Shorter. Faster. More Personal. The world of packaging is changing rapidly. This year’s drupa in Düsseldorf, Germany could arguably be called the “corrugated drupa” since many of the announcements and debuts centered around the packaging market. It is a trend that doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. “The packaging market is one of the most popular and high-growth segments of the printing industry,” says Eric Frank, KBA’s (Booth 1435) Senior Vice President of Marketing and Product Management. A large part of that push is consumer driven. “Brand owners are responding to changing consumer needs by rethinking their product packaging,” notes John DiVincenzo, VP and General Manager, Digital Packaging Business, Xerox (Booth 1625). “More emphasis is being placed on shortening product cycles, increasing variations and compressing run lengths. The keys to unlocking this potential lie in today’s digital print technologies.” The result of that push, he notes, is that increasingly those brand owners are going to be looking to their printers for solutions that help them stand out from the crowd. “As brand owners strive to create countless variations of products and product sizes to appeal to an increasingly option-hungry consumer base, they are looking to packaging vendors for new application ideas that yield business results while more effectively managing the supply chain. Opportunities to personalize and customize labels and packages, produce shorter runs at a low cost, and deliver on-demand orders are possible with digital printing and will become a focal point in the next 12 to 18 months.” The single biggest opportunity right now is the explosion of digital technologies in the packaging space. New innovations in materials that are certifi ed for use in applications such as food and pharmaceutical packaging means brands can now create extremely short runs for every possible market segment they are hoping to target. Different regions of the country, even different retail stores can feature packaging that is tweaked for their specifi c market, a feat that would be impossible to execute at any kind of scale even a few years ago. “I’ve been seeing a massive migration to digital production, output and fi nishing,” says Ron Pergande, GPA’s (Booth 2940) Director of Digital Media. “Brands are producing more localized and targeted variations of their packaging, which creates a greater demand for shorter run lengths. There also seems to be a degree of ambiguity over what packaging and labeling truly encompass, and confusion as to why they’re lumped together. Beyond that, the word ‘digital’ has become a popular buzzword, and I don’t think many brand managers and print buyers understand what it means regarding printing technologies and the opportunities it creates.” Kian Hemmen, Western Regional Sales Manager for Print & Finishing Solutions (PFS), Western Distributor for RMGT (Booth 1201) offset presses in the U.S., noted that it is that confusion that printers will need to be very cognizant of. Just because something is “digital,” he cautions, doesn’t necessarily mean it is the best option. While highly personalized, highly segmented runs are possible with digital technologies, it still can’t do everything offset can. “Digital is making a strong push in this market, primarily for the short run and the boutique packaging printing. The reality is, that automated offset still has a lower cost of manufacturing, even down to quantities of 150 sheets. Offset offers more fl exibility with inline coating and specialty effects, thicker media and wider range of substrates.” Change is coming, there is no denying that. Brand owners and print buyers don’t always understand the new technologies and what they are capable of, and that is where print providers need to step in, and help advise them as manufacturing partners on ways to increase visibility and sales without increasing costs. It is an amazing opportunity for printers to completely change the way they interact with the brands, and it is one that no one who regularly serves this market can afford to ignore. Xplor Keynote Breakfast Explores the Customer Experience For eight years, Xplor International has colocated with GRAPH EXPO 16 to share the latest trends and technologies driving digital print and the customer communications industry. This year’s Xplor Keynote Breakfast, “Customer Experience: A Critical Factor for Achieving Success,” will be held Tuesday, September 27, from 7:30 to 10:00 am. As the largest show in North America for the graphic arts and printing industry, GRAPH EXPO 16 is the perfect backdrop for Xplor to share information and best practices affecting the industry. Sponsored by Canon Solutions America (Booth 1500), Compart North America (Booth 2073), and Xerox Corporation (Booth 1625), the complimentary registration includes: • A full breakfast buffet from 7:30 to 8:30 am • An exciting 90-minute panel discussion with audience participation from 8:30 to 10:00 am • A GRAPH EXPO 16 exhibit hall pass “Customer Experience: A Critical Factor for Achieving Success” will be moderated by Matt Swain of InfoTrends who, along with several panelists, will discuss how price and cost leadership is no longer sustainable for customer retention, and the focus of companies has shifted to delivering a superior customer experience, which has emerged as a critical success factor. Along with developing various integration and automation tools to organize customer information better, how can companies drive customer perception, satisfaction, and customer loyalty? The Xplor panel will focus on the importance of the customer experience as well as understanding customer expectations. Panelists will share insights of their efforts to create the perfect customer experience. The speakers will also address whether the advancements in technology and changes in human behavior make superior customer experience a moving target. For more information about the event, or to check availability and register, please visit xplor.org. You can also register onsite at room N310 E&F, beginning at 7:30 am (subject to availability). Succession Planning: YES, You Need to Start Now! Today’s GRAPH EXPO Seminar series features a session with case studies of successful—and not so successful—succession plans. Consider these 3 facts: 1) 90% of printing, mailing and graphics companies are family-owned with most under $10 million in annual revenue. 2) A large percentage were founded in the 1970’s and 1980’s, which means owners are at, or nearing retirement age. 3) Unlike as with the previous generation, very few printing companies are being passed down to the current next generation. Today from 3:30 to 5:00 pm, a highly informative session will feature actual case studies of successful— and not so successful—succession plans. Consider your next steps, as Mitch Evans from Graphic Arts Advisors shares his expertise from working with dozens of family owned printing companies in succession planning and transitions. This session is part of the GRAPH EXPO Seminar Series. 28 | September 26, 2016 | GRAPH EXPO 16 Offi cial Show Daily | PrintingNews.com
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