State of the Folding Carton Industry
Carded Graphics broke into digital packaging two years ago by investing in an HP Scitex FB700 UV flatbed inkjet printer and a Gerber Innovations M3000 Sample Maker (a plotter/cutter). Pitts says that with these tools, he can produce prototypes, as well as short runs of up to 500 cartons.
He's conservative, nonetheless, about where digital fits into his service offerings. "Digital is just not ready for folding cartons," he says, citing digital equipment's limitations in speed, substrate thickness, and format size. On the other hand, "prototyping is big business" for printers who have the digital assets to do it, Pitts says.
Patrick Henry is the director of Liberty or Death Communications. He is also a former Senior Editor at NAPCO Media and long time industry veteran.
