Esko-Graphics and Design2Launch to Develop Software That Cuts Packaging Cycle Time

Published: September 12, 2003, By PRESS RELEASE

LUDLOW, MA & STAMFORD, CT, USA—Esko-Graphics and Design2Launch report plans to jointly develop "next-generation" tools to automate and speed the creative and production cycle in packaging goods product development. According to the companies, through the partnership, they will be able "to offer the industry's most extensive tool set, taking users all the way from the conceptualization of packaging structure to the creation of final packaging materials, incorporating all critical steps in-between."

Esko says, "The joint product development effort will help consumer-packaged goods manufacturers and the creative-services industry companies cut costs and accelerate their new product pipelines. For the first time, these solutions will automate and simplify their workflow across the conceptualization, visualization, production, design engineering, and output-to-print stages, for the 2D and 3D graphics, POP, advertising, and packaging work that drives new product introductions."

Esko-Graphics and Design2Launch say they will integrate functionality that provides companies with workflow from the basic design of product structure through the selection of materials and the application of 2D label decals wrapping accurately to 3D surfaces. Complete 3D models will be visualized easily in context settings, add the development partners, such as store shelving or point-of-purchase displays, loaded on pallets, or moved to a virtual digital studio for advertising and catalog shots. Completed imagescan be shared with true color and image accuracy across the enterprise—locally or globally—eliminating weeks or months in the iterative approval cycle.

Simon James, general manager for Esko-Graphics North America notes, "While ERP, CRM, and traditional digital-asset management software allows a company to file, store, and manage existing information, Design2Launch and Esko-Graphics have each developed technologies that give companies control over their future—by authoring, managing, and globally collaborating on their in-process, color-critical visual assets. Both D2L and Esko-Graphics have focused on collapsing development cycle time and reducing direct development costs from initial product concept, through the global projection of real time collaboration to output and the initiation of production."

Learn more about Esko-Graphics at esko-graphics.com. Visit Design2Launch at design2launch.com.