Fully appreciating the requirements within the packaging industry, also meant I personally needed to understand all processes involved. From initial artwork creation, through to press configurations and press sign-offs for designs.

Artwork
Extensive design skills, designing packaging and artwork for clients based on specifications and briefs. Working closely with Brand Owners on accurately realising their requirements.

Brand Management
Understanding the requirements for a clients brand identity and ensuring their brand is reproduced across a spectrum of substrates and mediums.

Separations
Having a natural ability to visually see a design fully separated into it’s 1bit halftone form, with traps, spreads and all the complexities of producing multi, spot coloured designs.

Film & Plate production
Managing and producing films and plates within high tolerances. Plate production for CTP, Flexo using various technical mythologies to produce results.

CTP (Computer to Plate)
Understanding the full production requirements to produce CTP plates. Digitally producing fully imposed designs, transferring directly to RIP’s, through to managing the entire process.

Press Configurations
Setting up print press equipment, from single colour units through to large scale multi ink systems. Ink viscosity, fingerprinting, press configurations and press passes.

Gravure
Extensive knowledge within the Gravure sector. Producing digitally separated artwork on Mac, Scitex and Contex systems and managing production through to Helio cylinder engraving equipment. Advanced knowledge of Copper, plastic and ceramic cylinder engraving technologies.

Litho
Extensive litho experience, across multiple disciplines. Producing artwork and managing every aspect of production within the environment.

Corrugated
Detailed knowledge of the corrugated sector. From artwork production through to plate production.

Metal Decoration
Advanced knowledge in all areas relating to metal decoration production and requirements. Having worked directly with Man Roland on the development of equipment to facilities the requirements to produce efficient print runs for the metal decoration industry. Extensive Hexachrome, colour management and print production knowledge

Flexo
Extensive flex experience, from Artwork production and managing the specifications for print specifications and plate production.

Press Knowledge
Extensive print press knowledge. Having attended many press passes to ensure optimum print quality for clients designs.

Having a broad spectrum of skills within the industry, but also ensuring my diversity of skills are specialised and focused and used to maximum potential to achieve results.

Packaging Software
Extensive knowledge on multiple levels for various software packages used within the sector. With advanced skills to achieve results.

• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe Photoshop
• Adobe In-Design
• Adobe Acrobat Pro, Distiller
• ArtPro
• Nexus
• Automation Engine
• Backstage
• Pack Edge
• Harlequin, Nexus, Prinergy and other RIP’s

At one time, I was appointed as an official ArtPro trainer from Artwork Systems due to my knowledge within the industry and abilities to use the tool to it’s maximum efficiency.

Management
Understanding all the production processes and the precise requirements within each department, meant I was also able to reliably manage large numbers of staff to facilities the production requirements of clients.

• Studio Manager
• Brand Manager
• Site Manager
• Senior Manager
• Senior Systems Manager
• R&D Director
• Managing Director

Global management skills

Setting up sites around the world for a large international reprographics company.

• Setting up, employing and training staff.
• Implementing company procedures.
• Setting up QC and QA departments.

Setting sites up with complete autonomy from the parent company in.

• Boston – USA.
• Chicago – USA.
• Japan.
• Multiple sites around the UK.

Staff Management

Managing staff from teams of 20-30 designers / production artists – though to over 80 production designers globally. Managing staff across transatlantic locations required precise MIS software and ensuring all staff and sites had the information they required for all production requirements.

Staff training and procedure implementation

Setting up training programmes for staff within their field of expertise. A lot of the training was done by myself, or I would at the very least design the training courses for the staff to undergo.