Ghelfi Ondulati S.p.A

Case study | Ghel Ondulati S.p.A
Ghel Ondulati initiates
digital transformation of
Southern Europe’s corrugated
packaging market
Located in a remote region of Italy but serving multiple
markets in Europe and Africa, Ghel has always striven to
dierentiate itself in a competitive market. To continue its
evolution, the company decided to take the leap into digital
print production. This strategy would speed production times,
enable cost-eective customization in short-runs and improve
print quality. Ghel turned to the HP PageWide Press to take its
corrugated packaging production to the next level.
Challenge
Staying ahead in a crowded market
Ghel Ondulati S.p.A was founded in 1952 by Giuseppe Ghel and today the company is a
leader in the production of high-quality corrugated packaging materials for the industrial and
fresh produce sectors. Located in Sondrio, Italy, Ghel is an independent and privately-owned
company producing corrugated packaging for Italy, France, Spain and Africa. Ghel has an
annual turnover in excess of €70m.
In a competitive market – and in a relatively remote location – the Ghel family decided to
invest further in technology to dierentiate the company, introducing capabilities unavailable
elsewhere. Ghel needed a digital print platform that would provide exibility, high quality and
the ability to deliver cost-eective short-run print jobs.
“If Ghel tried to duplicate the strategy of our competitors, we would fail,” explains Luca
Simoncini, digital program manager, Ghel Ondulati S.p.A. “We succeed because we are doing
things that others cannot. Our strategy has always been focused on providing high quality
products and services, but also on leading with innovation. For this reason, we needed to adopt
digital. We are convinced that digital is the future and we want to be ahead of our competitors.”
Ghel evaluated several potential print technology partners before deciding that only HP could
combine digital expertise with the ability to produce high-volume corrugated packaging.
“Compared to some of the large exo equipment manufacturers, HP is a relatively new supplier
to the corrugated industry,” adds Simoncini. “We chose HP as our partner because of its proven
history of technology innovation and its deep knowledge of high quality digital production print.
As a family-owned business, we thought long and hard about who to partner with in our digital
strategy. We made the right decision in choosing HP.”
Challenge
• Flexo printing technology unable to eiciently
produce short-runs, versioning, or variable
content to meet brands’ dynamic demands
• Ghel wanted to demonstrate leadership in
the market, dierentiate from competitors,
and oer brands new value through digital
innovation
Solution
• Installation of HP PageWide Press in Ghel’s
newly constructed ‘Digital Hall’ ushers in new
era of industrial digital print for corrugated
packaging
• HP Mosaic software delivers design
customization and Link Technology delivers
track-and-trace capability and enhanced
consumer experience
Results
• Improved print quality compared to exo
• Faster delivery times without need for plates
and complex setup process
• Ability to produce cost-eicient, customized
corrugated print-runs
• Greater exibility in packaging design and
consumer experience
• Versioning, segmentation, and customization
for targeted marketing campaigns