As digital printing redefines industry standards with its versatility, customization options and sustainability benefits, major players gain a competitive advantage in the market. Digital printing may be relatively new to packaging, but it is fast becoming a key player in the highly competitive packaging market, experts say.
In fact, Ohio-based market research firm Smithers says digitalization will be the fastest growing packaging printing technology from 2022 to 2027. There is no doubt that this innovative technology offers flexibility in design and production, with fewer steps than traditional printing where ink is applied to the plate or screen. In digital packaging, a digital file (usually a PDF or JPEG) is transferred to a printing press to apply the design or information and/or design to the packaging material.
The most common uses of digital printing are inkjet, electrophotography and thermal transfer, and nano printing is also becoming popular. Here, ultra-small wet ink particles are sprayed onto the blanket and dried before being transferred to the wrapping paper.
Rene Schavo, managing director of the Essen Digital Printing Association (DIPA) in Germany, and Uwe Melichal, packaging expert and vice president of the European Brand and Packaging Design Association (EPDA), believe that the main advantage of digital printing is personalization, which is the opposite of mass production. "The technology is particularly good for small batch production, there's no overproduction, you just print the amount you need," Melichar said.
The business sectors that have made the most effective use of digital printing are fast-moving consumer goods such as food and beverage packaging, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, and especially e-commerce, where online sales and deliveries have boomed since the coronavirus pandemic, Mr Shaver said.
Innovations in digital printing apply to all types of materials. Melichar explained that while the technology was first used for labels in 1994, it can now be seen on paper, shrink wrap cases, cardboard, metal (cans) and flexible packaging (bags and wrappers), and while digital printing is not common, it can also be used on glass.
Cost has been a major sticking point due to the price of the required equipment and ink. Experts agree that analog printing - flexo or offset - is still more economical for high-volume printing: "Digital printing is still slow to develop compared to traditional printing," Melichar says, "but digitalization is catching up in terms of speed and cost," especially given the need for things like plates and other tools for traditional printing.
In addition, compared with traditional offset printing, flexographic printing, rotary printing and screen printing technology, the cost of digital printing is getting lower and lower, "if the printing volume is small, then it is very competitive."
The "crossover" point varies by company and printing task, according to Ken Hanulek, vice president of global marketing at Us-Based equipment and services provider EFI, with a print run of 50,000. Many experts agree that the main advantage of digital printing is its creativity and ability to engage audiences through eye-catching designs. The technology has even been used in Amazon boxes to send Taylor Swift albums.
Digital printing allows for the use of a variety of substrates, opening up possibilities for unique textures, colors and finishes, and this flexibility in material selection helps to enhance the overall beauty of the product and enhance the brand image. Indeed, while Melichar believes that the transition from technology to packaging is difficult and that good ideas are needed to bring digital printing to life, businesses are increasingly aware of the opportunities for personalization and personalization.
"There are wonderful projects on the market from a variety of brands, from printed personal names to unique artistic layouts," he said, noting that color options are also wider. For example, Nutella, the flagship brand of Ferrero, the Italian multinational chocolate maker, worked with HP on a great project: "Out of the 4 million Nutella glasses that were shrink-wrapped and digitally printed in Italy, only a few were 'duplicates,'" he says.
The company launched a competition where if two people found the same Nutellajar, "they would win a big prize." This caused a huge amount of concern, with people using social media to advertise their packaging and find duplicates."
Digital printing also means smart packaging, Melichar adds. Tamper-proof solutions are possible through serial numbers and barcodes. In this way, digital printing can help combat counterfeit packaging.
Perhaps the most obvious benefit is the sustainability of digital printing. "No tools, no plates," said Schavo and Melichar, which means a much better CO2 footprint, saving energy, time and resources. Custom production, on-demand printing, no material and paper waste. In addition, environmentally friendly inks, soy or water-based pigments and recycled materials can be used.
While digital printing is making waves across all materials and fields, and the technology is getting faster and formats are improving, there's no doubt there's room for both approaches: "Digital printing is complementary to traditional printing," Melichar said.
"Hybrid solutions can even be adopted," he said, noting that companies integrating Digital and flexo technologies include vendors such as Heidelberg and Krones in Germany and Kento Digital Printing in Spain, "which means that high print numbers will be pre-produced and customized" printing by digitization, "Melichar said. "It's a great opportunity."
