Services that Boost your Branding Strategies by MCC Label

Services that Boost Your Branding Strategies Enhance Your Label from Concept to Commercialization

Dear reader, In today’s world, there are countless printers who can meet your label needs. However, how do you know which label printer is best for your brand? Even though there are many printers to choose from, you need to ask yourself which one provides the most value back into your business. MCC offers a wide range of services that can help take your project from concept to completion. MCC’s goal is to always keep the customer top of mind, and for our company to be easy to do business with. We don’t just want to meet your needs today, we want to exceed them and continue to exceed them in the future through ongoing collaboration and innovation. We hope you enjoy learning about these unique offerings and how they can elevate your labeling projects and branding strategies. Happy Reading! The MCC Team

Want to discover more on how our premium label solutions can meet your needs? Check out our website www.mcclabel.com

Services to Enhance Your Label from Concept to Commercialization Getting a product to market is exciting, but can also be a challenge. A well-executed label and product packaging can be the key to success in the market. MCC has built teams of experts in strategic areas to help guide customers through each step of the process. Learn more about the services we can provide before, during, and after printing to ensure your branding goals are achieved.

Pre-Production Services

Project Management Services

Implementation & Continuous Improvement Services

Before Printing

During Printing

After Printing

05 Early Engagement

19 Interactive Customer Platform

28 Research & Development

10 Pre-Press Services

20 Project Management Resources

30 Equipment Solutions Group

14 Color Management

23 Strategic Account Management

32 Augmented Reality: Shifting the

16 Rapid Prototyping

25 Secure Supply Chain

Boundaries of Remote Support 33 Knowledge Sharing

“Services that Boost Your Branding Strategies” is a publication of MCC. Copyright © by MCC. All rights reserved. The content of this document, including all copy, images, and attachment(s) are property of MCC and should be treated as confidential. It cannot be shared with or forwarded to third parties and cannot be published without MCC’s prior permission. If you have any questions regarding the use of this document, please email marketing@mcclabel.com.

Before Printing

Offerings

Pre-Production Services Before you begin printing, you need to make sure your design is ready to go. MCC offers services related to pre-production from initial brainstorm discussions, to design implementation, and even embellishment opportunities for future consideration.

Early Engagement

Let our interactive and inspiring tools help spark your creativity. With years of label experience, our teams are eager to share ideas and best practices to help engage your imagination! Customers have access to endless label samples from around the globe and can collaborate on ideas with others through our interactive workshop opportunities.

How we optimize your shelf appearance 1. Design workshops Need a helping hand to push your design over the finish line? MCC has resources to bounce ideas off of and brainstorm to suggest the most appealing enhancements such as foils, textures, etc to attract your target audience. These talented professionals offer great value to brands that want to enhance their shelf appeal. 2. Inspiration from global samples and customer cases Sometimes it is hard to visualize what you want if

you haven’t seen all of the possibilities available. As said by Henry Ford, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses”. When you partner with MCC you can see label samples from all over the world to inspire you with new embellishments or design elements you had not considered. Our Sales representatives will talk through your project and coordinate internally to make sure you receive the most relevant samples for your project. In addition to receiving physical label samples, you can also read and learn about customer success cases in your industry.

Click here to request a design workshop

Before Printing

Success Story: Early Engagement

The Importance of Label Design Luang Prabang | MCC Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) Your label is the voice of your product - it’s an opportunity to tell the consumer your brand story. Having a design that speaks to the consumer and not only draws attention but builds identity can set your brand apart. So what goes into great label design? We talked to Mathijs Aliet - founder at branding and packaging design agency, Square44 to find out.

Square44 is a Branding & Packaging Design Agency based out of Bangkok, Thailand. Square44 has a bit of a unique agency model, focusing on brand owners in emerging markets across mostly Asia, the Middle East and even Africa and helping brands of all sorts have access to some of the best talent in branding and packaging design in the world.

What was your inspiration for this label design? The brief to Square44 from Carlsberg was to develop the brand and packaging design for a completely new brand. The client wanted the new brand to be positioned as a craft beer and the name Luang Prabang was the only mandatory element from the brief. The objective was to really celebrate the unique heritage of the city of Luang Prabang, a UNESCO world heritage city, but in terms of design we had a totally open brief. It’s always great fun working on new brands whether it’s an alcohol, food or a personal care brand. You have no baggage to consider and you get to explore different styles and look for solutions you think consumers would really love. At the concept stage we broadly explored a range of different directions, looking at cultural symbols, famous landmarks, doing a thematic series of different aspects of the city before the client settled on the design that was launched.

Square44 partnered with Carlsberg / LBC to develop a new craft beer brand called Luang Prabang. The brand was named after the famous UNESCO world heritage city in LAO. The design agency collaborated with famous Lao artist Khotsouvanh Hongsa to add a unique, authentic touch to a unique new brand.

What was your design creation process for this label? For Luang Prabang launch Square44 partnered at the concept stages with a very senior creative director based out of Australia who has worked all over the world on some of the biggest alcohol brands. He had great fun working on the early stages of this project and collaborating with our team. Once the client settled on a direction that featured a vintage street-scene of Luang Prabang, we wanted to Mathijs Aliet add authenticity to the label, so Founder at Square44 the idea was born to transform the brief into an artist edition. We pitched the idea to the client who absolutely loved it so we engaged three local artists from Laos

Before Printing

to develop street scenes. In the end Hongsa’s design was liked by the client so we had it scanned at high resolution and then sent over to us digitally for slight retouching, color correction and cropping before we created print-ready artwork files. At which point in the design process do you start to think about the printing of the label? Actually early on in the process, the client reached out as they had issues with their label printer not being able to get labels done on time. The client had targeted a specific launch date to avoid trademark expiry but the project was held back internally until it was given the go-ahead at the last minute, so it was a bit of a race against the clock. Square44 has previously partnered very successfully with the team at MCC so when the client asked us if there were other print houses that would be able to work within very tight deadlines, a quick call to Joerg Thalmann at MCC, who we’ve known for years solved all problems! In the design phase of a label do you consider various inks, materials and printing technologies? How did MCC help here? At Square44 we notice that clients in some of the emerging markets we focus on tend to take more of a wait-and-see approach when it comes to innovations in packaging design. It’s a hugely missed opportunity in many cases as there are so many novel ways a certain paper substrate, ink, print technology or finish can add

that much extra to a label. You really have to be able to look at packaging design beyond just a cost factor on your A&P budget. More and more companies start to realize however that a well-executed pack, drives the highest ROI you can get out of any marketing instrument available these days. Your packs are often your only marketing instrument that live at the critical moment of purchase and beyond that of all marketing tools available your packs communicate longest and most frequently with your target audience. A poorly executed pack similarly can really hurt sales or brand performance. When it comes to innovations in packaging, we can always reach out to the team at MCC to discuss paper types, ink types, novel printing methods or technologies that can help a brand or a pack stand out or get noticed faster, add a hint of premium or a touch of modernity depending on the brief. They are always extremely helpful when we approach them to look for solutions that fit a client’s brief well.

What can a good label do for your brand?

Get noticed A good label or packaging design helps a brand get seen first of all and getting seen means getting sold. Getting contrast within the environment when and where a brand is sold and attracting the eye is a critical thing for a brand to get right.

Increase brand value A good label should clearly communicate the superior value your brand has when compared to others. What makes you different, better, unique? Why would a consumer that already is happy with another brand switch to your brand? What are you promising?

Drive brand loyalty The purpose of branding is to drive loyalty for your brand, a distinctive label with a unique combination of visual assets or branding elements can be used off-pack to create a visual identity for the brand that travels across channels. Some of the most iconic brands are masters of using assets, think of Heineken with its green color and red star.

Tell your story A good label should tell the story of your brand, in the case of Luang Prabang it’s about capturing the feeling you had when you visited or representing the mood and tone of the place to draw you in. If you’re stuck in lock down somewhere unable to travel, at least drink the beer, so you can feel for a moment you are there.

What are the trends/innovations in label design? What are brand owners asking for? As a branding and packaging agency, Square44 get briefings coming in each day from over 20 markets from every kind of category. You can see how trends impact brands. With the Covid-19 pandemic, a lot of brands are looking for innovations that drive health and safety, this affects label design as well as product innovation. We are starting to see brands that take a more green approach - looking for durability, sustainability, recyclability and reducing carbon footprint. When it comes to pricing however of solutions that already exist a lot of companies still take a wait-and-see approach and the urgency when it comes to taking action seems less than what brands talk about publicly.

We see a constant push for premiumization especially in the Asia region, where consumers demand higher quality, trust and credibility which a good label and print finish can help emphasize and if the pack is executed poorly can really hurt a brand. Last thing we see is that category norms are fading, which means category language gets redefined with the coming of age of constantly new generations of consumers. Where craft used to apply to beer, you see craft now affecting many other categories such as coffee, spirits even juices. As a result the typical beer label starts to go out of fashion and a new look, a new style is emerging. Something that affects many categories and bodes exciting times ahead for brands, their visual identity and the packaging they come in.

Click to read our Beverage | Home Care & Laundry | Automotive & Chemicals Personal Care & Beauty | Wine & Spirits Food & Dairy customer cases

Before Printing 10

Pre-Press Services Once you have established your design intent, the pre-press phase begins. MCC’s team works with you to fully understand your brand’s design intent and implement the ideal printing solution. MCC’s global scale gives the ability to collaborate with experts all around the world to implement the best practices and newest technologies available to you. Explore the in-depth range of pre-press services you can implement to set your brand apart.

How pre-press services benefit you 1 Stay informed of project timelines with pre-press management systems Your project is tracked throughout the entire pre-press and print production process. The management system allows MCC to manage the entire front-end process flow, from file receipt and pre-flight, through label engineering, proof request, proof approval, and plate/print tool output.

2 Standard & accurate trapping, proofs, and step file creation, all under one roof MCC has an extensive workflow automation to support automated trapping, proof creation, and layout/step file creation. These workflows support all printing and decorating technologies. In addition, they provide consistency and accuracy in file management, and support our goal of turning graphics production as efficiently as possible.

3 Faster turnarounds and consistency with in-house plate-making and tooling All production facilities have various internal capabilities including high-definition printing plates and rotary screens. MCC utilizes standardized plate-making and screen-making equipment across production facilities to ensure print/plate consistency from plant to plant. All plate-making departments follow defined standardized QA and preventive maintenance programs to ensure consistent and optimal plate and screen reproduction.

Before Printing

Success Story: Pre-Press Services

A Fresh Approach to Mi Campo Artisanal Label Mi Campo Tequila | MCC Guadalajara, Mexico Mi Campo burst onto the spirits scene with a fresh approach to tequila making, while maintaining a brand essence that celebrates the spirit’s history, along with the contemporary art and innovative culture of Mexico. MCC Guadalajara was honored to work with Mi Campo, a brand owned by Constellation Brands, and have the opportunity to develop a label that represents the state of Jalisco, ‘land of tequila’.

The company enlisted Raúl Arias, a Mexico City-based artist to design the high-quality, digitally printed label. The brand used premium embellishments to really set the label apart, including sculpted emboss and metallic text, giving just the right amount of flash. Executing well on the color was very important to the customer. They provided a sample with four main colors and MCC’s pre-press team worked hard to ensure these bright colors could be matched. In the end, six different inks were used to match the required four colors. The main design element of the label is a heart, and the customer wanted to add volume and texture to it. Once again, the technical and pre-press teams were able to incorporate a multi-level emboss to the heart, with a touch varnish to provide weight. Working closely with the customer allowed MCC to understand the project very well and meet their expectations. As a result, Mi Campo’s label has gained some industry recognition, as it earned MCC Guadalajara the Best in Class distinction in the digital print categories of the 2019 TLMI Label Awards.

Before Printing

Color Management We know how important color is to a brand owner. This can truly make or break a purchase decision, as consumers are often basing their decision on the color shown on the packaging. Some examples of products where label color makes a big impact on purchasing decisions in the consumer packaged goods space are: • • •

Personal care products Home care products Paint products

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Color accuracy and consistency are the silent ambassadors of your brand. Multi-Color recognizes the importance of accurate color and continues to invest in the latest technology and processes to protect our customers’ brand image. ” Drew Miller, Director Print Execution at MCC

How MCC provides accurate color Global servers Any of our MCC sites can access each other to transfer art files and spec information. Great for global brands who want to maintain their colors from country to country! Spectrophotometer readings A modern device for measuring the intensity of light which captures and evaluates color. This device turns a color reading into a number - a science, rather than something that would be described subjectively- an art. MCC measures the Delta-E of every color to ensure there is never a visual color difference on shelf.

Success Story: Color Management

Creating Brand Identity and Consistency for Key Fragrance Player Tocca, a leader in the fine fragrance and personal care category, sells products in retailers like Sephora and others. Their products range from hand-crafted fragrance selections, to mists, air diffusers, creams and lotions. They even provide some other personal care items such as hand creams and lotions. Tocca targets the millennial audience who desire a premium product at an affordable price.

The challenge Tocca needed to be able to provide color and brand consistency across all their product lines. This is something their previous label suppliers struggled to achieve. While Tocca strives to keep pricing affordable, it remains a top priority to embody a premium look and feel to stand out on shelf. MCC solution Tocca communicated their need for label consistency to MCC. They explained that Tocca means ‘touch’ in Italian, therefore they wanted the same texturized paper substrate to be used for all their labels. This becomes challenging when you begin to think about all the different types of products Tocca has. Products are in glass and plastic and must be appropriate in many environments. Multi-Color Corporation took on the challenge by testing various substrates to find a highend paper that would withstand Tocca’s needs and work for their entire portfolio of products. Once Multi-Color found the perfect paper, they then shifted their attention

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to addressing Tocca’s color consistency problems. MultiColor took a very direct up-front approach to evaluate each artwork and determine design intent. Multi-Color’s IEM/Graphics Team used advanced color measuring tools to ensure the color variance never exceeds + or – 2 delta E. This is something Tocca was exceptionally pleased with, given that they are now expanding globally and want to have clear brand identity. The results The entire Tocca label portfolio includes high-end embellishments. Multi-Color will continue to protect Tocca’s brand and color consistency by using the proper measuring tools. Tocca is very happy with the appearance and performance of their labels. The sales numbers for their new fragrances are already projected to exceed original expectations.

Consistent, high-quality printing is paramount as we grow our brand globally. Establishing long-term relationships with key vendorpartners who understand our goals and expectations allow us to execute flawlessly.” Gordon Finkelstein, Founder/CEO at Tocca 15

Before Printing

Rapid Prototyping Now that you have decided on your design intent, your pre-press execution, and color, you need to begin thinking about what is next for your brand. How will you catch your consumers’ eye? Rapid prototyping is a great way to test out new embellishments, materials, and designs. This is a great opportunity to test how consumers respond, without making a large commitment. Read on to see exactly what rapid prototyping is and when to use it!

What is it?

When to use rapid prototyping

Rapid prototyping provides a product that mimics actual print production, giving the customer a good indication of how a concept’s design elements will appear prior to actual production. Rapid prototyping is an imaging and converting technology that produces high-quality prototypes on a variety of substrates, incorporating decorative foils, embossing and debossing, as well as simulated textures. Using rapid prototyping is the perfect way to bring your ideas to life before they go into production. This solution is best for customers who want to see a physical rendition of their label design or multiple label designs prior to committing to an actual production run and purchasing dies and tooling. Using rapid prototyping enables you to have peace of mind in design decisions and execution.

Confirm whether various options communicate as intended • Opportunity to conduct consumer testing and get feedback • Share options with internal stakeholders • Compare graphic and special-effect variations

Want to learn even more about rapid prototyping? Click here to request our magazine.

Develop your marketing materials Get a jump on digital, video, and printed materials

Lead times Once approved, the standard lead time is just 3-5 days.

Success Story: Rapid Prototyping

Rapid Prototyping helps launch luxury rebrand King Estate Winery | MCC Napa, California, USA There’s no denying that bubbles evoke celebration and luxury. King Estate Wines in Oregon’s Willamette Valley utilized MCC’s Rapid Prototyping capabilities to deliver a label worthy of the most special of celebrations. After taking a several year hiatus from sparkling wine production, in 2016, King Estate Wines was ready to once again produce their prized bubbly. The former packaging didn’t adequately capture the quality and distinction of what was inside the bottle though, so they decided to embark on a redesign. Utilizing MCC’s Rapid Prototyping capabilities, King Estate was able to see a near-identical proof to ensure their vision was going to come to life. Since 1991, King Estate Winery in Eugene, Oregon has been family run and operated. With over 1,000 acres at the tip of the famed Willamette Valley winegrowing region, the winery is known for its Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and sparkling wine, all typical of the region. In 2016, after not releasing a sparkling wine for eight years, the team at King Estate knew they wanted to re-release the wine with

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stunning packaging, worthy of the amazing wine inside. Using in-house designer Taylor King, King Estate did an entire rebrand of all their high-end labels. The goal for the sparkling label was to capture the essence of a vintage champagne, worthy of being on the shelf next to the world’s best. The design leveraged multiple premium embellishments to achieve this look – textured paper, two different foils, a background texture, and multiple embossed elements. Departing so drastically from the previous packaging was risky, and the team wanted to ensure that the new design was readable and not too busy. Using Rapid Prototyping, King Estate was able to receive a proof with all the embellishments, nearly identical to what the finished label would look like. After seeing the satin varnish that came on the Rapid Prototyping proof, they modified their original design to match, loving the subtle look. With the help of the proof, they successfully moved forward, knowing they had achieved their goal of capturing a luxurious and sophisticated new look.

Looking at a label on the computer screen is flat, it doesn’t come to life. Using Rapid Prototyping allowed us to put the proof on an actual bottle and show the executive team our vision. It was a game changer, such an awesome tool! We’ll definitely consider using it any time we do a new brand. It’s well worth the investment.” Ryan Johnson, Director of Marketing, King Estate Winery 17

During Printing

Offerings

Project Management Services Once your design is finalized, you will begin the process of print execution. MCC’s project management services ensure you have your labels on time and are in-the-know on your project’s status.

Interactive Customer Platform

When you begin the process of printing, it is important to know the status of your project so you can properly plan for the rest of your product’s journey to the store shelf. If your labels are delayed or even ahead of schedule, you will need to inform your label applicator vendor, bottle vendor, etc.

Customer portal - what is it?

Customer portal benefits

MCC’s customer portal makes this step of the label journey fast, easy, and convenient. The portal is a suite of online services that shows all facets of the label manufacturing process at your fingertips. This includes quoting, project planning, order placement, art & proof management, proofing, manufacturing, inventory, shipping, and billing. MCC is proud to say that our customer portal provides the most comprehensive and tightly integrated customer experience possible in the printing industry.

Real-time information Real-time access to information for every phase of the production and fulfillment process. Verify order history, view invoices, check inventory status, coordinate billing and more.

Click here to request a free demo

Secure 24/7 access Secure password protection allows you to view information at any time on any standard web browser. Online proofing View and approve proofs online at your convenience. Customizable approval hierarchies help to keep your project under control. Online proof history records who and when digital signatures are applied.

During Printing

Project Management Resources In addition to online programs, MCC also invests in Project Management Resources so you can be reassured that every label project is optimized and set up for success. From the moment an idea or design concept emerges, right through to the finished label, MCC’s capable Project Management teams ensure that each job is the best it can be. With vast experience in value engineering and matching the correct printing technology to each unique job, customers can rest assured that their label will turn out perfectly. From pre-press and set up considerations, on-site press checks, and post-sales customer service, MCC is the ultimate partner from start to finish.

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Our goal is to streamline the process and remove all complexities for the customer, so they can just enjoy their finished labels.” Jaclyn Gentry, Business Development Manager, MCC Batavia

How Project Management Resources Enhance your Labeling Project • Confidence that projects will run smoothly and successfully • Assurance that labels will print on the most optimized technology for the specific job • Premium customer service

Success Story: Project Management Resources

Rudi’s Pepperfire Hot Sauce

Helping each customer with the passion and attention that they deserve Specialty sauce company, Rudi’s Hot Sauce, receives a label worthy of their tasty sauces.

During Printing

The brand Those who enjoy hot sauce will tell you, there’s something special about their excitement for flavor and their affinity towards delighting their tastebuds with that peppery bite. The passionate people behind Brooks Pepperfire Foods and Rudi’s Hot Sauce have generations of experience with peppers and crafting unique sauces. Brooks Pepperfire Foods is a copacker for many different artisanal companies. When the owner’s son, Rudi Brooks started his own company he hired his Dad’s company to be his copacker. Like any brand owner, Rudi needed to ensure the quality of his product and he was sure that nobody could do it so well. BPFI is now encouraging its other brands to upgrade their labels as well. Great care and attention are put forth to create flavorful sauces each with their own amount of heat. It’s not just the flavor that they care about, it’s also the ingredients. Rudi’s prides themselves on leaving out preservatives, making them all-natural, gluten-free and no GMO’s. The challenge As Rudi’s expanded their sauce offerings and appealed to an ever-growing fan-base, their bottle needed a label that was as premium and high quality as their product. Entrepreneurs with passion for their product often do whatever it takes to get their product to market. In this case, the owners were spending countless hours with antiquated printers self-applying homemade paper labels that were easily damaged during the application process or transportation. The solution MCC has solutions for businesses at all stages of their growth path. We make sure each customer feels cared for and appreciated regardless of order volume or contract value. In this situation, we knew that we could drastically improve the customer’s label quality and attractiveness while providing the low volume quantities this small business needed. Our team in Quebec, Canada knew this project would be perfect for our digital printing option. Digital printing would deliver the attractive embellishments and allow for the lower volume production run.

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Before (left) and after (right) the label redesign

The result A label that is an improvement over the previous version in every way. Their new labels enhance the visual appeal of the product and present a more polished final product. The embellishments attract attention and ensure what’s inside was carefully crafted. The label is printed digitally using CMYK ink variances and runs on a metalized BOPP substrate with a protective varnish. These pressure sensitive labels were the perfect update this product needed. The improvements have allowed the owners to redirect their attention away from label printing and application and towards developing new flavorful creations. Brooks Pepperfire Foods and Rudi’s is very happy with their new labels and conversation have already began for their upcoming products outside of hot sauces.

MCC was fast and accurate. They helped us transition to a more automated label application system. The first printing of labels was personally delivered to us, and we couldn’t be happier with the outcome.” Greg Brooks, CEO & Peppermaster at Brooks Pepperfire Foods Inc.

Strategic Account Management What is Provided with Strategic Account Management? Clear communication It can be challenging and stressful when searching for a label supplier who you can trust with producing your labels. The production of your labels is a reflection of your brand. There are a lot of factors that go into selecting the right label manufacturer, but one stands above the rest: communication. Communication can be a deciding factor in a range of areas in the label manufacturing process, from design concepts to inventory management. At MCC, we understand the importance of strategic account management and the benefits it brings to your overall experience. Dedicated teams During the early stages of our customers label process, we collaborate with them to determine what their needs are and figure out what type of processes will work best with them. Through this, we create dedicated, tailored programs that will meet all of their needs. In some cases, dedicated teams are formed who then become the main points of contact throughout the label process. They handle the customer orders, inventory management, manufacturing information and more. This creates a single line of communication between the customer and MCC. For example, if a scheduling issue arises or the customer needs more label produced than anticipated, our dedicated team has you covered. Our large production footprint including multiple print technologies allows us to easily handle challenges and support the evolving needs of our customers.

Understanding your brand Our team becomes subject matter experts on our client’s brands, understanding their needs and product lines and form that level of intimacy they are missing out on. Customers find this very valuable because of the direct level of communication and trust they receive when speaking with our experts. We like to make the label process as easy as possible for our customers. Through clear communication and strategic account management, we make your brand a priority.

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We work closely with our customers to ensure the right tools are in place to manage their account – large or small. From custom built vendor managed inventory models, interactive web portals, to complete EDI integration, MCC can create a tailored servicebased model for your brand.” Elisa Grassi, Director of Customer Service at MCC

During Printing

Success Story: Strategic Account Management

SC Johnson 2020 “Together We Win” Supplier Award for Customer Service Excellence MCC was presented with the 2020 Customer Service Excellence Award as part of SC Johnson’s 2020 Together We Win Supplier Awards. Award winning effort MCC earned the award for a track record of swift response times and for improving supply chain performance year over year. MCC was selected out of thousands of suppliers in SC Johnson’s network for this award. Amazing recognition The 2020 “Together We Win” Supplier Awards were held virtually and honored the six suppliers that contributed most to SC Johnson’s growth and highlighted the company’s commitment to quality, sustainability and innovation. SC Johnson is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, pest control and shoe care, as well as professional products.

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What an incredible honor to receive the 2020 Customer Service Excellence Award from SC Johnson. It shows MCC’s effort and partnership is valued and is a testament to the teams hard work.” Sara Schaumburg, Global Account Manager at MCC

Secure Supply Chain In addition to our own internal project management resources, MCC makes sure your project stays on track with a secure supply chain. MCC’s customers expect the highest quality standards, and this starts with our supplier base and extends throughout the entire value chain. Learn more about how MCC can provide peace of mind during this step of the printing process.

Typical supply chain concerns you no longer need to worry about Not having raw materials when they are needed MCC works with leading material and application equipment suppliers. Together we develop supply programs and set up business continuity plans to ensure redundancy within their systems and to guarantee we get our raw materials when required. Business continuity is achieved by qualifying multiple supplier sites and also qualifying multiple vendors to ensure we always have materials coming in. Where possible, we try and use regional suppliers to decrease international supply programs and potential delays for overseas shipments of our raw materials. Delays if a site, press, or equipment shuts down MCC qualifies multiple own facilities for business continuity in the event a site, press, or equipment goes down or if a plant experiences sickness and has to shut down for health reasons. We have numerous alternative

sites qualified and ready to support our customers, ‘securing the supply chain’ for your business. Inefficient warehousing/inventory management With multiple manufacturing sites across the globe, MCC is capable of warehousing at locations that are geographically advantageous for you. We offer a product warehousing/inventory program, whereby we warehouse your printed products in our secure, climatecontrolled facilities. Our Iabel management resources ensure that we have the supply to meet your demand. Shared order management in VMI (Vendor Management Inventory) facilitates optimizes your order fulfilment and stock management process. This allows: • Improved order management • Reductions in inventory and obsolescence • Cost effective production runs • Complete transparency for decision making

During Printing

Success Story: Secure Supply Chain

How COVID-19 Changes Supply Chain Management Considering the exceptional pandemic situation, the role of supply chain to provide antibacterial and disinfecting products is essential, as that is strengthening our combined efforts to fight against COVID-19.

MCC customers fighting COVID-19 With MCC’s help, more and more of our customers are doing their part to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Fast supply chain for Avon Care Moisturizing Hand Gel labels During this global pandemic, Avon, a multi-level beauty and household company headquartered in London, pivoted from their normal production and began producing antibacterial gels to join the fight against COVID-19. They asked MCC Warsaw to produce these much-needed labels. Production deadlines were very tight and could not be missed.

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Thanks to the precise planning of MCC Warsaw, they could quickly start production on the labels. As a result, 3.5 tons of finished antibacterial products were handed over to the city of Garwolin and local public institutions. The same amount of funds went to the Wolski Hospital in Warsaw. Way to go, MCC Warsaw for stepping up and helping your local community!

Thanks to the commitment of the entire MCC Poland team and cooperation with our suppliers, the Avon order was successfully completed and delivered on time.” Magdalena Tucholska, Key Account Manager at MCC

Implementation & Continuous Improvement Services

After Printing

Offerings

After your labels are printed, we don’t wipe our hands clean of the project. MCC has a team to make sure your labels are applied correctly, and that you are set up for success. It doesn’t stop with label application assistance either. MCC has resources that allow you to continue innovating and capturing market share for your brand in the future.

After Printing

Research & Development From raw materials to finished goods, our in-house Research & Development team focuses on new product development and new market innovations that help build brands and drive sales. Perhaps you are looking for a more sustainable solution or something fresh to increase shelf appeal. Our dedicated team of over 50 R&D employees work with you to find the best possible label solution, regardless of labeling technology.

Unique R&D assistance available to you Consultative approach to the right labeling method Since MCC has such a wide range of labeling solutions, our experts can analyze your container and suggest the best method possible for your project. Not many other label printers have the luxury of having so many types of decorating, so they sometimes lead a customer down a path that only leads to their solution. MCC is committed to finding the right labeling solution for your brand, no matter what technology is needed. Access to the latest label innovations our experts develop MCC’s talented group of R&D professionals never stop trying to innovate. They spend countless hours developing the next big thing in label printing. Partnering with MCC means that you will be on the cutting-edge of label innovations.

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See all of the market innovations we have available to support your brand here. Collaborative innovation workshops MCC also offers Innovation workshops to our customers. These workshops include a review of all of the many innovation options available and strategizing which ones would be beneficial to your specific brand. This collaboration is a great way to explore innovations you didn’t even know were possible!

Click here to request an Innovation Workshop

Everyone on the R&D team is energized by the desire to help our customers solve their challenging problems. By listening attentively to the customer’s needs and thinking creatively about the solutions we can provide, we deliver innovative product developments to the market.” Craig Bushman, VP, Global Research and Development

Success Story: Research & Development

P&G’s “Wobbler” Label Solves Consumers’ Dosing Needs The challenge In early 2019, P&G’s fabric care business wanted to design a unique insert for their renowned Tide Pods tubs after learning that consumers were “under dosing” their loads. The concept of the Wobbler was born, with the sole purpose of reminding the consumer how to dose their loads at each point of use. Creating the solution MCC York’s Product Leadership team helped design a 7 mil PET insert which you would reach through while getting a pod out of the tub. It would be affixed to one side of the collar of the tub and loose on the other. Based on that design it would “wobble” when you put your hand through it. The design of the Wobbler served two primary roles: It would cause direct consumer interaction by touching it, but it would be functional in that it gives dosing instructions. During the trial process, Product Leadership worked diligently with P&G on fit, form, and function as many materials and designs were tested. Since the Wobbler is a new solution, MCC needed to manually create the Wobbler in the meantime while the new automated machine was identified and delivered.

The results While awaiting delivery of the new automated machine, the York Operations team utilized creativity and perseverance to design and execute on a manual production process to meet P&G’s immediate need. After more than 6 months of manually producing products, the new machine is running full-steam and sending Tide Pods tubs with Wobblers across America! MCC is proud to bring a new label into market from start to finish, that also truly solves P&G’s consumer need.

After Printing

Equipment Solutions Group Have you ever invested in a new label technology and struggled to get the label applied to your package? Available in the North American market, MCC’s Equipment Solutions Group helps customers get their labels applied smoothly and efficiently. In fact, MCC is proud to be the only printing and label converter that is an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) of automation equipment. MCC knows the importance of making sure a project runs without hiccups even after the labels are printed, so they continue to invest in this service. See below the ways customers benefit from utilizing the Equipment Solutions Group.

Benefits of utilizing the equipment solutions group 1. Label application is on time and within budget Over the past 45+ years, Multi-Color has developed some of the automation industry’s most sophisticated and reliable labeling applicators and labeling systems. Multi-Color is known for their award-winning graphics and the superior print quality of our clients’ labels and packaging. To complete our “package”, Multi-Colors Machine Solutions Group has become the industry’s innovator in developing state-of-the art systems to accommodate product identification, tracking, and line automation. MCC’s one stop solutions capability provides a unique advantage of covering the total spectrum from the simple to the most complex requirements. MCC’s team has designed and provided complete turnkey systems for essentially every type of product handling system imaginable. Whether a standalone applicator or a fully automated distribution center, MCC can provide all the details to assure that customer requirements are met and executed on time and within budget.

2. Label quality is assured with these tools • Product labeling: front/back/wrap, top/bottom, or singular side or redundant, we have the right labeling solution for your specific applications • Cameras: The Equipment Solutions Group is a distributor of some of the world’s most advanced camera technology. Our cameras are used for verification, quality inspection, or simple presence dependent on your requirements. • Printer applicators: A variety of printer applicators that can apply variable printed information from carton identifiers to shipping labels • Scanners: A variety of scanners that verify bar codes, send information down stream to direct product destination, or are customized to your need

3. Get a tailored solution for your specific needs via our experts’ help MCC has resources available to review your production environment and brand needs to suggest the optimal solution for your label application. No matter the demands your brand/environment need, MCC’s ESG has you covered. What does your brand demand? • High-speed label application • New-product trials • Expanding SKUs that require different sizes and label materials • Decorative labels that need to be applied anywhere - side, top, bottom, corner, or multiple sides • RFID technology or labels • Push a sales lift or product trial via couponing • On-pack and in-pack promotional campaigns

What does your production environment demand? • Smooth integration for plug-and-play flexibility of new equipment • Quick ramp-up to required speeds • Precise and consistent label placement • Flexibility to accommodate future line innovations in speed and efficiency • An established preventive maintenance and wornparts replacement program that improves overall efficiency and eliminates unnecessary downtime 4. Ability to purchase application machines from MCC In case you would like to have the application machinery in house, you have the ability to purchase them right from MCC! To see our wide range of machine options click here.

Want to read even more about the Equipment Solutions Group? Click here to learn more.

After Printing

Success Story: Equipment Solutions Group

Augmented Reality:

Shifting the Boundaries of Remote Support Companies are now under even more pressure to meet their delivery times during COVID-19. To meet these deadlines, each step in the labeling process must run smoothly. If not, MCC’s Application Engineering Team is always available to help, even remotely. Get to know our TeamViewer Project! “We wanted to see and listen to what our customers are experiencing and that’s why our team started with the TeamViewer Pilot project in Cwmbran (UK) to help customers remotely. This way we are using livestreaming video to solve problems and prevent downtime costs”, says Chris Cotter, Application Engineering Manager at MCC. By simply using your smartphone, you can film the machine, allowing MCC’s Engineering Team to quickly see what the problem is by freezing the video. A big advantage is that MCC can guide the customer by giving visual instructions such as arrows or circles on the video to indicate what should be changed. You’re probably thinking that it is not easy to work on a labeling machine and film at the same time. We combat that challenge by using smart glasses. This makes it easier to live-stream and execute simultaneously. The customer can easily adjust their

settings while using the Teamviewer Livestream. Benefits of application engineering via augmented reality: • Save time and money by solving problems remotely • Faster QA • Guidance via 3D markers onto real-world objects • Recording and freezing livestreams to send instructions or translations afterwards After rolling this out for food & beverage clients, we are convinced this project is an added value for clients in home care & laundry, as faster time to market is key.

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Since the pandemic limits our travel and we still receive a lot of urgent questions about label application support, we wanted to search for an effective solution.” Chris Cotter, Application Engineering Manager at MCC

Knowledge Sharing Once your label has been printed and applied, it is important to keep thinking about how you can continue to improve your brand. Our wide range of knowledge sharing opportunities makes sure you continue to be educated on the latest market trends, label innovations, and embellishments you can consider for future labels.

Knowledge sharing opportunities to take advantage of: Webinars The topics MCC choses for webinars always come from customer interest and needs. You can rewatch our past webinars at the knowledge center below. Whitepapers Similarly to MCC’s webinars, whitepaper topics also come from customer interest and needs. Read our whitepapers on our Knowledge Centers to educate yourself! LabelTalk magazines LabelTalk magazines include trends, innovations, and interviews from the Personal Care & Beauty/Home Care & Laundry space. These magazines are available to view online and can also be shipped to your doorstep. The physical magazines even include real samples you can touch and feel! Request yours on the Knowledge Center. MCC Label University This online educational track can be taken whenever,

wherever, at no charge. It details out each recent trend and how you can respond to those trends with exceptional labels. This engaging track gives you an advantage over your biggest competitors by staying in-the-know with the latest labeling options available. Sign up for MCC Label University here. On-site or online workshops Sometimes it is difficult to come up with the best solution for new innovations all on your own. MCC offers on-site and online workshops to brainstorm what would be best for your brand. With all the innovations out there, it can be intimidating to know where to start. Let us join you in coming up with a solution that is a win-win for everyone involved! Request a workshop here. Customer success stories Reviewing success stories from like-minded companies is helpful in discovering new innovations that align with your brand. Review our customer success stories on our Knowledge Center.

After Printing

Success Story: Knowledge Sharing

Maximize & Protect Your Brand The beverage can dates back to the 1930’s and still remains a popular and growing packaging choice for everything from beer to water. On a busy shelf, it may be difficult to differentiate your can design. MCC offers Smart Top labels that double up as a promotional tool as well as offering hygienic advantages.

What is a Smart Top Label? A Smart Top label is made from soft tempered aluminum foil, designed for labeling onto the top of the beverage can. This foil lidding feature is a physical barrier, sealing off the surface intended for consumers to drink from until the moment of consumption. Designed to maximize branding and messaging, these labels can be customized with a variety of eﬀects and embossing patterns, provide hygienic protection and are fully recyclable. These are the 5 biggest advantages that Smart Top Labels can offer you:

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Protects the can closure against dust & germs Fully recyclable Premium visual enhancement Additional advertising space Twist to open with replaceable closure

Material Options Typically, can lid labels are available in 13µm and 15µm aluminum foil, can also be supplied in 10,5µm and 18µm Print Capabilities

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Printing in up to 8 colors Various embossing patterns Thermosensitive inks Watermark or luminous effects Reverse side printing, for competitions etc. Special coating on back side to enhance glue performance for better adhesion and clean removal of the lid

How it works A standalone machine or add-on unit applies the aluminum label to the top of the can, providing a marketing vehicle that doubles as sanitary protection. A trouble free processing of the Smart Top labels can be achieved on a Krones Taxomatic labeling machine. We talked to Josef Mayer at Krones to gain an insight into the Taxomatic Labeller and how it works.

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We’ve definitely noticed a rise in interest for our Smart Top labels and the hygienic benefits are at the forefront of this drive. We work hand in hand with Krones who have extensive experience in setting up such a project and making sure it runs smoothly on the applicator. This type of label really adds value from both a functional and branding perspective.” Gerd Blecken, Head of R&D, MCC Germany

3 Reasons to Utilize MCC’s Services

Seamless and easy processes Our resources make your project as seamless as possible so you can stay concentrated on your regular tasks and be confident we will coordinate efficiently for your needs

Maintain brand consistency MCC’s resources make sure that your label is set up for success so your brand identity shines through the packaging

Continue to innovate Stay in the know with the latest label innovations, sure to capture your consumer’s attention

Contact Monica Royer at monica.royer@mcclabel.com to arrange a packaging innovation consultation.

Want to get more education on MCC’s Services? Click here to check out our website.