Stratus Packaging Group is a European leader in the production of printed labels—including self-adhesive labels, shrink sleeves, In Mold Labels (IML), and flexible packaging. With six manufacturing facilities across France and offices in Switzerland, the converter turned over 65 million Euros last year serving a broad range of industries, including cosmetics, food & beverage, industrial, and pharma. The company relies on HP Indigo digital production along with its existing resources not only to meet today’s demand—but to address future growth.
An early adopter of digital flexibility
Stratus is a strong believer in value of digital technology and the benefits of HP Indigo, in particular. Digital printing gives the company the agility needed to accommodate changing brand expectations—especially around shorter run lengths, customization, and versioning. It’s fleet of HP Indigo Digital Presses—including the 6000, 8000, and 20000—effectively complements the organization’s existing flexo production through increased efficiency, productivity, and other capabilities unique to digital. An added perk of the partnership is the backing and support Stratus receives from HP.
Top-of-mind concerns
Growth is a goal for many companies, and Stratus is no exception. “I think for a company of our size to stay the same is quite dangerous,” says Isidore Leiser, Stratus’s CEO. “We have no choice but to grow.”
The forward-thinking converter is actually ahead of the game, compared to most other converters, in terms of capitalizing on the digital opportunity. Its HP Indigo digital presses provide an edge in terms of overall production efficiency. Yet, issues still plague the converter today. The rising cost of raw materials and supply chain uncertainties are problematic. Likewise, finding quality talent, traditionally difficult in this industry, is made more difficult with the labor shortage. Fortunately, HP’s partnership with Stratus can help on both fronts.
The benefits of working with HP
HP’s experience and the relationships we’ve cultivated with partners across the globe translates into assurance for our valued customers. For example, HP’s A-Z control over its own supply chain means that we can alleviate much of the risk and downstream burdens that converters are experiencing today. Digital printing with HP Indigo provides a reassuring level of predictability for converters—not only in terms of cost estimations, but in getting supplies on time.
Leiser also invests heavily in his employees and is keenly focused on attracting and, more importantly, retaining talent. HP Indigo is cutting edge digital technology that is certainly a draw for younger, more digitally savvy operators. And because operation with HP Indigo is easy and intuitive—and less laborious than flexo—workers remain engaged.
“The HP Indigo 6000 series is the standard of digital label printing, it gives me the application versatility I need, the superb print quality my customers expect, and strong support from a global company. The long-term relationship between our two companies and the trust we have between our two teams enable us to develop even better products for the future.”
—Isidore Leiser, CEO, Stratus Packaging
Looking toward the future
With a mix of both analog and digital technology, Leiser has put Stratus in a solid position to shift, pivot, and grow in today’s rapidly changing market. It’s difficult to predict what the future will bring, but as the two companies continue to partner, and HP rolls out new technologies that help converters meet the demand, Leiser knows that HP Indigo technology will continue to help drive his company’s success. Today, digital accounts for roughly 20% of Leiser’s production. But, he adds, “I expect [HP Indigo] to take a much bigger share of Stratus’s print volume in the next 5 years.”
