The Power of Proliferation

Craddock reports that issues precluding a direct investment in digital include the technology’s current speeds and substrate capabilities. She notes that while digital remains centered in the label arena and requires specific substrate configurations, Exopack runs polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, paper, and a range of laminations. Print width capability is also a bit of a barrier to digital, she adds, as Exopack typically runs an average of 52-inch web widths. Finally, Craddock emphasizes that improvements in ink laydown and ink chemistry will be critical to justifying an investment. “Currently there’s a difference in color saturation and fidelity [with digital technology],” she remarks, summing up, “We’d love to have [the digital printing] option for smaller runs. It’s just a matter of time.”