FISHERMAN'S FRIEND - CUSTOMER FRIENDLY PACKAGING AROUND THE GLOBE

Packaging producers Parkside Flexibles (Normanton), part of the Parkside International Group, and D S Smith are used to overcoming technical problems. Working closely with colour management specialist GretagMacbeth they have addressed a challenge posed by Lofthouse of Fleetwood, makers of the celebrated Fisherman's Friend lozenge. They required eight product packs, on two different substrates, for 151 markets around the world with the absolute assurance of colour consistency throughout.

Packaging producers Parkside Flexibles (Normanton), part of the Parkside International Group, and D S Smith are used to overcoming technical problems. Working closely with colour management specialist GretagMacbeth they have addressed a challenge posed by Lofthouse of Fleetwood, makers of the celebrated Fisherman's Friend lozenge. They required eight product packs, on two different substrates, for 151 markets around the world with the absolute assurance of colour consistency throughout.

    Brand recognition at the point of sale is vital to the success of Fisherman's Friend - hence the simple, but distinctive, packaging. As well as the famous original lozenge, Lofthouse produce eight flavours including aniseed, mint and lemon.

    Equipment from GretagMacbeth monitors colour standards for consistency throughout the supply chain. Colour in ink, printing and final packaging is checked at all stages against initially defined standards. SpectroEye instruments, combining spectrophotometer and densiometer functions, are crucial to this process. These hand held instruments are designed for easy use, having many programmed functions and icon driven controls. Digital Pantone references for each of the eight colours used are stored in memory, together with permitted tolerances.

    Materials can be easily checked at any stage of production. Ink suppliers Sun Chemicals use SpectroEye instruments in ink formulation and make any adjustments needed to ensure consistency. The SpectroEye is used by the packaging producers to monitor print quality and make any on-press changes to eliminate waste, rework and ensure conformity to colour specification. Lofthouse use the SpectroEye to certify conformance before reels and cartons are accepted for packaging.

    Dedicated software modules, enable SpectroEye to meet the special needs of formulation, printing and QC. GretagMacbeth also provide extensive training and technical support so that users can use the equipment effectively.

    Even in countries where English is not widely spoken, Fisherman's Friend is easy to identify. Effective colour management of packaging therefore plays a vital role in promotion, building brand loyalty and protecting the product from copying.

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