How ink logistics makes you more competitive – and sustainable

Dear ,

Season’s greetings!

One of the great advantages of managing ink logistics with automated ink dispensing and dedicated software is that it allows converters to improve competitiveness and reduce environmental footprint at the same time.

Ink manager software reduces ink consumption further

Our introduction of the new GSE Ink manager software is demonstrating this. Since 2019, we have upgraded over 150 customer installations with this modular software. Its various functionalities are providing new ways of cutting out waste and speeding up processes with automation and data-analysis.

Upgrading is a double sustainability win for our customers. First, it keeps their ink dispensing systems at optimum performance levels, long into the future – so there’s no need to dispose of, or replace existing equipment. Second, the latest software reduces ink consumption levels further, notably by allowing more ways of reusing ‘press return’ inks.

Clustering: efficient return ink reuse in large volumes

As we discussed in November’s InkConnection, the conventional way to reuse press returns is to store the excess ink from a specific printing station in a dedicated bucket, until the next suitable job arrives.

But for large-scale users like flexible packaging, paperboard and wallcovering printers, the ‘clustering’ method may be more efficient. This is when many buckets of return inks with a similar colour or the same base ingredients are combined to make a single base colour, connected to the dispenser. As we explain this month, clustering can cut container use, administration and storage space.

Analyzing your current processes for improvements: we reveal the KPIs!

Additionally, we continue our series on equipment and software selection with advice on analyzing your existing ink-related processes. This helps identify opportunities for improvements, using key performance indicators.

Sharing experience accelerates improvement – and sustainability

Adopting ‘Lean’ - a central theme of our articles - teaches us that good ideas can bring great value without costing any more than employee time. But value-adding solutions do not happen just 'out of the blue’. The inspiration for a ‘Eureka’ moment may come from observing the current situation, collaboration with co-workers and learning from experience, among others. Sharing ideas, then, can speed up improvement - and sustainability. The InkConnection newsletter aims to do just that, being based on almost 50 years of our ink logistics experience.

So, why not pass this newsletter on to a colleague, and encourage them to subscribe? New subscribers can sign up here.

As always, for any comments or questions, please contact us on email info@gsedispensing.com or telephone +31 575 568 080.

Finally, may we take this opportunity on behalf of all our staff at GSE to wish you and your family, happy holidays and a successful 2022!

Maarten Hummelen,
Marketing Director, GSE