Direct printing for Destilla

An unexpected collaboration

Before the pandemic, few could have imagined that major parts of our lives could be transferred to the digital world in next to no time. But they have. And as more and more of our everyday routines “go virtual”, our yearning for something genuine is growing – we want to feel, smell, taste something that is really there. That is why, for a recent communication campaign, Destilla GmbH decided to surprise its customers with a multi-sensory experience, instead of relying solely on newsletters and online meetings. And they used Dekron's(opens external link in a new tab) DecoType direct-printing technology to do this.

Destilla GmbH has been developing and manufacturing flavours and extracts for more than 50 years now. Their natural products are used all over the world, mainly in all types of beverage applications but also in confectionery and dairy goods. Staying directly in touch with your target group plays an important role, especially for a company whose main expertise is the taste experience. In order to maintain such direct contact during the pandemic, Destilla decided to send its customers a surprise package containing product samples. And they wanted the samples’ packaging and decoration to be just as exclusive as their content.

The chemistry was good right from the start

“We hit upon Dekron’s digital direct printing in a Krones magazine article,” reports Michael Feil, Marketing Manager. “Destilla is an innovative company, so this new technology immediately piqued our interest.” When Michael Feil contacted Krones Product Manager Zsolt Rozsnyai, the positive first impression was confirmed – and a collaboration materialised more or less by itself. And this even though what Destilla wanted is not part of Dekron’s business model. You see, the task set by Destilla was to decorate 1,500 bottles by direct printing. “As a machine manufacturer, our main focus is on selling our technology, not necessarily the products that can be made with it,” explains Zsolt Rozsnyai. What’s more, the bottles were intended for an exclusive soft drink with ginger, turmeric and saffron extracts. So Destilla was setting the bar very high.

However, since the chemistry between the two companies was good right from the start and the campaign helps to raise awareness of Dekron’s technology, the team at Dekron started work on the order straight away. In order to fully exploit the options provided by digital decoration, the two companies joined forces to develop the glass bottle design and the print pattern. “One of the advantages offered by digital decoration is that it’s able to give the decorated containers a visual appeal that is strikingly distinctive at first glance,” explains Rozsnyai. “So one thing was soon certain: We were aiming for a premium no-label look with tactile embossing.” To emphasise the natural goodness of Destilla’s products, the design features finely chiselled blossoms and fruits whose pattern weaves elegantly around the entire body of the bottle. The printed image is all in white, so it stands out distinctively from the dark background and ingeniously creates an upmarket look while likewise minimising ink consumption.

From lab to production centre

Without further ado, Dekron turned its pilot plant in Kelkheim into a production hall for the container decoration process proper. “We do, of course, regularly produce print samples for our customers on our DecoType(opens external link in a new tab) lab machines but not in such numbers,” says Zsolt Rozsnyai, laughing. But thanks to the dauntless support of the entire technology team at Dekron, this challenge, too, was successfully met and mastered with consummate ease. Both Destilla and Dekron are visibly proud of the result achieved in this out-of-the-ordinary collaboration: “The delicate print image was translated into top-notch reality. The surface feel conveys a sense of quality, and the optional embossing is just the icing on the cake,” says a gratified Michael Feil. “In our view, the DecoType technology possesses huge potential for the future. We will be very pleased to work with Krones and Dekron again for any similar projects we may have in the future.”