Digital Packaging: It’s Not Just for Prototyping Anymore By Richard Romano Shorter run lengths, customization, and targeting— these are three primary drivers of digital printing in general, and in the past couple of years have started to insinuate their way into packaging production. The applications aren’t exactly the same, as packaging has some unique nuances, but are still very much variations on a theme. There has been some degree of overlap in three major topic areas: inkjet printing, wide format, and packaging, and you could likely draw a Venn diagram to identify where points of convergence are. HP’s (Booth 1202) forthcoming High-Speed Inkjet Corrugated Packaging Solution is based on the company’s T400 Color Inkjet Web Press, and is intended to allow packaging converters to transition from analog processes to digital. At last year’s GRAPH EXPO, HP and KBA (Booth 213) announced a partnership to develop a high-speed, roll-toroll, thermal inkjet solution for the high-volume corrugated packaging market. More specific updates will trickle out over the course of this year’s show, but according to HP, the development of this joint project is proceeding “on schedule.” On the toner side, HP’s Indigo was an early player in digital packaging production, and what we have seen happen with both inkjet- and toner-based packaging is what we are starting to see in production inkjet for smaller-format products: less of an emphasis on shifting technology from analog to digital for its own sake, but doing to create unique high-value packaging applications that only digital can produce. Much has been written about Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign featuring “personalized” (although not really personalized) cans and bottles, but that is one of the emblematic examples of using digital printing to create unique packaging applications. Another unique application came from the U.K., where Walkers brand crisps ran a campaign in which 2,000 entrants could get their names or unique messages printed on bags of crisps. These are the sorts of things that digital is enabling, allowing people to interact with brands in ways they never have been able to before. Included in the packaging conversation is a mention of label printing, which is also starting to see some shift to digital from analog technologies like flexo. “HP led the shift to digital in label printing, and now it’s driving analog-to-digital transformation in the packaging industry with solutions that enable packaging converters to diversify business models, reach new customers, and explore new profit areas,” says Avi Basu, Director of Market and Business Development, Americas Graphics Solutions Business, HP. HP is demonstrating the HP Indigo WS6800 Digital Press, and attendees can learn more about the HP Indigo 20000 and 30000 Digital Presses, as well as HP Scitex and HP inkjet corrugated packaging solutions, which, says Basu, “are helping address rising demand for customized campaigns.” Commercial Printing | Digital Printing | Flexible Packaging Folding Carton Packaging | Metal Decorating | Newspaper Plastic Cards | Security Printing | Signage and POP www.kba.com KBA covers it all... Booth 213 Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign is one of the emblematic examples of using digital printing to create unique packaging applications. Speaking of label printing, OKI Data America (Booth 4031) is introducing a new tabletop, 5"-wide, five-color digital label color. It prints roll-to-roll or roll-to-cut, and runs at 6" per second. A toner-based printer, it offers white toner and thus the ability to print on color label stock, including DayGlos, greens, oranges, and the like, and even on clear labels. OKI demonstrated a prototype last year, but this week marks its debut to the market. Availability is slated for January. “The market is well-suited for the kinds of products we’re bringing,” says Rich Egert, VP of Global New Business Development for OKI Data Americas. “It’s growing by double digits year over year. We’re excited to be in a high-growth market.” 28 September 15, 2015 | GRAPH EXPO Official Show Daily | PrintingNews.com
GraphExpo Show Daily September 15 2015
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