Polyflex Africa, a leading packaging artwork service provider, continues to expand its PREMEDIA service offering.

Leal Wright, Head of Marketing at Polyflex Africa explains “The design, creative and publishing industries have used the term PREMEDIA for some time and have a good understanding of what it encompasses. However, Premedia in the consumer-packaged goods, or FMCG space, is a relatively new term”.

He continues, “As our service offering has evolved over the years, we realised that Reprographics or Platemaking didn’t adequately explain what we do’. Accepting the term, Premedia, made sense when Polyflex became an early founding member of GPN, the Global Premedia Network. 

Together with reprographics and plate making, there are typically 5 other components of Premedia Services, being Artwork Production, Colour Management, Retouching and editing, Structural Design and Mock ups, and Quality Assurance and Proofing.

Artwork Production:

Artwork production involves the creation and preparation of graphic elements, including logos, images, and textual content, to ensure they meet the specific requirements of print and packaging processes. Artwork production professionals work closely with clients to translate their brand guidelines and creative vision into print-ready designs. They ensure that the artwork is accurately formatted, colour-managed, and optimized for high-quality reproduction, while also complying with regulatory and industry standards.

Colour Management:

Colour management services involve precise colour calibration and profiling to ensure that the final printed product accurately represents the intended colours. This involves using colour measurement tools, creating colour profiles, and performing colour corrections as necessary. Polyflex, as colour management experts, works closely with printers and converters to maintain consistency across various substrates and printing processes.

Image Retouching and Editing:

High-quality product images play a significant role in packaging. Premedia services offer image retouching and editing to enhance product visuals, remove imperfections, adjust lighting and colours, and ensure consistency across a range of product images. Skilled retouchers utilize advanced software tools to achieve optimal image quality, making products more appealing and visually consistent across different packaging formats and sizes.

Structural Design and Mock ups:

This entails developing 3D renderings and prototypes to visualize the packaging design in a realistic manner, thus helping to identify and address any potential design or structural issues early on, ensuring a successful final product. Structural design experts use specialized software to create structural layouts, and mock ups, allowing clients to assess the functionality, ergonomics, and visual impact of their packaging before production.

Quality Assurance and Proofing:

Quality assurance and proofing services involve preflighting, file verification, and proofing. Experts meticulously review artwork files, ensuring proper resolution, colour accuracy, font embedding, and adherence to printing specifications. They conduct print proofs or digital mockups to verify the final output before mass production, minimizing the risk of errors, and ensuring the packaging meets client expectations.

Leal in summary explains ‘Each component plays a vital role in ensuring the successful execution of packaging projects for companies in the fast-moving consumer goods industry.’