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Eshuis has been active in the graphic arts industry for more than 130 years and, from its location in Dalfsen, Overijssel, produces labels and flexible packaging for food and non-food brands. That long history does not make Eshuis conservative. On the contrary, it is precisely because the company knows its craft inside and out that it has the freedom to think about the future. And that future includes the use of AI.Anyone who steps inside Eshuis notices that growth here isn’t about “more,” but about “better.” The ambition to continue developing is clearly palpable, but it doesn’t automatically translate into additional machinery, more staff, or more square meters. The central question is always: how can we make the best possible use of what we already have in-house? From existing knowledge and available data to the experience of employees and the existing infrastructure. Sustainability also plays a central role here.<img src="https://cms.aihub-oost.nl/uploads/JNF_Eshuis_B_V_Bedrijfsfotografie_19_03_2026_Foto_2504_d596c6fcc4.jpg?token=BkODT3zyAyrXgmJoVnhYperrAt8CVS0LaUfIS1xCUf4&amp;expires=1784643614" alt="JNF-Eshuis-B.V.-Bedrijfsfotografie-19-03-2026-Foto-2504.jpg" srcset="https://cms.aihub-oost.nl/uploads/thumbnail_JNF_Eshuis_B_V_Bedrijfsfotografie_19_03_2026_Foto_2504_d596c6fcc4.jpg?token=PIp7cOruJpz0Xwc3osM3GVFn6MGmHgQk8AzRZrOswQ8&amp;expires=1784643614 245w,https://cms.aihub-oost.nl/uploads/small_JNF_Eshuis_B_V_Bedrijfsfotografie_19_03_2026_Foto_2504_d596c6fcc4.jpg?token=GgLYgZRQ7kAEm_mWhEjD-zHZLuMXie1YXb5Mv4NYP84&amp;expires=1784643614 500w,https://cms.aihub-oost.nl/uploads/medium_JNF_Eshuis_B_V_Bedrijfsfotografie_19_03_2026_Foto_2504_d596c6fcc4.jpg?token=DQzLoEckrMPmIZBpK_hXprnGILNyzgT8CWcVtuc6Ldk&amp;expires=1784643614 750w,https://cms.aihub-oost.nl/uploads/large_JNF_Eshuis_B_V_Bedrijfsfotografie_19_03_2026_Foto_2504_d596c6fcc4.jpg?token=8EMUEMXX5G_11YSwgWanFkEGGmSGMPPQGci9FZVvK6E&amp;expires=1784643614 1000w," sizes="100vw" width="6928" height="3897">A concrete example of this is the liner recycling program. Residual material from labels is collected and processed into new raw materials. In this way, waste becomes part of the supply chain once again. It illustrates how Eshuis systematically seeks ways to use existing resources more efficiently.That same way of thinking also applies to knowledge and processes. The idea of managing these more intelligently had been around at Eshuis for some time. But rapid developments in the field of AI made that ambition a reality.<blockquote>“AI was already on our radar,” says Marco Oude Nijeweme, ICT Manager at Eshuis. “But after an inspirational session on the possibilities for the business world, we knew: this isn’t just hype we have to take a stance on. This is something we need to take a position on—but based on our own challenges.”</blockquote><h2>Starting with People and Processes</h2>The challenge then lay in finding the right balance between what is technologically possible and what the organization actually needs. That’s why Eshuis didn’t immediately start implementing new technology, but began at the foundation: the employees.In the office and across support processes, they examined what the work actually looks like in practice. Which tasks recur daily? What takes up a lot of time? What energizes people—and what doesn’t? “Before technology can improve anything, it must first be clear what you’re actually doing—and why,” says Niek Slinkman, Project Manager for Innovation &amp; Process Optimization at Eshuis.Those conversations yielded valuable insights—not only about bottlenecks but also about where expertise, experience, and collaboration add the most value. It became clear where work had become unnecessarily complex and where employees were spending most of their time searching, coordinating, or repeating tasks.During this process, it also became clear that AI isn’t automatically the answer to every question. Sometimes the benefit lies in simplicity: clear agreements, documented knowledge, or a more logical process design. That phase proved to be at least as valuable as experimenting with technology.<img src="https://cms.aihub-oost.nl/uploads/DSC_3045_2_1ca382a6f4.jpg?token=eBRO4csxygDYXPY3TUq9CVq3O-_dRrwTDQywlrd02Qg&amp;expires=1784643599" alt="DSC_3045 (2).jpg" srcset="https://cms.aihub-oost.nl/uploads/thumbnail_DSC_3045_2_1ca382a6f4.jpg?token=G6HBU2DswaQhpINinfj_8IvFuCwx4odwbaY719E0Gzg&amp;expires=1784643599 234w,https://cms.aihub-oost.nl/uploads/small_DSC_3045_2_1ca382a6f4.jpg?token=g473OwocOFWanfAbaJgfJlZjK34F3GnlUzHSAt25Yr0&amp;expires=1784643599 500w,https://cms.aihub-oost.nl/uploads/medium_DSC_3045_2_1ca382a6f4.jpg?token=1eKkl8qDoCVS3Q1DLxvF-877YhFBMocwgLBQDI_4TMw&amp;expires=1784643599 750w,https://cms.aihub-oost.nl/uploads/large_DSC_3045_2_1ca382a6f4.jpg?token=KvSZj042MPlumYSTGA72YLgiIKrD26tQ0wkfxyrNUQc&amp;expires=1784643599 1000w," sizes="100vw" width="6016" height="4016"><h2>AI-Driven Knowledge Base and Lead Generation</h2>But AI also has an important role to play. One of the first applications is an AI-driven internal knowledge base. Eshuis has a wealth of documentation, product information, and process knowledge available, but it is scattered across various systems and documents. “This application makes it possible to ask questions using natural language and immediately receive relevant information,” explains Oude Nijeweme. For employees, this means less time spent searching and less reliance on specific colleagues. For the organization, it means that existing knowledge is utilized more effectively.On the commercial front, Eshuis is exploring the use of AI for lead generation. By intelligently analyzing data, the company identifies potential opportunities sooner and can prioritize them more effectively. The goal is not to replace personal customer contact, but to enable sales teams to enter conversations with greater focus and better-informed insights.In addition, AI is being explored in processes where speed and accuracy are crucial.<blockquote>Think of support for calculations and quote preparation, where information from various sources comes together. We’re also investigating how data analysis can help us make better predictions and plan more efficiently in the production and inventory planning process, says Slinkman.</blockquote><h2>Looking Ahead to the Production Floor</h2>With its initial experience in support processes, Eshuis is now looking ahead to the production floor. This includes analyzing production data to detect deviations earlier, supporting operators with real-time information, or more intelligently combining historical data with current production parameters.“On the production floor, technology must demonstrably contribute to quality and reliability,” emphasizes Slinkman. “If automation can achieve that, that’s fine. If AI provides additional insight on top of that, we’re happy to explore those possibilities. For us, it’s about the result, not the label.”

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Eshuis has been active in the graphic arts industry for more than 130 years and, from its location in Dalfsen, Overijssel, produces labels and flexible packaging for food and non-food brands. That long history does not make Eshuis conservative. On the contrary, it is precisely because the company knows its craft inside and out that it has the freedom to think about the future. And that future includes the use of AI.