Fujifilm Revoria digital printer enables short-run custom packaging for artisan candle makers
London Luxury Candle Supplies has brought packaging production in-house by partnering with Jet Tech Group and investing in a Fujifilm Revoria digital printer. The home fragrance business, which expanded from Australia to London, needed a solution for producing short-run custom packaging to match the unique glassware and vessels used by artisan makers and indie brands.
Director Alex Hunt identified rising demand from small-scale customers for custom packaging, but traditional suppliers required high minimum order quantities, limited size options and expensive prototyping. “We were importing black and white boxes from China initially, trying to make them fit different-sized products. We rapidly realised that for us to grow, we needed to be able to offer a complete service. We needed to be able to produce the packaging ourselves to a great standard in runs of 30 or 40 units.”
Hunt worked with Jet Tech Group to identify the right equipment for their needs. The company invested in a Fujifilm Revoria digital printer to complement their cutting and foiling equipment, allowing them to print, cut and finish short-run boxes on demand. “The investment in the machinery has given us a USP in our market like no other. We’ve watched some of our customers go from buying 30 jars and 30 boxes, to now working with us on thousands. Because we’ve got the machinery, it allows all this to be seamless.”
Steve Andrew, Managing Director at Jet Tech Group, worked with Hunt to identify suitable equipment and connect the business with card suppliers to reduce material costs. “There is no way we’d be where we are today without people like Steve,” says Alex Hunt. “Packaging was a brand-new arena for us. I knew nothing about it, so he’s been amazing. When we explained what we were trying to do, he took us through an array of different printers, talked us through the different processes, what we were going to need and what we weren’t going to need.”
The investment has allowed London Luxury Candle Supplies to test new products quickly without committing to large minimum orders. Hunt identified a gap in the market for wax melt sample boxes that showcase different fragrances.
“Previously, I would more than likely have to bring in 20,000 to 50,000 units,” she explains. “The equipment allowed me to start with around 100 units and show them on Instagram, and everybody loved them. We sold out – now we cut and print them every day. It’s still evolving; we now have an autumn wax melt box with an autumn leaves design, we have a Christmas version. In terms of profit margin, it’s allowed me to introduce new products very quickly, at minimal cost, and sell them.”
The company can now offer customers perfect colour matching from vessel to packaging, with premium finishes including white ink and metallic foiling.
For more information about Jet Tech packaging solutions, visit www.jettechgroup.co.uk.