Gelato launches GelatoConnect global print production platform

Gelato, the world’s largest global software platform for local on-demand production, announced GelatoConnect, a production print platform connecting procurement, workflow, and logistics to optimize printers’ efficiency, quality, and profitability. More than 100 global printers are already leveraging Gelato’s software to produce on-demand products.

In a brief interview with the Dead Pixels Society, Gelato Founder and CEO, Henrik Müller-Hansen was exuberant about the market potential of connecting various parts of the value chain, including those outside the Gelato network. This will be especially important for printers to compete with overseas textile printers.

“The creator economy is here,” he declared, adding that sourcing jobs locally through a product and machine-agnostic workflow will be vital for the future of the print industry. “What has not been here is a way to connect the local print industry in a personal and sustainable way. Connecting PayPal, Shopify, and GelatoConnect with local print partners will make magic happen.”

GelatoConnect caters to the evolving needs of digital printers in a rapidly transforming market. With e-commerce and personalized product demand rising, the average printing run has decreased significantly over the last decade. To capture e-commerce growth and evolve with consumer trends, makers must rapidly adapt to smaller print runs and on-demand digital production. GelatoConnect empowers makers to integrate with e-commerce creators from all over the world.

According to a Gelato press release, the advantages of GelatoConnect, as validated by McKinsey and Company, include a 3-7 percentage point increase in profitability for print producers by eliminating operational inefficiencies, improving procurement, reducing excess inventory, and optimizing shipping solutions.

“Gelato envisions a future where on-demand makers lead the way in providing every consumer access to personalized goods created locally,” said Müller-Hansen. “For the last 15 years, we’ve collaborated closely with trailblazing production partners and global machine vendors to develop a marketplace that empowers makers to support e-commerce creators around the globe. With local on-demand production, we fuel growth in the digital print industry. By working together with our production partners, we can transform the way our world produces.”

GelatoConnect has been tested and validated by early-access VIP partners and is currently accessible to a select group of production partners. A full-scale launch, making GelatoConnect available to all makers,  is scheduled for drupa.