [for example], how do I implement these specifications in my own production chain? How is it managed when I produce it? Today, it is still managed like it was 30 years ago,” Martin flags.

Harboring key information on individual computers instead of making use of cloud-based platforms belongs in the past, he continues. That’s why Bobst now offers Bobst Connect, which allows machines and tooling to “talk” to each other, seamlessly transmitting data through a cloud-based platform and optimizing the entire production workflow. The platform aims to transform isolated production line steps into an end-to-end view, which connects brand owners’ needs with consumers’ needs.

The link between the digital and physical worlds is realized by a client PDF, which is immediately translated into the most suitable production process – analogously, digitally or hybridly. All data is transferred to the required machines and stakeholders can check if the prospective changes in the packaging line are feasible.

The technology’s basics are set in place, says Martin, but the edges need some polishing. “We already have five to six Bobst Connect elements that convertors can deploy within their companies and we are going to have more in the future. Remote and preventive maintenance is already available [for labeling] and we want to do the same for folding cartons, flexible packaging and corrugated boxes,” he outlines.

The butterfly effect in packaging
Packaging production is “very sophisticated” and a little change can create “big troubles.” It’s what Martin calls the butterfly effect: “You make a little change with very good ideas in mind, and suddenly, throughout the production chain, it’s a big mess. Sometimes we have simple changes: the labels are glued or died on very high-speed operating machines. When the labels are suddenly matte and not glossy anymore, it can happen that some bottles stick to the packaging line and jam the bottling process.”

Interconnectivity can help dispel reluctance to change.Despite this sort of “trouble” not occurring very often, packaging companies fear simple packaging format changes will inevitably open the “Pandora’s box” of production line disruptions, which ultimately prevents them from making simple changes. “This is why some brand owners keep the same packaging for decades, they don’t change anything, even if they would like to. They think, ‘even if I do make a change, it will cost me a million.’”

Slow and steady wins the race
Transparent communication on proposed packaging changes circumvents this reluctance to change. “It’s [about] ensuring that everyone is speaking the same language, not about making production lines faster. The machines, printing and die-cutting today are so fast. But the steps to adjust the machines, to calibrate, this can waste a lot of hours and needs to be enhanced these days.”

Indeed, it’s the “slow and steady wins the race” analogy at the heart of Bobst Connect. “Just because you run fast doesn’t mean you will be the first. The turtle goes step by step, always going in the right direction, not wasting time. The hare jumps left and right but in the end, it does not win. It’s not because you buy the most sophisticated equipment that your production will be smooth.”

One way or another, Martin foresees that brand owners will have to adapt to change more efficiently. “Today, it’s a nightmare for all of them. They know [this] because consumers are putting on a lot of pressure. We believe that the time is now for industry to move into something new, and in the next five to ten years, this is where all the invention will go,” he concludes.

By Anni Schleicher

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