KENYA · GUIDE 0555 · EDITION 4.2
Packaging artwork service in Kenya: Operations and Quality Checks
Deliver the agreed result consistently
Build packaging artwork around the converter's approved dieline, product presentation, opening experience, and required information supplied by the client, identifying which surfaces remain visible after assembly begins.
The operating sequence for this offer is:
- Obtain the printers current dieline and the producers verified pack content, then record product variants, material and required approval contacts.
- Design each panel within the approved structure, create a physical mock-up and query any fold, label or claim conflict before production approval.
- Check the final export with the printer and producer, retain signed proofs and document that compliance approval remains separate from graphic design.
Put acceptance into the job record
Artwork folds and aligns correctly and production content is signed off.
Assemble an unprinted or proofed sample, then check panel orientation, folds, glue areas, barcode placement, text visibility, and whether the packed product still matches the intended presentation.
Inspect at the point where a correction is still possible, then again at handover. Record rejected or incomplete output separately from accepted output. A completed task is not automatically an accepted task, and an invoice does not establish that the customer received the right result.
Measure real capacity
Time preparation, the main operation, transport, cleaning, approvals and correction as applicable. The slowest stage determines how much you can promise. Where two orders need the same person, space or equipment at the same time, resolve the conflict before confirming both deadlines. An additional enquiry should not erase a commitment already made.
| Operating checkpoint | Evidence for this business |
|---|---|
| Before starting | Build packaging artwork around the converter's approved dieline, product presentation, opening experience, and required information supplied by the client, identifying which surfaces remain visible after assembly begins. |
| During delivery | Design each panel within the approved structure, create a physical mock-up and query any fold, label or claim conflict before production approval. |
| At acceptance | Assemble an unprinted or proofed sample, then check panel orientation, folds, glue areas, barcode placement, text visibility, and whether the packed product still matches the intended presentation. |
| At the pilot review | Record dieline version, product fit notes, panel orientation checks, supplier feedback, assembled sample photographs, client approvals, and changes needed before releasing each packaging variant for production printing. |
Keep a correction and escalation rule
When inputs, access, specifications or customer instructions change, pause the affected work and confirm the effect on time and cost. Do not quietly lower the acceptance standard to avoid a delayed delivery. Keep rework caused by your error distinct from a customer-requested change of scope and agree the remedy clearly.
A pack can look correct on screen while assembled flaps hide branding, print crosses glue zones, or the product cannot be inserted without damaging the finished outer surface.
Retain the minimum records needed to investigate a complaint without disclosing unrelated personal information. Use measured delivery and actual acceptance as the basis for expanding capacity, rather than the maximum theoretical output of a tool or production line.
Operating control points for this exact offer
| Sequence | Work method | Release checkpoint |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Measure the actual four-card/envelope bundle and obtain the manufacturer's approved dieline. | Example dimensions do not replace board-thickness, clearance and closure decisions by the packaging supplier. |
| 2 | Label front/back/sides and glue/no-print areas on a paper dummy. | Text reads correctly after folding and glue tabs remain free as the supplier requires. |
| 3 | Place logo, unit count and approved contact on correct panels while keeping fold/cut guides separate. | A fold does not run through essential text or barcode area. |
| 4 | Use client-assigned product codes and any genuine barcode artwork without distortion. | Do not invent GS1 numbers or call an ordinary QR a retail barcode. |
| 5 | Export according to its layer/spot-colour/bleed instructions and request a proof before a run. | Remove dieline from visible ink only as supplier specifies; mockup is clearly labelled illustrative, not a photo of manufactured packaging. |
Do not substitute a tick for an observation: record the count, measurement, approved sample or evidence reference used at each checkpoint. Mark unresolved work as held and identify who can approve the recheck.
Diagnose a failure before repeating it
| Observed symptom to investigate | Check the cause | Proposed response |
|---|---|---|
| Back panel prints upside down | Compare artboard to folded labelled dummy. | Correct orientation and repeat the fold check. |
| Box will not close around bundle | Check actual-board cavity and bundle thickness. | Ask manufacturer to revise the structure; do not shrink artwork and claim the fit is solved. |
| Barcode fails scan | Check authorised number, proportions and print placement. | Use supplier/GS1-compliant artwork and appropriate verification; a phone scan alone is not full barcode grading. |
These are diagnostic prompts, not proof of the cause in a real incident. Separate suspect output, record any correction and repeat the relevant acceptance check. Link rejected units, rework time, replacement materials, customer credits and collection delays to the actual job result.