Focusing on integrated design and brand communications, Graphica strives to become a strategic and creative extension for its customers’ brands, dedicated to developing and implementing innovative communications that build brand equity and produce tangible results.
As the South African arm of Winter & Company, synonymous worldwide with innovative covering materials of the highest quality, and representative of Synt3, a dynamic Italian company specialising in the production of coated and coagulated polyurethanes, Graphica is well placed to supply some of the most luxurious materials for high-class packaging.
The style portfolio from Winter & Company includes six inspired elements in a range of products that offer a luxurious look and feel with varying degrees of finish and dimension.
Winter & Company’s materials are found covering books, packaging, office and social stationery, retail displays and on fine leather goods. Its range offers innumerable colours, surfaces and structures that provide limitless variety to stimulate the senses.
From the Winter range of products most can be foiled while some are thermo sensitive and others can be litho printed.
Synt3’s collection boasts a range of unsupported polyurethane finishes, all of which are thermo sensitive and can be embossed, stamped and cut.
Paper and textile products supplied by Graphica are FSC and chain of custody approved to fit the bill environmentally.
Winter & Company’s environmental management aims to integrate best practice for sustainable and continual improvements to minimise negative impact on the environment. Its decorative materials are durable, not disposable, in keeping with their intended longer-use applications for packaging, presentation/display, publishing and printing.
Graphica works closely with its customers and is actively involved in the research and development, backed by Winter & Company, of new products as well as backup for existing brands.
One of Graphica’s customers, Jan Davids from Modart, converts these luxury materials into an array of products for the packaging, point-of-sale, textile, luxury liquor, stationery and décor markets.
‘We have a symbiotic relationship with The Bindery Shop and work closely with them and Graphica on R&D work for our customers,’ explains Jan.
‘The processes we use to create these luxury items, such as display boxes, cannot be automated so all our work is done by hand. We regard ourselves as craftsmen, and the product results, featuring these luxury materials, speak for themselves,’ Jan concludes.
Kai Neckel from Aries Packaging is another happy Graphica customer. ‘We do a lot of work for the luxury liquor market – both in South Africa and for the Southern African Development Community (SADC),’ explains Kai.
‘The look and finish of a brand is important for its position in the marketplace, and especially effective for promotional work to elevate products,’ he continues. ‘This is a busy time of year for us, with the festive season approaching, and we work closely with advertising agencies driving these brands to stand out on the shelves,’ Kai concludes.
Speaking about trends for luxury packaging Willi Wighard of Clifton Products notes that black is still in, as is debossing and spot gloss varnishing. Clifton Products specialises in gift, jewellery and presentation boxes, as well as covers for diaries and journals. ‘The benefits of working with Graphica are that it supplies a full range of covering material to meet each of our customer’s requirements – from the affordable and practical, to the most exclusive,’ Willi enthuses.
With its head office in Johannesburg, and sales and warehousing in Cape Town and Durban, Graphica offers stock availability and first-class logistics, as well as a knowledgeable sales team.
Once a year, and probably more regularly in the near future, Graphica hosts its ‘Discovery Shows’ for customers (PPM Jan10, p24). These informal presentations are an opportunity to see new products and discuss ideas with the Graphica team.
Whether for luxury liquor, promotional or jewellery packaging, Graphica is able to supply the most luxurious, tactile high-touch material to ensure brands stand out on crowded retail shelves.
Graphica
T +27 011 4936833
www.graphica.co.za
