Research: Tracking How Digital Printing is Transforming Packaging

Digital printing offers many important and transformational benefits to label and packaging printers and their customers. The technology’s ability to print affordable, high-quality work in shorter quantities, when needed, is supporting brand owners in more efficiently managing inventory and supply chains. In addition, retailers, brand owners, marketers, and agencies see the production of labels and packaging on digital printing devices as an opportunity to expand product versions and improve customer engagement.

The technology for producing labels and packaging is constantly evolving, and print providers and converters are always looking for ways to gain a competitive advantage. Inkjet printing is the next big thing. Market competition continues to increase as digital presses are lowering the entry barriers for commercial printers and other types of print providers to move into the packaging segment. Packaging is an attractive product offering because unlike other types of printing, it can’t be digitized.

According to a recent NAPCO Research study on trends in digital packaging, companies of all sizes are reaping benefits from digital printing processes because they enable affordable short-run production of labels and packaging, allow for testing packaging concepts, deliver supply chain efficiency improvements, and support faster time to market for new products.

Participate in Our New Research Study

Innovations in technology and inkjet printing continue to prompt many types of print providers to investigate and invest in digital presses that complement existing equipment and enable offering new label and packaging products. Given the enormous potential digital printing offers to package printers, converters, commercial printers, and in-plants, it is an ongoing focus area for NAPCO Research. A new research study is examining print providers' experience, investment, use, and strategies relative to digital package printing. The study is currently in the field and we are looking for companies that print packaging to participate in a 10 to 15 minute survey. All responses will be kept anonymous and reported only in aggregate.

As a thank you for participating, at the end of the survey, qualified participants (those employed by either a commercial printing company, packaging printer/converter, or in-house printing operation) will be entered in a drawing in which 20 participants will win a $20 Amazon gift card.

Digital printing is the next frontier for packaging production. While digital presses have been printing labels and packaging for more than two decades, a combination of trends and forces are poised to expand its use. This research will help define market trends, investment factors, and essential strategies. Please take the survey.