Printing the Packaging for TROVE: Part 1

Printing the Packaging for TROVE: Part 1

It has been a busy 2 weeks since we were successfully funded on Kickstarter, we started production, ordered materials for Core Collection fulfilment, finalised packaging designs and planned logistics. I have been trying to keep on top of updates to our backers and collecting content for this journal, however I have had to prioritise my time to making sure rewards are despatched on time. We can, of course, be in control of our own manufacturing process, and the first batch of TROVEs are well on their way to being completed, however a lot of time has to be spent keeping on top of our suppliers.
Last week I visited our printers, Identity Print, for the second time to capture some images of our packaging being printed. Please see the video and images below. 

 

 

I arrived at around noon to Identity, Dez and Paul had already started setting up our brass block onto the Heidelberg foil press. This is the same machine I took pictures of last time I was there, but this time I got video of it in action printing our packaging! This machine is about 50 years old and is still operated in exactly the same way as it would've been done when it was brand new. It was built to last and with a little bit of maintenance can last several generations, we have some machines like this in our factory as well so can fully appreciate how they can take on a character of their own.
The process is a bit more involved than just feeding paper into it and wait, there were constant checks and adjustments of the plate and pressure. This is necessary because as its printing any change in paper thickness or texture can affect the print, the temperature is also critical as the plates can cool whilst printing which would result in imperfect prints. It takes several years of experience to immediately identify the causes of any issues in the press' output. 
I hope you enjoyed the video and images, thank you to Identity Print for giving me full access to take the images.