K-1 Packaging Is a One-Stop Shop for Customers
Competitive consulting
Even if a collective convergence around digital technologies is ultimately in the works for packaging converters, Tsai believes there is still ample opportunity for companies to differentiate themselves through the level of assistance they provide with packaging's accompanying technical processes, such as structural design and post-press surface treatment. Already, K-1 customers frequently depend on pre-production consultations to facilitate manufacturing decisions, because designs often start with marketing departments focused primarily on how to make the package attractive, rather than how to produce the package. Once the customer comes in with a basic digital file, K-1 clarifies the package's physical requirements (e.g., product weight, assembly sequence, temperature and humidity exposure, etc.); devises a final design; and determines appropriate printing and finishing processes. The expanding array of finishing options available to end users has increased the level of consultation K-1 typically provides. "As we promote new technologies, customers ask questions about how they can be applied," Tsai notes, adding, "The processes are not always straightforward in terms of compatibility [with an application]."
