Hot Stuff

Secondary packaging is an area where thermal transfer printing has a strong presence. “Thermal transfer is utilized extensively at the carton and pallet level, as well as for warehouse, distribution, and some point-of-purchase applications,” notes Garber.

Keigo Hayakawa, president, DNP IMS America Corporation, concurs, and highlights other areas of expanding use. “The vast majority of thermal-transfer ribbon usage remains in secondary packaging, such as carton labeling… Also, one of the fastest growing market segments is flexible packaging marking, or commonly called thermal-transfer overprinting (TTO). Historically, the traditional method of marking has been the use of hot-stamp foil imprints in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Due to recent requirements for identifying lot traceability and quality assurance controls, thermal transfer printing is replacing the historic print method of hot stamping foil, taking advantage of printing variable information right on time. This replacement will continue, which will drive the growth of thermal transfer printing.”