Packaging Impressions Forum Delivers Inside Scoop on Entering the Package Printing Market

Commercial and wide-format printers looking to enter the lucrative label and packaging printing markets won’t want to miss a luncheon being held by Packaging Impressions tomorrow Thursday, October 20 from noon to 1:30 pm. Attendees will gain insights into the labeling and package printing markets through analysis and data presented by longtime packaging industry advocate and NAPCO Research analyst Cory Francer, in addition to the opportunity to learn directly from printing firms that have expanded into the label and package converting and printing markets through a panel discussion and interactive Q&A.

Francer will present an overview that delves into data gathered by NAPCO Research and the PRINTING United Alliance across markets, and what these findings mean for printing firms looking to expand into the label and packaging segments of the printing market. “Our data showcases the growth of the packaging segment in recent years and the evolution of the convergence trend from our initial convergence study in 2018 to the most recent study that came out late last year,” Francer says. He notes that technological advances, such as digital printing, as well as increased ease of use and automation in conventional printing are lowering the barriers of entry into these markets.

With the convergence trend heating up, as indicated by the majority of the print service providers surveyed by NAPCO Research responding that they either have already entered or are considering entering a printing segment other than their own, NAPCO Research analysts have been able to delve even deeper into the different market segments providing critical inputs for PSPs and the manufacturing and technology vendors supporting them. Additionally, Francer explains, attendees will benefit from NAPCO Research’s strong relationship with other PRINTING United Alliance companies. “For every segment of the print industry, there really isn’t one that we haven’t touched, whether its packaging, commercial, wide-format, book printing, promotional products, and more.” This wide breadth of knowledge gives NAPCO Research analysts a compressive understanding of both the benefits and the challenges associated with convergence. As an example, Francer cites supply chain challenges, acknowledging that it’s a tough issue for everyone, including those in the commercial print segment, but those firms looking to expand into package printing must also learn the supply chain landscape for not just paper, but also for films and other plastics.

The educational luncheon’s speakers also include Todd Meissner, president of Color Ink; and Tom O’Brien, VP of business development, Taylor Business Identity & Consumer Products. In a panel discussion led by Packaging Impressions’ editor-in-chief, Meissner and O'Brien will share their firsthand experience expanding into the package printing market, and whether the reality of expanding into these markets lived up to the theoretical potential.

To help Packaging Impressions Forum attendees take their learnings from theoretical to real-world, the educational luncheon is being strategically held at PRINTING United Expo, where attendees can explore the largest exhibition of printing technologies in North America and take the next steps to grow their print offerings.