packagePRINTING January 2009
2009 and Beyond —Polischuk
Well, a new year begins. It’s really hard to believe that it’s 2009 already. This decade, which started a new century and a new millenium, has just flown by. And it seems as though the powers that be know this, because they recently added one second to 2008 to make it longer—funny, I didn’t even notice.
Did You Remember?
Smart packaging touches many areas of packaging including food, beverage, and pharmaceutical. For pharmaceutical packaging in particular, there have been several advances in the use of smart packaging, specifically in the realm of patient compliance and patient interaction.
Drying and Curing Equipment Product Roundup
Drying and curing technologies continue to evolve. Each year, there is no lack of innovation in companies’ product portfolios. Drying equipment must keep up with increased press speeds, as well as market demand. And, for owners of curing equipment, high productivity, easy maintenance, efficiency, and Mother Nature are all major considerations. Check out what systems are available to meet your needs.
Great Expectations...
Color management commonly describes measures undertaken to ensure color integrity from design through printed output. “Brand” color management ups the ante, so to speak, by attempting to identify, communicate, and reproduce vivid, accurate corporate spot and brand colors on packaging materials from design concept to shipment.
Problems Abound
These are extraordinary times. The negative news just seems to never end. I keep waiting for things to hit rock bottom, but there must be a bottomless pit out there. Thank God the world is not flat, because there might be a lot of people lining up to jump off. (Of course, they wouldn’t get hurt because all the trash that would have spilled over the edge by now would cushion their fall.)
Taking It to the Next Level
Flexographic printing quality has been approaching that of gravure for some time now. Although it has been attractive to printers due to its lower price point than gravure printing, one of flexo’s shortfalls has always been that its quality is not at the same level as gravure. Trisoft Graphics, Inc. (www.trisoftco.com)—a digital prepress and graphic design company serving the packaging industry since 1993—recently installed a new flexographic platemaking system it expects to use to produce flexographic printing plates that, when employed, will rival gravure’s quality.
Up, Up, and Away
If you want to highlight an important growth segment that promises to expand the use of film materials, start with pouches. Pouch configurations using laminated film structures are providing consumer product companies (CPCs) with unique opportunities to reduce supply chain costs, while offering consumers distinct packaging, convenience, and ease of use.
What’s the Score?
Wal-Mart has clout—there’s no doubt about that. When Wal-Mart speaks, people listen—especially its suppliers. The company created a real buzz for RFID a few years ago, when it announced that it was mandating the use of this technology from its suppliers. Although this effort has faded from the limelight and has been largely redefined in scope, RFID technology received more attention during a two-year period than it would have gotten in a decade. RFID technology still has a ways to go in terms of reliability and cost, but Wal-Mart’s initiative probably did a lot to advance its development.
