Aalsmeer, The Netherlands / Oostkamp, Belgium – Renowned throughout the label and packaging industries, CERM offers comprehensive Management Information Software (MIS) solutions that enable label and packaging converters to manage various aspects of factory operation—from pre-production, printing, finishing, shipping, and finance, all from a single interface.
To foster stronger relationships with leading label and packaging printing industry stakeholders, CERM introduced the “Premium Integration Partner” quality label for its software integration partners. This designation recognises the unique level of depth and sophistication between their MIS system and their partner’s various operating systems, which create a single interactive framework to promote a seamless, automated workflow that drives efficiency and productivity.
The Ideal Premium Partner for Label Printing Solutions
SCREEN is the first Premium Integration Partner for printing press vendors—a testament to the quality and reliability of their label printing solutions.
“The decision was obvious,” said Peter Heyse, CERM’s Director of Product Management, “They are a perfect fit to become our next Premium Integrations Partner.”
The sophisticated integration between CERM MIS and EQUIOS, SCREEN’s proprietary workflow management software featured in all their digital inkjet presses, began with the installation of the first Truepress LABEL L350UV press in Springfield, UK, more than a decade ago.
This long-standing relationship has since expanded and flourished. “When existing or new CERM customers share their plans to invest in new production equipment, we always point them to the importance of our integrations, as a ‘must have’ to streamline production. And with SCREEN, it is an eyes closed certainty that it it increases efficiency from day one”, said Peter Heyse.
“Our existing deep integration makes adopting our MIS quick and seamless, enhancing productivity across their entire workflow almost immediately. This integration doesn’t require any onsite research. It is a proven standardised solution that is available out of the box, and that is highly appreciated by multiple customers”.
Successful Systems Integration
Automation and systems integration is where packaging converters can make measurable productivity gain in an industry where technological improvements have resulted in a lack of skilled labour increasingly becoming the bottleneck in productivity. CERM and SCREEN’s software integration can support a fully automated label production process, resulting in drastic efficiency improvements.
The automated label production process developed and in use with our clients begins with the MIS software converting customer orders into a Job Definition Format (JDF) file, which triggers a seamless workflow into EQUIOS. This integration ensures the press is automatically set up with all relevant information, reducing the operator’s role to monitoring and initiating production.
Then, during and after printing, EQUIOS will then return production data via a Job Messaging Format (JMF) to the MIS for performance analysis and optimisation of printing output, production speeds, and ink and substrate consumption without manual registration.
Finally, the MIS generates a new set of JDF instructions for finishing equipment, based on the data provided by EQUOs’ JMF, enabling finishing machinery to also be setup with minimal human intervention. After integrating this level of automation into our client’s label production workflows, we’ve observed production time decreases as high as 74%.
The Selection Criteria for Premium Integration Partners
CERM’s Premium Integration Partner selection is based on five key criteria essential for successful integration and automation in the labelling and packaging industry. These guidelines ensure that the partnership not only meets, but exceeds the highest standards of solution integration, quality, efficiency, and reliability.
- Level of Business Automation: The Premium Partner’s technology must contribute to a high level of business automation that enhances efficiency and productivity and delivers practical improvements to clients.
- Bi-directional Data Exchange: The CERM MIS and the partner’s workflow management software must communicate data with each other to successfully automate setup and production.
- Number of Live Customer Integrations: The only way to guarantee efficient and reliable system integration is to have many integrations in use by label converters.
- Quality of Job Documentation: To ensure clients that Premium Partners can help them achieve the promised automation levels, results of tangible efficiency improvements must be documented and made available.
- Customer Support: Premium Partners must be committed to providing expert installation and long-term technical support, ensuring that clients can fully benefit from the automated workflow with minimal disruptions.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Premium Integration Partnerships
With SCREEN joining CERM’s other Premium Integration Partners in finishing equipment and prepress workflow solutions, nearly every step of label production can now be automated from day one.
Peter Heyse, commenting on the future collaborative efforts between the two organisations, said, “As we continue to expand the list of Premium Integration Partners and the more we work together with SCREEN’s EQUIOS workflow, the more in-depth the integration between our solutions becomes, then both systems can be further streamlined with our other Premium Partners, and the result is a better final product for our shared clients.”
