Chris Mc Loone

Tepel Brothers has invested heavily in its packaging capabilities to make a place for itself in this segment.

There is a digital option for almost any criteria package printers have. packagePRINTING asks leading suppliers about what is available today.

Most consumers have no concept of what goes on when designing a package. A consumer products company (CPC) has a tremendous amount invested into presenting just the right image with just the right amount of splash to draw a consumer in to have them to buy an item. What some printers do not realize is how much of an impact they can have on this process and how their roles are not only to print the finished products.

As many could have predicted, digital printing and it's recent developments have been major news here at Labelexpo Americas 2010.

The folding carton segment, an area taking constant punches from film manufacturers, continues to rebound from, as Ben Markens, president of the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC) puts it, falling off a cliff in 2009.

With all the visual noise customers face as they shop, a package must be distinctive, eye-catching, and, nowadays, useful to the customer beyond holding the goods purchased. Printers play an important role.

The label market is in good shape. Although the recent recession has affected every segment of package printing, the label industry is still well positioned for the medium to the long term, according to Corey Reardon, president and CEO of AWA. "Unfortunately in the short term, the impact has been negative with plenty of casualties in job losses and business performance, even company and plant closures," he says.

The results of the Paperboard Packging Council National Paperboard Packaging Competition are in.

Good news package printers--times are getting better. So says Alan Beaulieu, from the Institute of Trend Research (ITR). According to Beaulieu, there's no need to worry about the sugar high of the recovery wearing off. He advised everyone today to relax and enjoy the ride for the next two to three years.

It wasn't easy getting from Philadelphia to Cincinnati to participate in the Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC) 2010 Outlook and Strategies Conference.

Sonoco has invested in growing the consumer side of its business by moving into packaging platforms such as rigid paperboard and flexible and rigid plastics.

For companies that waited for economic conditions to improve before making a major capital equipment purchase, now is the time to start investigating, at the very least, in earnest.

If you're a package printer, you need to be keeping an eye on brand protection technologies. Slowly but surely, brand owners are realizing how important protecting their brands has become.

World pharmaceutical packaging demand is projected to increase 6.3 percent annually to $62.3 billion in 2013. Security, print integrity and shorter runs are among the challenges.

When it comes to operating sustainably, several phrases come to mind: practice what you preach; don't ask anyone to do what you wouldn't do yourself; put your money where your mouth is; and more.