Digital Print Technologies in Packaging Applications

63 Pages·4.488 MB·English

by  iSmithers Rapra Publishing

print > e-book
Digital Print Technologies
for Packaging
This e-book examines the expansion and challenges of
digital printing in the packaging industry.
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Digital Print Technologies for Packaging
Pira Business Intelligence
linda m. casatelli
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table of contents
4 5
Executive Summary Digital Print Trends by Package Type End-use Application Trends
introduction introduction introduction
Package Trends labels consumer Goods
Technology Developments 4introduction Personal care
Digital Printing by category 4Digital advantages for labels medical and Pharmaceuticals
end-Use applications 4improved equipment Food and Beverage
Geographic regions 4companies Using Digital Printing for label applications industrial Goods
equipment and consumable opportunities 4Dion label Printing Geographic regions
education and Promotion 4ero-eTiKeTT 4western europe
4repacorp 4United Kingdom
1Introduction and Methodology Flexible Packaging 4France
objective 4introduction 4Germany
Scope 4Shift to Shorter runs 4eastern europe
methodology 4companies Using Digital Printing for Flexible Packaging 4russia
Definitions 4Flexible express 4north america
metal cans 4United States
2 The Package Printing Industry 4introduction 4canada
introduction 4Digital Printing for cans 4South america
Trends and market Drivers 4companies Using Digital Printing for metal cans 4Brazil
4cost considerations 4Ball Packaging 4asia-Pacific
4Just-in-time Delivery 4J.l. clark 4china
4customization/Variable Data Paper and Board 4Japan
4Demand for eco-friendly/Sustainable materials and Processes 4introduction 4india
4environmental regulations 4Digital Printing Technologies for corrugated
6
4Technological improvements 4companies Using Digital Printing for corrugated Board Opportunities for Consumable and Equipment Suppliers
remaining challenges 4VT Graphics introduction
Folding cartons equipment opportunities
3
Technology Developments 4introduction inkjet versus Toner
introduction 4Digital Printing for Folding cartons Promoting the Benefits of Digital Printing
Digital Printing Processes 4companies Using Digital Printing for Folding carton 4eVolVe
4electronic Processes 4mediaware Digital ltd. 4educational Forums
4inkjet Printing Paper Sacks and Bags 4irongate Digital
equipment Developments rigid Plastics Summary
4HP indigo 4introduction
4Xeikon 4Future Prospects List of Tables and Figures
4Xerox
4agfa
4eFi
4nilpeter
4océ
4Tonejet
4Xennia
4Tabletop Printers
inks
Substrates
4Paper
4Film Substrates
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print > e-book > digital print technologies for packaging
Executive Summary
Introduction events. Furthermore, with globalization, there is often a need for Because digital
The package printing industry, which comprises about a third of packaging printed with different languages. Shorter runs are also printing eliminates
the global printing market, serves an important role in the supply being driven by both the desire to reduce the amount of inventory
prepress and
chain of various industries. it involves many printing processes sitting in a warehouse and the brand owner looking to change
make-ready costs,
and encompasses a multitude of packaging types. in addition to packaging more frequently so as to capture consumer attention.
it offers cost
providing damage protection for goods, the printed package also
establishes brand identity, which is becoming increasing important one of the areas where digital printing has become widespread is advantages; this is
as competition for consumer attention grows more intense. in the creation of prototype packages, which approximates the look especially true for
and feel of the finished packaging that will actually land on store shorter runs.
Package Trends shelves. in the past several years, printers have often used several
Traditionally considered a recession-proof market, package printing printing technologies to address different portions of their business,
has been affected by the recent economic downturn. escalating and it is highly likely that digital printing will be added to the mix.
raw material costs, increasing environmental regulations and other and, as the technology improves even further, digital printing will
factors have made printers more cost conscious than ever. at the expand to a greater portion of the overall package printing market.
same time, brand owners are demanding new package designs
and functionalities with shorter turnaround times. moreover, the TABLE 0.1 Comparison of digital versus conventional printing processes
sustainability movement has gained momentum, and lifestyle Digital printing Conventional
changes have increased demand for smaller-sized containers Can print on-demand from web files Still use plates or cylinders for
and convenience packaging. These trends are becoming market image carrier
Faster turnaround and reduced time to In-house platemaking/CTP helps;
drivers, many of which imply future growth of digital printing for
market still longer
packaging. Specifically, these drivers include: cost considerations,
Can print on variety of substrates Flexo and gravure can print on
flexibility and speed; customization; demand for environmentally multiple substrates
friendly/sustainable materials and processes; and an accelerated Added capabilities enable printing special Additional print stations can print
corporate or brand colors special colors
rate of technological development.
Cost effective for shorter, more targeted Not as suited for short runs due to
print runs, which is growing trend prepress costs
Because digital printing eliminates prepress and make-ready costs, Can print variable data Cannot print variable data
it offers cost advantages; this is especially true for shorter runs, Throughput still an issue Provides excellent throughput for
medium and long runs
which are becoming more popular as they easily accommodate
Source: Pira International Ltd.
different product varieties and specialized packages for promotional
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print > e-book > digital print technologies for packaging
Executive Summary
Technology Developments FIGURE 0.1 Global market share for digital printing by category, 2011 (%)
Digital printing has created a revolution in the printing industry, in
part because of the rapid pace of technological developments. The Digital Printing by Category
packaging segment of printing has unique challenges, but digital Digital printing had its beginnings in the label sector; the format
printing is now focused on these to continue its expansion in this size and frequency of short runs are probably the major reasons. CLICK TO VIEW
segment. Today’s digital equipment can handle multiple substrates now established as a mainstream process, its growth is expected
and offers four-color plus printing capability as well as the ability to approach 30% annually over the next several years. Digital
to print on wider web widths. Package printing is not just about expansion into folding carton and flexible packaging has only
the printing but also about the additional steps to complete the begun. For one, there has been more of a demand for shorter runs
package, so manufacturers are now offering improved finishing in the label sector, in part dictated by changing governmental
technology to complement the printing press equipment. regulations concerning the information printed on labels.
while toner-based technology has dominated the digital printing corrugated packaging is the largest segment of the packaging
market until now, digital inkjet offers the capacity for wider web industry, and there has been some digital printing for prototypes
widths, which is critical for future expansion into packaging. and point-of-purchase displays; there is potential here for double-
manufacturers of toner-based systems include HP indigo (the digit growth. Flexible packaging, the second-largest segment, is
dominant player in the market at present), Xerox, and Xeikon. experiencing growth as brand owners look to convert from rigid
inkjet systems are produced by agfa, eFi, nilpeter, océ, Tonejet and boxes to flexible pouches because these packaging options can
Xennia. The :Dotrix from agfa has a printing width of 63cm, double save on space, weight, shipping costs and landfill space (if not
the width of some digital presses. The most recent introduction recycled). currently digital printing represents only about 8% of the
from Tonejet is an electrostatic drop-on-demand deposition flexible packaging market, but that share is expected to reach 10%
technology that prints on both absorbing and non-absorbing within the next several years. Digital printing of cans is currently
substrates. Featuring concentrated pigment inks, its 172-mm-width quite small and represents approximately 0.3% of total sales
printhead enables most food and drink packaging to be printed in values, but that, too, is expected to grow—to almost 30% a year for
a single pass. ink systems and substrates have also kept pace with the next several years. Folding cartons represent approximately 8%
equipment improvements. The most important note in terms of of the total digital print for packaging market and is expected to
packaging is that all of the toner-based systems and inkjet systems grow by about 23% annually over the next several years.
have ink sets that comply with recently implemented strict food
packaging regulations. Digital printing is the economical choice for producing a few
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Executive Summary
hundred or a few thousand packaging prototypes or marketing the asia-Pacific area (excluding Japan), South america and the
samples, but it cannot compete with traditional processes for large middle east. in addition, projected growth for digital print averages
volumes in flexible packaging, corrugated and folding carton. 20% in mature areas—well above the overall print growth average;
However, digital press manufacturers are constantly improving their in emerging countries, growth edges closer to 30% for the next
equipment to meet the demands of various sectors. Furthermore, several years.
it is not only the printing presses that are evolving but ancillary
equipment as well. For printing is only a portion of the process Equipment and Consumable Opportunities
of packaging; die-cutting, folding, etc., are equally important for The market for packaging machinery, including presses, is forecast
efficient production. to grow approximately 5.2% a year. Developing regions such as
china, india and russia are expected to experience the fastest
End-Use Applications growth, with eastern europe and mexico trailing slightly.
all of the end-use applications for digital package printing are
projected to experience growth, with some—such as food and For both toner and inkjet suppliers, opportunities exist as digital
beverage—to be higher, mainly because the current penetration printing for packaging expands. Sources believe that toner-based,
into these markets is relatively small. other consumer segments are or dry ink, products have a bright future, while inkjet is becoming
lower, in part because these areas involve discretionary spending, more popular because it has resolved many of the problems it
which depend on economic recovery. The use of digital printing encountered in early development (for example, ink cleanliness,
carries the same benefits wherever it is implemented; the use and head clogging, inadequate color matching and line work). in
expansion of digital printing relates more to the type of packaging general, digital inkjet inks are expected to grow at a higher
than the end-use application. For example, because currently digital rate (25%) than toner (15%), and are expected to become the
printing for labels is more widespread, its use is more widespread dominant player in the market.
in areas that use labels as opposed to segments that used flexible
packaging or folding cartons. Education and Promotion
one key area that digital print suppliers need to address for
CLICK TO VIEW
FIGURE 0.2 Global market share for digital printing by end use, 2011 (%) the future is educating converters and brand owners about
the potential advantages of digital printing. There are many
Geographic Regions misconceptions about the quality of digital printing and its
Digital printing for packaging is expanding in all regions, with the capabilities today. Furthermore, many converters might be
most growth expected in developing areas such as eastern europe, interested in adding digital printing to their shops, but remain a
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Executive Summary
bit daunted by the prospect. inX international ink co and inX
Digital international co. have provided support under the eVolVe
branding concept to help traditional printers and converters evolve
to digital printing with industrial inkjet systems.
a critical element to remember when discussing digital printing for
packaging is that it is not necessarily about addressing the same
markets as conventional printing but rather opening new markets
and accommodating the changing needs of the packaging industry
and consumers; in many cases, it introduces a whole new business
model for printer and client.
an excellent example of this concept is irongate Digital, who
developed personalized chocolate boxes for Thorntons, a luxury
chocolate maker, and interflora, a large florist and gifting firm.
Before this digital age of internet shopping and personalization,
who would have thought that there would be a market for
personalized boxes of candy? However, the personalized candy
boxes now account for 90% of Thorntons chocolate orders placed
on the web.
CLICK TO VIEW FIGURE 0.3 Irongate Digital’s personalized chocolate boxes for Thorntons
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1 Introduction and Methodology
Objective in addition, the report will discuss the outlook for digital packaging although digital
while digital printing has revolutionized the printing industry in by various end-use applications: consumer goods, personal care, printing has
the commercial sector, displays and signage, and even textiles, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage and medical. moreover, it
now become
only recently has it made inroads into package printing because of will examine how digital printing is advancing into established
mainstream in
the rather unique requirements and challenges of the packaging geographical markets such as europe, Japan, north america, as
the commercial
market. This report is intended to examine the aforementioned well as emerging markets such as Brazil, russia, india and china.
challenges as they relate to digital printing and, further, to explore printing sector, it
how digital printing will ultimately affect conventional printing. Further, there is a section outlining technology developments that has only recently
will influence the market for the near future—this includes trends in expanded into the
Scope the digital print process, equipment and consumables. There is also
packaging area.
This report is intended to examine the expansion of digital printing information on potential opportunities for suppliers and printers/
into the packaging area. Digital printing refers to methods of converters in coming years, which will include but not be limited to
printing from a digital-based image directly onto a variety of new packaging substrates, emerging end-use and regional markets,
media or substrates. The main difference between digital printing new ink formulations and printing process developments.
and conventional printing methods such as gravure, flexography
or lithography is that there is no plate, which serves as an image Methodology
carrier, so there is a saving of both cost and turnaround time. in The information contained in the report has been gathered from
addition, the image can be customized or modified with variable multiple sources, both primary and secondary. The secondary
data for each impression. data has come from technical papers, Pira reports, conference
proceedings, internet searches and material provided by companies
although digital printing has now become mainstream in the interviewed. in addition, interviews were conducted with various
commercial printing sector, it has only recently expanded into industry experts across the supply chain in the market.
the packaging area. This report will discuss the package printing
industry and its inherent market drivers and the challenges for Definitions
digital printing. it will also examine how the expansion of digital Bio-derived materials: any material originating from plants, animals
printing into packaging will affect the conventional contact or natural sources (such as water) that can be replenished in the
printing methods used for packaging. Trends will be examined for short term.
each packaging type, including labels, flexible packaging, metal,
paper and board and rigid packaging.
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print > e-book > digital print technologies for packaging
Introduction and Methodology
Coating: used in digital printing as a pre-coat or top-surface varnishing, Consumer product companies (CPCs): manufacturers of high-
which is often necessary to facilitate printing on the substrate. volume consumer goods; another term for brand owner.
Die-cutter: a device that cuts shapes—typically boxes or labels—from
Coding and marking: refers to packaging coded with a batch flat, usually rectangular, pieces of substrate. Digital die-cutting is
number, “best before” date, expiration date and case marking. done with a computer-driven laser.
marking is also used on a variety of objects, such as individual
pharmaceutical pills, eggs, pallets, etc. Digital printing: a process where an image is sent directly to the
printer using digital files, thus eliminating the need for a printing
Computer-to-plate: the process by which a printing plate plate, which is used in more traditional printing processes. The
(generally lithographic or flexographic) is generated using a digital image carrier is either dynamic (as with toner) or virtual (as with
imager, which accepts signals from a computer without the use of inkjet).
interim platemaking equipment. computer-to-plate (cTP) is done
off-line. Direct/indirect food contact: direct food contact occurs when
a printing ink on a surface actually touches the food inside the
Converter: a company that produces packages or packaging package. an example would be a coupon insert inside a box of
materials, generally from paper or paperboard. The raw material cereal. inks can also make indirect contact with food, as in the case
used by a converter might be received already printed, might be of packaging for a bag of cookies. in this indirect case, the printing
printed by the converter, or might be delivered to the customer ink is on the outside of the package, not in direct contact with
unprinted. the food. Hence the plastic bag may serve as a functional barrier
between the ink and the food.
Corrugated board: a combination of two sheets of paper, called
liners, that are glued to a corrugated inner medium, called fluting. Dry toner: toner applied in dry, rather than liquid, form.
its function is to provide strength and rigidity to packaging. The
air circulating in the flutes also serves as an insulator against Film: a packaging substrate that consists of a thin sheet of plastic.
temperature variations. microflute refers to corrugated board
with particularly fine fluting (e, F, G or n flute), which produces Flatbed printer: a device that accepts a flat substrate such as
a lighter-weight board suitable for lamination to lithographically corrugated board stock or folding carton board for printing.
printed carton board (lithography-lamination) or direct printing by
flexography or offset lithography.
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Introduction and Methodology
Flexible packaging: any package or container made of flexible or Industrial packaging: packaging typically not found on
pliable materials that, when filled or closed, can be readily changed retail shelves, associated with products purchased or used by
in shape. Such packaging may be paper, plastic film, foil or any manufacturers, contractors and traders, not generally available to a
combination of these, including roll-stock, bags, pouches, labels/ broad segment of the population.
wraps, lidding, shrink sleeves and stretch film.
Label: a piece of paper or plastic attached to an item on which the
Flexographic printing (Flexo): a direct printing process using product name, description, contents, origin and other information
relief plates inked with anilox rolls. it is primarily used in packaging. are printed.
Foil: a packaging substrate consisting of metallic foil or metalized
plastic. Liquid toner: toner applied in liquid, rather than dry, form.
Folding cartons: board-based consumer packs that are delivered Make-ready: refers to everything done on a press to prepare for
to the end-user pre-glued but in flat form, ready to be erected and the final print job. This includes selecting the proper colors, getting
sealed either manually or, more often, on an automatic filling line. the image placement correct, setting up the plates, and preparing
the printer for the chosen paper size and weight. This step would
Functional barrier: used to prevent transfer from the printed be considered finished when the printer is satisfied with a final
surface to the food product. The U.S. Food and Drug administration confirmation proof, and can therefore begin the actual run.
(FDa) has defined a functional barrier as a resinous coating,
protective film, transparent covering or the substrate separating the Offset lithography: a high-quality, indirect printing method
printed matter from the food. The FDa has also indicated that the that offsets the image onto a blanket, which presses it onto the
effectiveness of a material to act as a barrier will depend not only substrate.
on the physical and chemical properties of the barrier material and
the potential of the migrant but also on the conditions of use. Packaging inks: printing inks and varnishes intended to be
printed on the non-food contact surface of materials and articles
Gravure: a high-quality direct process using engraved cylinders to containing foodstuffs.
apply inks.
Screen printing: a process consisting of an ink or paste being
Inkjet printing: a type of non-impact digital printing process that pushed through a stencil attached or embedded in a mesh that is
utilizes tiny droplets of highly fluid ink that are jetted onto the substrate. stretched over a printing frame.
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