3C! Packaging wins certification for private-label print packaging

3C! Packaging (Clayton, NC) has won certification from the Graphic Measures International (GMI) organization for its offset printing operations, a necessary step to becoming a certified supplier to Walgreens. Going forward, Walgreens’ private-label suppliers will be using 3C! for printed packaging of Walgreens private-branded pharmaceutical and healthcare products, which could show up in all of its 8,200 US pharmacies.

The GMI certification is a different approach to quality assurance (at least for companies accustomed to FDA inspections), says Bill Harrison, QA director at 3C!. Its members are buyers of packaging, including a range of major retailers; those retailers use GMI to certify the vendors that they might use for printing. GMI conducts on-site surveys and tests print runs on various substrates as a step to the certification. Several categories were tested for compliance, including prepress, plating, press, post-press operations, quality control and training.

3C!, privately held, designs and manufactures custom folding cartons, printed literature, inserts/outserts, labels/foils, and unit dose applications for pharmaceuticals and healthcare products.