The Hidden Goldmine: How Production Data Can Transform Your Printing Business
Introduction: Data is Everywhere – But Are You Using It?
Walk into any printing or packaging facility, and you’ll see machines running, workers managing print jobs, and stacks of materials moving in and out. What’s often missing? A structured way to collect and use production data.
Most printing businesses still rely on manual registers, pre-printed forms, and handwritten logs to track machine performance, labour hours, and material usage. But let’s be real—this method is outdated, slow, and prone to errors. The real power lies not in collecting data but in analysing it to make smarter decisions.
Let’s break down the importance of production data, the challenges of collecting it, how printers are currently tracking data, and why modern analytics tools can completely change the game.
The Importance of Data in the Printing & Packaging Industry
Why should a printing business care about production data? Because data-driven decisions can help you:
✔ Reduce downtime – Know exactly when machines are underperforming or need maintenance.
✔ Improve manpower efficiency – Track how operators perform and optimize shift schedules.
✔ Cut material waste – Understand how much ink, paper, or packaging materials you actually need.
✔ Boost profitability – Spot hidden costs and optimize pricing for better margins.
✔ Expand strategically – Use real production insights to guide investments in new machines or manpower.
Real-World Example: A printing company tracked production data and realized that 29% of its machine downtime was due to machine breakdown. By realising the downtime reasons, they increased machine uptime by 18%—without buying new equipment!
