Application Spotlight PRIME POSITION digitally printed packaging by Digital Output staff S avvy print service providers (PSPs) move to digital because it is seen as a necessary transition. Some do it piecemeal, while others implement change all at once. Valley, WA as well three separate branches in OR—Portland, Eugene, and Medford. The company offers custom packaging design, manufacturing, supply, and fulfill- ment services. In the packaging, prototype, and label space, where shorter runs and more per- sonalized jobs are common place, digital printing on both the narrow and wide side is prevalent. The substrate versatility offered with newer flatbed devices and ink Its packaging division is broken down into categories, including protective, film, and graphics packaging in addition to point of purchase (POP) retail displays. Both flexographic and digital presses are used to provide output versatility. “For customers, especially those in the traditional packaging realm, the nature of the business is cyclical.” — Tonia Olson, director of digital business, The BoxMaker Inc. sets allow many a PSP to offer products outside of the box—upping the volume of applications crafted in a facility. Digital Initiative With its main headquarters in Kent, WA, The BoxMaker Inc. employs 178 employees across five additional branches located throughout the Northwest, with a location each in Bellingham and Spokane In business for 33 years, The BoxMaker launched an overall digital initiative two and a half years ago. It purchased a Hewlett-Packard (HP) Scitex FB700 In- dustrial Printer in 2012 as well as an HP Indigo press for label production. “At the time, HP was beginning to cater to the package industry, with a focus on wide format. In particular, it was addressing two growing trends in POP retail displays and packaging. HP was a natural fit,” explains Tonia Olson, director of digital business, The BoxMaker. The HP Scitex FB700—an entry-level device—was ideal for the PSP because it offers versatility in printing to rigid sub- strates, such as corrugated board. After the initial purchase, one offs, small quantity runs, and prototypes were constantly run. The BoxMaker realized just how much of a growth area digital was in Spring of 2014, when the HP Scitex FB700 reached capacity. Between adding a second device or upgrading to a newer model, Olson and the team made the final decision at Dscoop9, the annual HP user group con- ference held March 2014 in Orlando, FL. It chose the HP Scitex FB7600 Industrial Press due to its speed and quality. The press’ end-to-end benefits were considered, with a focus on the workflow portion as well as media handling components such as the Multi-sheet Loader Kit. The entire package was implemented all at once. Left to right: The BoxMaker, of Kent, WA, used its new HP Scitex FB7600 printer, Esko Kongs- berg XP Auto, and Purepanel Plus substrate to create POP retail displays for repeat customer Flora. The company’s packaging division is broken down into categories, which include POP retail displays. 26 Digital Output October 2014 DO_14_10-5_ASPackagingRevFinal.indd 26 www.digitaloutput.net 9/11/14 11:21 AM