editorSo many are known in the industry as the “Packaging Guru.” With over decades of experience designing packaging for big brands, and we can say they have seen it all. It is really not out of place for them standing in front of a production line, arms crossed, and eyes narrowed, to be stumped.
Counting that his team had just rolled out 50,000 units of a new energy drink packaging, vibrant with sharp greens, bold reds, and rich blacks. But when the first batch came off the line, he noticed something disturbing—the colours looked off. The red, which was supposed to scream “energy,” had turned into a washed-out pink. The green that should have popped against the black looked dull, almost sickly.
It’s like we’re selling cotton candy, not energy drinks.
Frustrated but determined, he knew exactly what to do—run a chromatography check.
The Chromatography Analysis
Chromatography is the behind-the-scenes hero in the printing world, especially for packaging pros. It helps break down what’s going on with each color and ensures that everything is performing as it should.
The needful will be to hand the problem over to a technical team, and soon enough, the results of the chromatography check would be out. The print technician will walk in with a few sheets of paper.
“We’ve got the results,” she would say, holding up the printouts. “And I think I know where the issue is.”
She will point to the red ink’s track on the chromatograph. “Here’s where the red was supposed to lay down. Nice, crisp separation. But see this? There’s some magenta bleeding into the cyan here. That’s causing that ugly pink we’re seeing on the packaging.”
“It looks like a roller issue. It’s allowing just a bit too much ink to mix between colors, creating that faded look.”
Then she pointed to the green. “Same thing here. The yellow isn’t laying down right, so it’s turning the green into a muddy version of itself. Probably a nozzle issue with the yellow ink.”
The Fix
Armed with this information, it will be time to go straight to the machine to adjust the rollers and clean the nozzles. Recalibrating the ink settings, making sure everything lined up perfectly according to the chromatograph results.
After a test run, the packaging came out vibrant again—the reds were powerful, the greens popped like they should, and the black was perfectly sharp against the colours. The energy drink packaging was back to looking energized instead of washed out.
Why did Chromatography Saved the Day?
In layman’s terms, chromatography helped the expert see exactly where the colour was going wrong. It’s like having X-ray vision for your printing process—it separates each color and shows how they’re laying down, revealing problems that you can’t see just by looking at the finished product.
Without it, we might have been left guessing for hours or even days, wasting materials and time. But with a quick chromatography check, pinpointing to the exact problem saved the project, keeping the reputation of the team as true “Packaging Guru” intact.
To the team it might be as though they just powered up an awesome print game—again. But on the flip side, he calls himself a package guru and doesn’t have the tool, gears or knowledge, it will be a disaster to the extend that even though he is known as an educated man, he probably is still a quack. A quack is like that guy who shows up to fix your plumbing with duct tape and a YouTube tutorial, promising to “have it done in no time,” only to leave you with a flood, a bigger bill, and the sudden realization that he probably doesn’t know the difference between a wrench and a whiskey. In short, a quack is someone who talks big but delivers small—usually in disasters!
In this case, the outcome could have been much worse, and here’s why:
Endless Guessing: Without chromatography, the team would have had to rely on guesswork to figure out what went wrong with the colours. They might have spent hours tweaking settings, adjusting ink levels, or even changing materials—without knowing if these efforts would solve the problem.
Wasted Time and Money: As the packaging continued to roll off the line with faded reds and dull greens, every minute would have added to the cost. Ink, substrate, machine wear—all wasted on subpar prints. In the worst case, they might have printed thousands of defective units before realizing the extent of the problem.
Reprints and Delays: Without a clear diagnosis, the team could have ended up scrapping the entire batch and starting from scratch. This would lead to significant delays in getting the product to market, potentially missing important launch dates or losing out on sales opportunities.
Damage to Brand Image: If the off-coloured packaging had somehow made it to the shelves, the impact on the brand would be significant. Customers expect consistency, and when the packaging doesn’t match the brand’s vibrant identity, it can lead to confusion, complaints, and a negative perception of the product’s quality.
Loss of Trust: For someone called a “Packaging Guru,” not resolving the issue could have damaged his reputation. Clients and colleagues rely on his expertise, and a major packaging failure could shake their confidence in his ability to deliver high-quality results.
In essence, without chromatography, the problem would have lingered much longer, wasting resources, harming the brand’s image, and ultimately costing the printing company its reputation. Chromatography acts as a precise troubleshooting tool that can pinpoint issues, saving time, money, and effort.
The essence of being a professional goes far beyond just having a title or skillset—it’s about commitment, integrity, and consistent excellence. A true professional not only masters their craft but also upholds a standard of reliability, accountability, and ethical behavior. They don’t cut corners or make excuses; they solve problems with precision and creativity.
Being a professional means, you’re constantly learning, adapting, and striving to improve, not just for personal gain, but to contribute positively to your field and serve others. Whether you’re in the office, on the job site, or in any role, professionalism is about showing up with the right attitude, delivering quality work, and earning trust through your actions. I can boldly say I am a professional, what about you?
editor
