In the world of packaging, labels lead in the adoption of digital with rapid growth in both electrophotography and inkjet. While the main force behind this is the proliferation of SKUs, driven by the brands, there are many other factors that are enabling this growth.
Digital print has taken hold in several areas in commercial print and book publishing, driven by the need to maximize the return on the investment (ROI) in print. However, packaging print, book printing, and commercial printing are all very different.
The global packaging market is approaching a half-trillion dollars, and North America represents nearly one third of this, most of it printed. While many print segments in North America are stagnating, packaging is growing at more than 4 percent per year. Market trends are creating the demand, and technology is creating solutions and opportunities. Consumers, retailers, and brand companies are continually raising the bar: • Better quality: fresh, natural, food ready-to-go; • Environmental sustainability; • Better graphics, more color, but with less material; • Shorter runs, quicker turnaround; • Packaging that delivers more than just the product; • Supply chain efficiency. Technology has
