Ben Waldrop: Insights on Printing & Packaging Industry Trends

16 Oct 2023

Revolutionizing Manufacturing Workflow: Introducing PASS

Effective order management and process transparency are essential for success in today’s fast-paced manufacturing industry. Ben and Neil’s new venture, PASS, offers a cloud-based ERP to help manufacturers streamline their operations, enhance communication, and modernize their workflows. For anyone new to the term, ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning – a software system that can automate, manage, and oversee essential operational procedures for optimal performance.

Manufacturing has always been an intricate web of processes, each stage contributing to the final product. In such an environment, efficient order management, real-time visibility, and streamlined communication are pivotal to balanced success. Many manufacturers have long relied on manual systems like Excel spreadsheets to manage their operations. After recognizing the shortcomings of existing solutions, PASS, Palmetto Advanced Software Systems, was created to fill a crucial niche in the market. Ben and Neil’s extensive 25 years of experience in manufacturing places them in the best position to address these identified issues. Their investment of time and energy in PASS is a testament to their unwavering commitment to filling in the gaps.

PASS originated from a simple yet powerful realization. While evaluating off-the-shelf options for manufacturers, Ben and Neil discovered that none of the existing offerings met their specific needs. Instead of settling for this one-size-fits-all solution, they decided to develop software tailored to their requirements that tackled the same problems that kept coming up time and time again. This experience led to the birth of PASS and a shift to prioritizing transparency, communication, and efficiency in everyday processes.

At its core, PASS is committed to simplifying manufacturing operations for small businesses and offering a cost-effective alternative to complex, expensive products designed to fit the masses. PASS addresses the unique challenges faced by manufacturers, such as:

Order Flow Consolidation: Baked into the main dashboard is a centralized view that consolidates the entire order flow. Every stakeholder in the manufacturing process can access real-time information about the status and stage of each work order. This level of transparency fosters better decision-making and ensures everyone is on the same page.

Modernized Workflow: Moving away from cumbersome Excel sheets, PASS provides an updated system that streamlines manufacturing processes without completely overhauling existing company structures. This shift improves efficiency and reduces the risk of errors often associated with manual data entry.

Communication Enhancement: Effective communication is the cornerstone of any successful manufacturing operation. PASS promotes seamless communication among team members, suppliers, and customers. Stakeholders can easily collaborate, share information, and stay updated on the progress of orders.

By first understanding the importance of scalability and accessibility in modern manufacturing, Ben and Neil felt confident entering the market by bringing their business idea to life. PASS enables manufacturers to hone in on the power of combining an ERP with the flexibility and convenience of cloud technology. Whether in the office or on the factory floor, PASS ensures that your data is secure, easily accessible, and always up-to-date

PASS was designed with manufacturers that have multiple steps in their processes in mind. So whether you’re a small manufacturer in printing operations or additive manufacturing, PASS can tighten up any processes and fit into your existing technology. In today’s competitive landscape, businesses need an affordable, specialized solution that caters to their unique specifications. PASS understands that need deeply and is working to fulfill it on a new level.

Palmetto Advanced Software Systems is more than just a software company; it is a partner in your manufacturing journey. Ben and Neil’s mission is to empower manufacturers, regardless of their size or industry, with the tools they need to thrive in an increasingly complex world. By keeping transparency and workflow efficiency as the focal point, PASS revolutionizes manufacturing processes, allowing businesses to make the most efficient use of their resources and stay competitive in evolving markets.

Join us in embracing a new era of manufacturing excellence with PASS.

10 May 2023

Adapting to the Shift: How Craft Beer Brands are Embracing the Can

The beer industry has seen a significant shift in the past few years when it comes to packaging. As the demand for craft beer continues to rise, so does the need for creative and eye-catching labels that distinguish one brand from the next. Century Printing & Packaging has been keeping an eye on emerging beer label trends and is excited to share its insights into the evolution of craft beer packaging.

There has been an evolution in the way craft beer is packaged and labeled, with the transition from glass bottles to cans becoming increasingly accepted. This change has had a huge impact on beer merchants with whom Century Printing & Packaging has maintained long-standing commitments to serve and champion.

One major factor that has affected the beer industry is the shortage of glass. Coming out of the pandemic, supply chain issues have resulted in many beer brands opting to purchase unprinted cans and add their own labels as needed. This not only offers more flexibility in terms of branding and design, but it also allows breweries to save money by only ordering the exact amount of cans they need at any given time.

Ben and Neil, two veterans in the beer labeling business, have witnessed first-hand the change in the craft beer market over the last ten years. From its beginnings as a niche hobbyist business to its current status as a crowded, mature industry. Traditionally, canned beer has been viewed as lower quality. However, this perception has changed in recent years, thanks in large part to big-name brands now selling their beers in cans. This shift has made it more acceptable, leading to a surge in the popularity of canned beer.

Breweries have embraced cans for their numerous advantages, such as increased portability, durability, and recyclability. Additionally, cans are known for their ability to preserve beer’s quality and taste, making them an attractive choice.

Century Printing & Packaging will be at the 2023 Craft Brewers Conference in Nashville this May 7th-10th, to showcase their commitment to the latest packaging trends. In Booth #1754 a variety of materials and how they look on cans will be on display. Century Printing empowers its clients to stay innovative and emphasizes the importance of packaging in a crowded market. As consumers continue to embrace the movement in the industry, CP&P is passionate about staying ahead of the curve and helping their clients meet the changing demands of the market.

Fortunately, many breweries have risen to the challenge. CP&P partners with breweries all over the US to produce eye-catching designs that stand out on store shelves. Ben and Neil work closely with their clients to ensure their can designs are both functional and visually appealing.

Overall, the rise of canned beer represents an exciting time in the beer world. As more and more breweries turn to cans as their packaging of choice, it will be interesting to see how this trend continues to shape the craft beer market in the years to come. The team at CP&P anticipates that cans will become even more prevalent. Breweries that haven’t already made the switch may find it necessary to stay competitive. With Ben and Neil’s 10+ years of expertise in beer packaging, they are confident they can help breweries make a smooth transition to cans.

27 Apr 2023

Flexo Plate Services

Over time the nature of flexographic printing has become a more refined and precise method of rubber stamping. As it’s evolved, it’s become widely popular in the consumer product and the printing and packaging industries.

Typically, flexographic printing involves a polymer image carrier that is engraved to create the design for the label. These image carriers can include, cylinders, sleeves, and plates to achieve the desired look. The beauty of this type of printing is that it allows for a continuous process with high speeds and maintained accuracy.

However, as the demand for rendering high-resolution images for specific labels has grown, Digital printing has become a great option for smaller-volume jobs that are not required to be repeated over and over again. Currently, Century Packaging & Printing utilizes both digital and flexographic printing to meet customer needs and requirements.

Over the past 25 years of being in the printing industry, CP&P has invested in making its own plates, but with the evolution of the digital press, they no longer need as many plates as they used to. At one point, CP&P was heavily involved in the newspaper business with over 60% of their annual sales coming from this portion of the business. This meant that a large majority of their resources went toward the newspaper market.

One complexity of printing advertising labels for newspapers lies in the fact that they do not often repeat. This process is fundamentally built around a “one and done” thought process and need. After the plate is run once to create the label for the advertiser, it is no longer used again.

As the majority of our society has pivoted digitally to obtain their daily news sources, the number of front pages available for advertising labels has steadily declined. CP&P has adapted to this downturn in demand for advertising labels by pivoting to the food, beverage, and other key markets. They have also leveraged the power of their hybrid press, added in 2022, which has opened up their capacity in plate making.

At this time, CP&P is in a place in their business where they are excited to share the expertise they have accumulated over the last 25 years with other printers in need of a high-quality source of plates. CP&P has put in the time and effort to become distinguished in the plate-making domain.

A significant piece of their success stems from the contract work that was done with Carol Jones– a renowned expert in plate making. Carol worked at Clemson for over 32 years and taught in their graphic communications department. She specialized in Flexography and Electronic Prepress and was devoted to testing and research associated with printing processes and products. Due to their dedication and commitment to putting forth the highest standards, Ben and Neil contracted Carol’s help to strengthen their proficiency in plate making. She came in and standardized their current plate-making process with quality checks to ensure that the quality was not only up to CP&P’s specifications but also held up to high-standard industry specifications. As CP&P’s mastery and aptitude in the world of plate-making grew, they purchased new equipment and established new procedures that would differentiate them from other printers.

Another unique hallmark of CP&P’s plate-making process is that they do not use chemicals. As part of their continued commitment to excellence, CP&P remains clean and environmentally sound with a promise to reduce waste anywhere they can.

The team at CP&P is more than ready to share their knowledge with other printers in the area and will gladly be a resource to anyone who is on the search for a new plate manufacturer. Instead of relying on contracting out to plate-making companies who may not have the same standards as CP&P, Ben and Neil are working diligently on selling their plates to those who are looking for a new plate-making partner.

28 Mar 2023

CP&P ISO Recertification

Century Printing and Packaging has always centered around customer satisfaction and label quality. This high commitment to detail has contributed to the success of their 25 years of business. As part of its commitment to continuous improvement, CP&P has obtained and maintained ISO 901:2015 certification since 2017. The latest audit was completed in January, and their certification was renewed in March. This certification will be effective until 2026, with annual audits to ensure continued compliance.

ISO is an internationally recognized quality management standard. It is a set of quality levels that provide a framework for companies to manage and exceed expectations. ISO standards ensure company products, services, and processes are consistent and cohesive with customer and market needs.

ISO recertification includes stringent audits, detailed procedure run-throughs, and itemized logs. Quality processes follow specific customer service, production, and internal assessment standards. Having ISO auditor approval proves that CP&P can maintain high-level standards and requirements. It puts CP&P on a national playing field with larger companies.

The executive team at CP&P also engages with an independent auditor to ensure the standards are met during the interim of the 3-year ISO 9001 recertifications. These yearly audits are smaller and take about a day.

Ensuring the adoption of exceptional benchmarks allows CP&P to become a better company and improve its internal processes and products. This rigorous audit system can attest that CP&P can meet a well-regarded international standard and compete on any level to meet customer needs.

Because of the importance of a customer-facing product like a label, many clients have stringent quality requirements. Proving that CP&P can maintain the 9001:2015 standard yearly is a minimum baseline requirement before partnering. This focuses on ensuring that CP&P is continuously putting out the best product. Not only does this create long-lasting partnerships, but it also separates CP&P from companies not as serious about quality systems.

01 Mar 2023

Wofford Student Conducts Timestudy

Century Printing & Packaging has been committed to the community for over 25 years and ensures a strong future for manufacturing in the Upstate of South Carolina by hiring high school and college students for part-time positions or internships. One of these students, John Bailey Moore, is a Junior at Wofford College, majoring in finance. He participated in a semester-long program designed to give students like JB opportunities to engage in work experiences outside of mainstream classes.

Interim at Wofford started in 1968 as an opportunity to explore possible career paths and find internship programs and independent studies that pique their interest. It gives students the liberty to explore and innovate, study something new, or leave their comfort zone when the semester schedules aren’t in the way.

In choosing an interim, JB sought first-hand experience and exposure to a real-world business environment. Getting an inside look at the inner workings of a successful organization was what motivated JB to pick an interim in this industry.

John Bailey decided to reach out to CP&P about an opportunity with Ben and Neil. They assigned and presented him with two different tasks to take place over a month during his interim period–

The first was a time study on production equipment. This analytical examination would allow the team to better understand what each employee was doing on the production line and how specific equipment was used precisely during the day. This information is valuable for decision-making in running an efficient business and productive team.

For the first eight days of the study, JB was on the floor at 6 am with the production team. JB’s drive and commitment could be seen from day one– as he started when the machines were turned on and left when they were turned off. In great detail, JB would walk from each press to log the data on the job order, time of day, and press performance.

This pinpointed data was collected 400 times a day, and by the first week, JB had already collected vital metrics and data for the Century Management team. Not only was JB engaging in such a precise process of data collection, but he was also learning about the presses along the way. He learned about the differences between hybrid, digital, and flexo printing purposes and procedures to gain more profound knowledge within his study.

Digital printing is an ideal choice for jobs that require multiple SKUs or multiple versions. This type of printing provides consistency in production with computerized color management. So that label to label, the colors are uniform with no variation between operators.

Flexo printing is fit for longer runs with a minimal number of SKUs. It uses printing plates and inks that must be changed for each job requirement, thus requiring more manual work and time for setup.

In hybrid printing, the two types of print are combined, bridging the gap between them. The hybrid model can produce longer runs and higher label counts while maintaining consistency, repeatability, and efficiency benefits from job to job.

After the data was collected, JB diligently took the weighted averages of each data set and turned them into actionable numbers for Ben and Neil. Looking at the daily averages, weekly averages, and specific data points, like which machine ran the longest, gave CP&P vital statistics and takeaways.

The second section of JB’s project involved an in-depth water usage analysis. This task asked, “how much water was being used daily?” As businesses take a more environmentally friendly approach to usage and waste, the importance of water sits near the top of the list.

JB examined how the team used water after jobs and where the areas for reducing water were within the processes throughout the day. Four of 5 presses owned by CP&P use water-based inks, primarily what the water and washouts are for.

JB would check in with the managers every time they’d run the water system or turn on the sinks and, in doing so– developed an estimate of how much water the sinks could hold and how full they were at the end of each day.

As a result of JB’s study, CP&P has done two things to improve the efficiency of their business as they continue to scale. Ben and Neil decided to purchase a parts washer, which is now routinely being implemented to recycle water so that the team uses less water when cleaning parts at the end of a production day. This has resulted in cost savings, increased efficiency, and better use of water as a resource.

Because of the numbers that JB collected while on the production line, Ben and Neil can now integrate real-time data into their pricing models. This specificity of his data has provided better insights to pull from when determining current and future business and financial endeavors. The Century Management team is currently integrating this real-world data into their pricing models to ensure their costs are accurate and they can offer customers competitive pricing.

“If my data can help Ben and Neil better price job orders, I feel like I contributed to his business,” John Bailey said as he realized how much relevancy his data and study brought to the overall operations of CP&P. During this season of inflation, obtaining real-world data over estimations is crucial to maintain realistic costs and remain dialed into the current economy.

According to JB, the conversations with Ben and Neil were more valuable and relevant than any class he had taken. John Bailey enjoyed asking questions about the business and the “why” behind Ben and Neil’s decisions while he was there and getting thoughtful, in-demand answers in return.

“My favorite part was when I got to tie what I was looking at for 7, 8, 9 hours a day, and how it applied to my finance major,” says JB.

John Bailey focused his attention on all aspects of Century’s business operations that make it a success, including its morning huddles and how its employees maintain high business standards every day. From the production meetings to the sales meetings, JB saw firsthand how Ben and Neil ensured that quality was the same on every single job. JB appreciated that anyone in the office, on the floor, or running the presses was kind and open to helping and explaining different aspects of the business to him.

Ben and Neil are building a vision for their employees to sell to their customers. Seeing that vision come to life was a significant takeaway from JB’s interim experience at CP&P.

Being a part of the surrounding community is a priority for Ben and Neil as they work to stay connected with the next generation of young professionals. CP&P will continue to offer opportunities like this to students in the area. Exposure and experience are invaluable to anyone looking to uplevel their career or personal development like JB.

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