Managing Packaging Artwork at Kavli with Cway

Most packaging teams don’t have a tooling problem. They have a workflow problem. The software is in place, but briefs still arrive by email, proofs circulate as attachments, and the final print-ready file ends up in whichever folder the last person happened to save it to.

Kavli is a good example of what changes when the whole process lives in one place. Kavli Norway has worked in Cway for a couple of years. Kavli Sweden, working together with Collabra, has gone a step further and built a way of working where the entire artwork lifecycle is handled in Cway — from brief and proofing to delivery and archiving.

At a recent Way of Working session, Cway, Kavli Sweden and Collabra walked through that setup. Here’s what it looks like, why it works, and what you can take from it.

The full artwork lifecycle in one loop

Kavli Sweden’s process follows four stages, and every one of them happens inside Cway:

1. Start – the project is created in Cway.
2. Proofing – artwork is reviewed and commented on in Cway.
3. Delivery – approved artwork is delivered onward from Cway.
4. Archive – the finished artwork is stored in Brand Studio.

Stages 1–3 run as a project. Stage 4 closes the loop: between projects, the artwork lives in Brand Studio, Cway’s artwork library. When the next change comes along, it starts from there.

That loop is the point. Because the current artwork is always the starting point for the next project, there’s never a question of which file is the latest one.

Step 1: Brief and project start in minutes

When an existing artwork needs to change, the brand manager briefs directly on the artwork in Brand Studio. There’s no separate brief document to track down and no need to explain which version the change applies to.

From there, the brand manager:

• creates the project and assigns the person producing the artwork, plus the team that needs to approve it
• attaches a new text manuscript to revision 1, so the copy everyone works from is always current

Briefing information, references and previous versions all sit in the same place. That makes it faster to get started and shortens lead times.

Step 2: All proofing rounds in one place

Every proofing round happens in Cway, and every revision is saved.

• The right people review. Quality and product development review and approve directly in Cway — not in a separate email thread.
• More markets when needed. If a pack also covers other markets, such as Finland, those reviewers are brought in when the packaging requires it.
• Full traceability. Because all revisions run through Cway, you can always see who changed what and who approved it.

Clear versions, structured review and consolidated feedback reduce the risk of misunderstandings — and of the most expensive kind of error: an incorrect pack going to print.

Step 3: Delivery to print, with a full audit trail

Proofing doesn’t end the job. Kavli Sweden also delivers through Cway, which keeps the trail unbroken all the way to the printer.

• One flow to every printer. Print-ready files are delivered via Cway to all of their printers.
• Timestamped proof approval. Approval of the PDF proof and colour proof is logged with who approved it and when.
• The right people get notified. The people who place print orders are added as recipients and get a notification when the delivery goes out.

The result: all history, approvals and deliveries are stored together, it’s easy to see what applies, and the team is ready for an audit at any time.

Ownership gives you flexibility

Because Kavli owns its content in Cway, the same flow works for more than packaging artwork:

• Packshots and hero images run as projects too. The brand manager approves, and the people who use the images are notified as soon as they’re delivered.
• Major redesigns become easier to manage. Entire folders can be shared with an agency in Brand Studio, so nobody has to send files back and forth.
• Testing a new printer is straightforward. Print-ready artwork files can simply be shared with the new supplier.

In practice, Brand Studio becomes a digital, always up-to-date store shelf. Many Cway customers are in it almost every day, with full control over brand, versions and the right files.

Same Cway, two ways of working

Kavli Norway and Kavli Sweden use the same platform but have organised their work around it differently:

Both setups lead to the same outcome: control, traceability and a shared, always-current artwork archive. The platform doesn’t dictate the operating model — it supports whichever one fits your organisation.

Five steps to get the full effect

If you want to move towards a fully connected artwork management workflow, these are the five practices that made the biggest difference for Kavli Sweden:

1. Always start and end in Cway.
Start every project from the active artwork and finish it in Cway. Close projects and mark previous versions as obsolete. That’s how you keep the store shelf current.

2. Make roles explicit.
Define who approves design, who reviews content, and who approves for print. Clear responsibilities mean faster decisions and a smoother flow.

3. Consider making the project manager the Orderer.
Let the person who drives the project, assigns the team and secures delivery hold the Orderer role. The brand manager can then act as Approver and focus on approving design and content.

4. Build a folder structure people recognise.
Set up Brand Studio to mirror how you actually work — for example by brand, product category, market, packaging type, launch year and status. Use the same terms your organisation already uses, so the right material is easy to find.

5. Always deliver via Cway.
Send print-ready files to every printer through Cway. Proofs, approvals and deliveries are then logged with who did what and when, giving you full traceability all the way to print.

What it adds up to

• Faster project starts — briefs, references and previous versions in one place
• Fewer errors and less rework — clear versions and structured review
• Full traceability and control — audit-ready history of every approval and delivery
• Better collaboration — everyone works from current information, with fewer parallel files and less admin

And, most importantly, less time spent searching for files and coordinating, more time for content, decisions and development.

Where to start in your own organisation

Same platform, different ways of working. The question is what works best for you. Three questions worth discussing with your team:

• What’s working well in your current way of working?
• Where could you get more out of Cway through clearer roles and routines?
• Which changes would make the biggest difference to your day-to-day work?

Whether you run artwork in-house like Kavli Norway or with an operational partner like Kavli Sweden, we’re happy to help with structure, workflow design and training along the way.