Insights
Meet Crane Currency’s Quality Lab Manager, Charlot Magro
An Interview with Charlot
Charlot, can you tell us a bit about your professional background and how it has shaped your approach to your current role?
I’ve spent 19 years in the automotive industry, a sector known for setting the gold standard in quality and continuous improvement through principles like Kaizen. My journey in automotive saw me moving across various positions – from sales and planning to production and quality lab testing. This experience laid a solid foundation for my current role, where I apply rigorous quality standards and continuous improvement processes daily. Transitioning to a local carton manufacturer as a Quality Manager, and soon after as an Operations Manager, I faced numerous challenges that further honed my skills in managing large-scale production and establishing quality control measures. When Crane opened a new printing facility in Malta in 2017, I seized the opportunity to build and lead a state-of-the-art testing lab, which has since become renowned for its capabilities and expertise.
What are some of the major challenges you’re currently facing, and how are you addressing them?
One of the biggest challenges is meeting new customer testing requirements, which often demand extensive research. In the high-security printing business, much of the necessary information isn't available online, so we rely heavily on our experience and creativity. Soiling tests are particularly challenging due to varying environmental conditions in different countries. To tackle these challenges, we are expanding our team to include four lab technicians and a science intern, which will significantly boost our capacity for developing new tests and conducting more comprehensive studies.
The Intelligent Evolution house note used to introduce RAPID® Vision garnered significant attention when it was launched during Public First. Can you describe your team’s role in its development?
We performed extensive chemical and physical testing on the inks used and prepared various soiling samples. The work highlighted an area of our work that is often overlooked. People often think of Quality Laboratory as testing the finished products, i.e., banknotes. In reality, we perform many tests on raw materials to ensure they perform as expected. It is a crucial component in how we support the customer need for on-time, on-quality delivery of banknotes. In the particular case of the Intelligent Evolution house note, our role was to ensure flawless performance of all of the inks used in its complex print design.
"...we see a complex relationship of many inks applied via many different printing processes - that is security"
Public First participants who visited you saw a large color wheel on the wall. Can you explain what that shows?
That is a 48-color pinwheel we created to illustrate the complexity of the Intelligent Evolution house note design. It also shows the role we play in both continuous improvement and innovation. In the automotive industry, the ability to reproduce a wide range of colors accurately is crucial, and this concept has been equally transformative in banknote printing. The pinwheel not only showcases our capability to handle complex color requirements but also serves as a powerful visual tool to communicate our technical expertise. It's a clear demonstration of how we prepare for production, ensuring the highest quality standards are met consistently. Visitors were shocked to see such a large number of inks used on a single note. What they see is a colorful, beautiful house note, but as experts we see a complex relationship of many inks applied via many different printing processes - that is security.
Sustainability is an increasingly important topic. What are your thoughts on it in the context of your work?
Sustainability is indeed crucial, especially in print production where resource usage and waste management are significant concerns. At Crane, we are constantly exploring ways to minimize our environmental impact. This includes investing in modern, energy-efficient machinery and developing processes that reduce waste. Our lab plays a key role in this by testing and validating materials that are both high-quality and environmentally friendly. By prioritizing sustainability, we not only meet regulatory requirements but also fulfill our responsibility towards the planet.
What is the most important message you’d like to deliver to our readers?
The most important message is that Crane is committed to exceeding customer expectations through continuous innovation and stringent quality control. Our state-of-the-art lab and the dedicated team behind it are proof of our capability to deliver exceptional products. We are here to provide solutions that are not only technically superior but also tailored to meet the unique needs of each client. Our aim is to leave our customers with the confidence that they are receiving the best possible product, backed by rigorous testing and a commitment to excellence.