Keeping up with technology can be difficult for any company, but especially one that is unsure about its future. Maintaining technology amongst great competition may be the only way a company can survive. Assessing Epsen Hillmer Graphic's external environment, including both the competitive and the general contextual factors (Pearce-Robinson, 2004), shows that the company needs to take advantage of advanced printing methods. Computerized printing without the use of plates will allow Epsen Hillmer to produce labels with less color variation, shorter lead times, and less overhead.
Situation Background
Epsen Hillmer Graphics, once a leader in the label printing industry, needs to find a way to regain a presence in the domestic market. Currently, they are struggling to stay competitive with other private label manufacturers, the top five each generating total label sales of at least $100 million (Freedonia, 2000). Epsen Hillmer Graphics has been struggling since the strike of the Litho Union and subsequent sale of the litho division.
Epsen Hillmer needs to take advantage of better technologies in the label printing industry. Currently the company provides litho, flexo, letterpress, silkscreen, and combination plate printing with varnish and lamination capabilities to meet the needs of their current custom label customer base. Litho printed labels are found on juice bottles such as Apple Tree and Langer's Juices. Flexo printing is often used to print simple labels such as meat, bakery, and deli merchandising labels; EHG stocks many of these labels. Letterpress is used in a great deal of four-color process work (4CP), this would include Campbell's Foodservice labels, Dannon Whips labels, and Seminis Seed labels. Silkscreen is often used on shampoo products, such as Alberto-Culver's labels, to provide a pop to the label. These are all plate printing methods, which are often used to reduce overall costs for the customer; however, the plates wear out and break and need to be maintained for best print capabilities. When the plates deteriorate they can be greater color variation in the labels, which makes customers unhappy because these labels are their product image. The steps that need to be taken to prepare a plate job for print can take a great deal of time, which can be detrimental to Epsen Hillmer Graphics because many of the customers work in just-in-time (JIT) and don't allow for a lead time of 3-4 weeks before their labels are even shipped.
Problem Definition
Epsen Hillmer Graphics (EHG) is facing many business problems and most likely will not survive if they are unable to meet customer demands through the use of better technology.
Nancy and Jennifer are worried that changing their emblem will negatively impact their market status. By seeking advice from comparable businesses which have already gone through rebranding, it will be valuable to the proceedings. Benchmarking will allow them to determine the best alternatives and make their labor
With all of the products that Topps produces, there are of course many raw materials that contribute to each entertainment product. In fiscal year 2002, Topps spent $6,395 on their raw materials as compared to $2,860 spent in 2001. The company’s sports cards are the most popular and require a few materials. Film must be on hand constantly, as photographs must be taken of each athlete before computerized technology adds graphic designs to be put on the cards. Other materials needed for their collectible trading cards include large sheets of paperboard for the photos to be printed on, and plastic coating or foil lining to add additional interest to each card. These substrates are purchased in sheet form from specialty printers and are added to the paperboard before being placed on a pressing machine that cuts the paperboard into the individual cards. Raw materials for their confectionary products include many different types of sugars and both natural and artificial flavorings to be mixed in large vats before being processed through another pressing machine which cuts the candy into individual pieces. Eventually, each confectionary product is wrapped in paper or plastic to secure freshness. Paper and adhesives are the primary materials used for the sticker collections produced by Topps. Inks and dyes are used on all products in some shape or form whether it be on a wrapper or on the collectible trading cards being printed up.
regulations and so forth limits the value expense crevice. The OEMs need to settle on key choices how to make most extreme edges to maintain in the business sector. They need to force imprint ups in a commanded business to get overall revenue and ought to stick routines to cut down the expense in the operational level.
TricorBraun relies on having more selections that give its customers control and a large selection of stock molds. In North America and considerable access to global resources factor in custom package design and engineering, logistics, and international sourcing. TricorBraun offers the best packaging options available, and the difference comes from the company 's devoted customers, employees and values they share (http://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1168&context=grrj). During the course of TricorBraun history of leadership and values, have facilitated delivery on promises to customers and
Background Information In implementing a strategic plan for Coastal Medical Center, our consulting team has conducted many analyses and formed numerous strategies in order for Coastal Medical Center to be successful. Such assessments include an internal analysis, external analysis, gap analysis, and SWOT analysis. In conducting these analyses, our consulting team was able to better understand the internal environment, external environment, where the organization currently stands in terms of performance, and the major strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that oppose the Coastal Medical Center. From our inquiry, we will be able to establish a strategic plan that best fits the organization’s needs.
...linsky, Eric. “Using 3-D Printers…” All Tech Considered. Feb 06, 2013. Nov 5, 2013. .
"The Future of Graphic Design." Thad McIlroy – Future Of Publishing ». N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2014.
After analyzing the Coastal Medical Center, it is apparent that the employees and staff have no conception of the mission, vision, and values of this health care facility. In addition to this lack of structure, CMC has many projects in the midst of production that lack support of a common goal, employees are unsatisfied with their jobs, the two boards lack ability to agree on strategic decisions for the organization,, and the medical center has a dismal reputation when it comes to quality care.
At the moment, Xerox had two clear distinct options. First option is to stick with what is best at printing, copying and delivering exclusively the Book-In-Time technology. Meaning, selling Book-In-Time equipment to all those elements of the value chain t...
The strategic planning process is the formulation of the company’s major objectives and execution plans. This process is of particular interest in GE. Strategy formulation is the process of choosing the best methods for a company where customer needs; competitive position and internal capability are the three factors that play the main role in strategic planning. Every manager needs to have at least a simple notion of strategic planning to formulate his strategic plans. Strategic Planning is a wide and complex subject. Strategic Management background is an essential basis of any organization.
In 2004, Kodak Operating Systems (KOS), charged with Kodak’s Manufacturing and Logistics, began making manufacturing plans to restructure decisions as they realized the opportunity costs of having un- or under-used factors of production at PPC1 (See Fig.
During the 1950s, the motto of “Good design is good business” became a rallying cry in the graphic design communication.
The required machineries for this project are computers, printers, and thin-line clients. Even though free printing at the new location will increase student population and printing demands, it is still possible to use existing computers and printers, which are expected to last five years. However, additional thin-line clients are necessary to connect to the central servers for releasing print jobs. Considering the location and the number of students who will use it, 2 new thin-line clients should be purchased, and the total cost is estimated to be $640 (approximately $320/thin-line client) [2].
In conclusion, our R & W printer company hopes to achieve better performance in the worldwide marketing field by expanding further our range of product availability in the future. In addition, we hope to gain profit through our business in the long run and make good use of it by launching new innovative printer products to fulfil demanding consumer needs.
If asked what strategic planning is one could interpret it as simply a road map that can guide the organization in the right direction. It is very unlikely that an organization would know which direction to take without a sense of direction. Managers are faced every day with decisions that have a major impact on the direction the organization must take, therefore, strategic planning can play an important role in guiding managers in the right direction. In other words strategic planning is a tool that management can use to give them a sense of direction that will guide them in doing a better job and to ensure that all the members of the organization are working toward the same goals