Smurfit Westrock in Raleigh, North Carolina, is a full-service packaging facility that produces high-quality inserts and packaging solutions for pharmaceutical brands. At Smurfit, materials scientists, packaging designers, mechanical engineers and manufacturing specialists work together to develop innovative packaging.
Faced with demands for print quality and regulatory compliance, Smurfit Westrock encountered growing complications in the production of multilingual package leaflets for medicines. These issues led to delays, rework and potential compliance risks, prompting the company to seek an efficient and reliable solution. It was important that the solution could be integrated into the existing QMS and met the requirements of ISO 9001.
Two systems for defect detection
“The EyeC Proofiler 1050 RS ensured reliable quality control in our quality assurance department, whilst the EyeC ProofRunner Web 760 enabled real-time in-line inspection on our Mueller-Martini printing press. Together, they have enabled us to achieve consistent defect detection and have strengthened our confidence in meeting the stringent pharmaceutical and multilingual quality requirements,” said Senior Quality Engineer Stephanie Gilmore. The EyeC systems are integrated into the workflows, and the print shop’s quality assurance team uses the Offline Proofiler 1050 RS to check new jobs, manage makereadies and carry out routine quality checks.
Measurable benefits
Smurfit Westrock has assessed the investment by tracking quality and production metrics before and after the EyeC implementation. “We have identified clear benefits from using the EyeC systems,” added Stephanie Gilmore. “They have improved our quality by detecting defects earlier, increased efficiency and helped to minimise rework and waste – leading to cost savings.”
EyeC
EyeC GmbH, based in Hamburg, Germany, has been providing fast, accurate and user-friendly artwork verification and print inspection systems worldwide since 2002. According to the company, EyeC is the only provider on the market that ensures product quality throughout the entire manufacturing process, from the initial artwork file right through to the finished printed product. More than 3,000 EyeC inspection systems are now in use worldwide at pharmaceutical companies, printing houses and branded goods manufacturers.
