WebCenter 16, Esko’s packaging management solution, an online portal for creating, managing and approving packaging artwork and other assets, has been enhanced with a number of across-the-board improvements that bring significant efficiency and productivity gains to trade shops and converters. A new content management module has also been added, which allows users to expand their artwork services.

WebCenter 16, which was well received when first shown at drupa 2016, has transformed excitement into actual numbers. The improved User Experience across the board, as well as new key features requested by its customers, meant that in the first two months after release, 30% of the installed base of WebCenter has requested to upgrade.

The new content management capability speeds the creation of packaging artwork by up to 50% by automatically linking content to artwork. This makes it easy to create and manage multiple variants and reduces the number of approval loops and amount of back-and-forth communication that they generate. The re-use of text, including translations, leads to a reduction in operator time for creation and quality control of artwork and so cuts costs by as much as 30%. Errors are also reduced by avoiding manual copy-and-paste of content, by centralizing content and managing rights and ownership and through standardizing communication using global standards.

Automated review using technology from Global Vision provides Braille and barcode checking, plus text and image comparisons in addition to spell-checking. This helps avoid costly or even dangerous errors being missed and allows users to concentrate on higher-level quality control tasks.

Performance and productivity are further increased by faster searching supported by background indexing of assets, more efficient and scalable workflow execution – hundreds of concurrent users can be supported, with hundreds of thousands of projects – and support for self-contained import and export of projects and templates for re-use or easier sharing across sites.

WebCenter 16 now fully supports HMTL5, making it configurable and responsive on any supported platform from desktop computers to tablets to smartphones, giving easy access from the user’s preferred device.

WebCenter 16 streamlines and simplifies operations throughout the packaging production process. Accurate specification is ensured via configurable intelligent digital forms based on custom data or sources such as MIS or ERP systems. By connecting internal and external stakeholders, WebCenter optimizes processes such as collaborative review, annotation, validation and approval.

“WebCenter 16 connects all of the steps in the print production process, allowing trade shops and converters to be more effective and efficient,” says Miguel Graça, product manager WebCenter, Esko. “WebCenter 16 has been a huge success. The new enhancements create further savings, reduce errors and support a more successful production process, which has translated into an incredible adoption rate.

“One of our customers said their previous packaging change process took anywhere from 60-90 days,” he adds. “Now, it’s half that time and in some cases, they can implement a change to a package in as little as 21 days; another customer reported that approval lead time was reduced from three weeks to just days.”

WebCenter user Matt Francklow of Daventry, UK-based Creation Reprographics, states: “I fully expect to see time and cost savings of around 30%. There will also be some production capacity gains.” Another user, Thimm Packaging, predicts that with WebCenter 16 it will be able to free up a significant amount of time and resources across the creative process.

Tying all these pluses together is a new interface that gives an enhanced experience. “The new WebCenter 16 interface will significantly improve our customers’ experience and make them a lot more efficient,” explains Thomas Wäspi, head of Process Efficiency & Print Quality Services at Amagoo located Winterthur, Switzerland. “I strongly believe that a clean and intuitive user interface is key to customers’ enjoyment of working with cloud platforms.”

WebCenter 16 is available under SaaS (software as a service) terms, removing the burden of IT setup and maintenance for the user and making the portal scalable easily as business requirements dictate. WebCenter 16 supports compliance for pharma and food and beverage customers as it is developed to GAMP5 guidelines. It can also be validated against FDA and EMA regulations.