This month, GSE proudly celebrated its 50th anniversary during its Sales & Service Days, welcoming 30 global partners, including distributors, agents and service representatives, to its headquarters in Brummen, the Netherlands.
Held under the theme ‘Celebrating the Past, Powering the Future’, the two-day programme featured presentations, workshops and social events, exploring trends shaping the packaging and label supply chains – and how GSE is responding with innovations in dispensing and ink management software.
How sustainability and technology affect buying decisions
According to managing director Anne Lourens, some of the top trends are:
- Sustainability – driving demand for carbon footprint reporting and solutions that reduce emissions, such as energy-efficient equipment, eco-friendly packaging and inks, and circularity.
- The role of technology in workflows – this includes the digital transformation of organisations, automation of processes, and software that promises to give greater insight into use of resources, enhancing strategic decision-making.
- Global political instability, resulting from tariffs, sanctions and war, increases risk in supply chains
The event provided an opportunity to learn about GSE’s ‘configure-to-order’ design approach and see the latest innovations.
Modular equipment innovations reduce handling and emissions
GSE’s recent machine and equipment developments, addressing these challenges, have included solvent extractors, modular conveyor systems for managing ink buckets, and the redesigned FCS Dispenser for less frequent print runs.
Additionally, engineers Patrick Apeldoorn and Bas Pannekoek demonstrated how a modular ‘configure-to-order’ design approach, using interchangeable components, enables faster delivery and greater flexibility across the dispenser range.
Software drives automation and faster decision-making
Another highlight was GSE Ink manager (GIm), the software platform tackling one of the biggest barriers to digitalisation: managing ink throughout its lifecycle. GIm is specially suited for tracking inks through mixing and remixing after being returned from the press. The various software programs provide solutions for managing every ink-related step in the workflow. The latest release is an advanced reporting module that provides insights into consumption, costs and schedules.
A workshop where discussions focused on possible scenarios – and how to best to meet the needs of tomorrow’s packaging and label supply chains.
The consultative sales representative adds greater value
Maarten Hummelen, marketing director, shared insights into how the role of the sales representative is evolving. While digital research plays a growing role in purchasing, buyers still value expert guidance and personalised service. In response, GSE is equipping its partners with new digital tools, including a virtual showroom and product configurator, helping customers visualise dispensing systems and explore configurations quickly. Technical insights are also available through GSE’s InkConnection blog.
Growing need for sustainability documentation
Professor Jannes Slomp, lecturer in Lean at the HAN University of Applied Sciences, presented possible scenarios for packaging ink management in the age where human ingenuity complements the speed of advanced technologies.
Prof. Slomp foresees the need for Digital Product Passports (DPPs) for packaging. These provide a product’s sustainability data throughout its lifecycle. Information about a packaging item’s chain of custody, disposal advice and material composition will be in the cloud. DPPs will first affect electronics and textile products, and will be rolled out for other sectors too. If this becomes reality, packaging must incorporate QR codes and traceability software will be essential.
Participants also engaged in a workshop on scenario planning, led by Dr. Miranda Cornelisse and Fleur van Burken from the Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, with support from Teqnow / Koninklijke Metaalunie*. The session explored how businesses can prepare for future challenges such as skills shortages, water scarcity and decarbonisation.
Strengthening connections
There were also opportunities for representatives to connect socially. On Monday evening, GSE hosted a social event and anniversary dinner with its partners and all employees, at the Villa 14 restaurant in Dieren.
The anniversary celebration concluded with a ceremony, where all GSE team members placed a wish for the future in a time capsule, specially constructed by Felix Pfeiffer, student of the Design Academy Eindhoven.
To top it off, GSE directors/owners Anne Lourens and Maarten Hummelen received heartfelt gifts from the employees: a wooden bench with an inscription and a stainless steel fireplace!
Thank you to everyone who helped make this event unforgettable. Here’s to continuing our journey: Celebrating the past, powering the future!
Marketing director Maarten Hummelen welcomes service partners from around the world.
There was also a chance to bond socially and exchange experiences.
GSE service team at the modular conveyor system integrated with the Colorsat Compact dispenser – an example of automation reducing ink handling for high throughput situations like corrugated board printing.
The global event coincided with the celebration of GSE’s 50th anniversary.
GSE staff preserve their wishes for the future in the time capsule.
