Labeling Solutions Provider Loftware Acquires Gap Systems

Loftware Inc., a provider of labeling solutions, has acquired Gap Systems, a supplier of SaaS based artwork management solutions headquartered in the United Kingdom.

Loftware thereby extends its global presence and offers a new cloud-based digital platform with solutions that redefine how enterprises create, manage and print complex labeling and packaging artwork, and scale across their operations.

With this acquisition, Loftware unites complementary companies, teams and solutions. Loftware dynamically addresses a complete range of customer and regulatory mandates by producing mission-critical barcode labels and documents across the supply chain, while Gap Systems controls complex packaging artwork processes throughout the product lifecycle.

Together they uniquely address the full spectrum of labeling and packaging artwork requirements across a broad range of industries with a special focus on Pharmaceutical, Medical Device, Manufacturing, Food & Beverage, Chemical, Retail and Consumer Packaged Goods. The combined platform—whether used for labeling, artwork management or both—enables customers to improve time to market, mitigate risk, reduce supply chain complexity, optimize costs and increase agility.

“Several years ago, Loftware pioneered the Enterprise Labeling market by recognizing the need to focus on complex, high volume labeling for large organizations. Now we are transforming the Label and Artwork Management space by delivering this unprecedented platform,” commented Loftware President and CEO, Robert O’Connor Jr. “Our customers and the market will greatly benefit from our strategic vision, broader and deeper solutions, global scale and continued world-class services and support,” he added.

Robert O’Connor Jr., president and CEO, Loftware Inc.

This acquisition provides customers with complete range of capabilities all in one scalable, highly configurable set of solutions. Available for SaaS, cloud-based or on premise deployment, the platform integrates with existing business processes and empowers business users to manage variability with dynamic, data-driven printing to ensure greater consistency and accuracy.

Organizations can now manage content (including images, artworks, warnings, translations and phrases) used for both labeling and packaging with an advanced yet easy-to-use workflow that supports the broadest range of labels and artworks. This is especially important for customers in validated environments, enabling them to minimize what have traditionally been lengthy approval and review cycles.

“Loftware and Gap offer truly complementary solutions that the market needs, especially as companies look to standardize on a single platform that can create, manage and print labels and packaging artwork across worldwide operations,” stated Gap Systems Founder and CEO, Paul Goldberg. “Now internal and external stakeholders in packaging, regulatory, quality, operations, manufacturing, supply chain and marketing can address a more extensive set of requirements,” he added.

Loftware’s cloud-based digital platform combines its Enterprise Labeling Solution, Loftware Spectrum, which was designed to meet complex, ever-changing labeling requirements with Smartflow, Gap Systems’ flagship product. Smartflow manages complex packaging artwork processes to maintain control, simplify processes and obtain visibility throughout the product lifecycle. Depending on their specific needs, customers can choose from a wide range of features including label and artwork design, advanced workflow, content management, certified integration, business rules, proofing, printing, and analytics.

“Over the years, Gap Systems has demonstrated its leadership in the Artwork Management space by meeting difficult and evolving challenges for some of the world’s most successful companies,” noted Robert O’Connor, Jr. “We look forward to welcoming Gap Systems’ talented team to our award winning corporate culture and to offering our customers this revolutionary new platform,” he added.