After almost a year of intense activity at nine sites in seven countries across Europe, Flint Group becomes the number one supplier of inks to Van Genechten Packaging.

As Europe’s leading independent folding carton packaging print company, Belgium HQ based Van Genechten Packaging is committed to innovation, cooperation and teamwork; all principles that resonate well within Flint Group’s own business philosophy. This is why, when teams from the two companies met in Duesseldorf in May last year, it soon became clear that here was the potential for a solid partnership. Thus began a journey which, almost one year and over 1,000 colour matchings later, culminates in Flint Group replacing Van Genechten Packaging’s previous supplier as their leading provider of inks and service solutions.

“Van Genechten Packaging partners some of the world’s major brands” explains Romain Boulot VP Sales Sheetfed Packaging “and working together with such a leading converter represents a very important milestone in our sheetfed packaging strategy. The key to success in this project was the close cooperation, at both central and regional level of our dedicated sheetfed packaging organisation”.

As soon as the agreement was reached between the two companies, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed, and work began on converting nine sites across Europe. A road map to seamless transition was mapped out with emphasis on central and regional coordination. The success of the six month programme received very positive feedback from all sites during Van Genechten Packaging’s Quality Review Process. 

“Van Genechten Packaging needs continuity of product across all sites; they run low migration inks on all jobs, both food and non-food packaging and we agreed very tight tolerances on their matchings, based on digital L.A.B. values” continues Boulot “So we knew that our Novasens P660 PREMIUM low migration system was the best product to suit their needs. This series offers excellent mileage, print stability and the potential to reduce start-up waste. Matching such a large number of spot colours, for a wide geographical area, took quite some managing, but our digital colour management solution  helped keep the process flowing and we were able to achieve the deadlines expected of us. Then we were asked to implement the new products at the same time across the sites, so we needed careful coordination with our respective local teams, and a central technical group at Van Genechten Packaging.  Thanks to our extensive service centre footprint we are able to deliver Van Genechten Packaging’s spot colour needs across Europe.”

Of course, there were highs and a few lows along the way, as you would expect in a project as complex and diverse as this, but the manner in which both teams handled every phase of the plan was a true example of how an open-minded approach to any challenge can win the day.

Enrico Boening, Group Purchasing Director at Van Genechten Packaging concludes, “Flint Group was able to offer a high performing low migration system that we believe answers the needs of the most demanding of brand owners, and during this whole project they also demonstrated robust central and regional service capabilities in terms of supply chain and technical excellence. We were particularly impressed by how they successfully fulfilled our extensive digital colour matching requirements and the transition of their inks into our regional entities was well planned and implemented as they promised it would be!”