Labels and Packaging

Consumer demands are changing. Mass customization and even personalization are coming to the forefront. However, sustainability demands are being driven by customer preference and even governmental regulation and creating new shifts in consuming and producing packaging. The introduction of new inkjet technologies and bespoke print applications will help address these shifts.

The Rise of the Consumer

The pandemic had some "forced effect" on purchasing for many reasons.

“The crisis has prompted a surge of new activities, with an astonishing 75% of U.S. consumers trying a new shopping behavior in response to economic pressures, store closings and changing priorities," according to a recent McKinsey & Company study. "This general change in behavior has also been reflected in a shattering of brand loyalties, with 36% of consumers trying a new product brand and 25% incorporating a new private-label brand. Of consumers who have tried different brands, 73% intend to continue to incorporate the new brands into their routine. Gen Z and high earners are most prone to switching brands."

This is all occurring on a backdrop where consumer awareness of environmental conditions has been increasing.

In a recent Forrester study they found that “a third of U.S. online adults say they spend more time thinking about the climate than they did before the Covid-19 pandemic."

"Empowered shoppers scout information from company values to manufacturing and supply chain practices in search of sustainable options. Sixty-eight percent of highly-empowered consumers plan to step up their efforts to identify brands that reduce environmental impact. Sixty-one percent seek out energy-efficient labels when making purchases, and 47% regularly buy organic products."

Consumers have proven that they are willing to pay a premium for those products as well.

Perfect Storm for Sustainable Bespoke Digital Printing

There is a new crop of print technologies coming to market to help address new requirements supporting mass customization and improved recycling and reuse in states like California, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Considering approximately 14% of all litter comes from beverage containers, this is a good place to start. Labeling of beverage containers fall into a few categories and print technologies: can printing, screen printing, pressure-sensitive labels and sleeves. Two companies have introduced solutions to address the consumer shifts and target those areas.

Tonejet Cyclone

Using a unique electrostatic drop-on-demand ink deposition technology, the process originally developed in Adelaide, AU, and now headquartered in Cambridge, UK, Tonejet introduced a machine process for on-demand printing of "necked cans." Necked cans are already filled and ready for labeling.

This 100% recyclable solution has a lower cost per can compared to shrink sleeves and labels, and produces the same look and feel as conventional analogue printed cans. In comparison to conventional offset printing, it has a lower cost-at-run lengths of less than 100K cans, and each can could be completely variable. It does all of this at a speed of 60 cans per minute. They also offer a configuration that will double the throughput without doubling the capex.

Altana Signite

Altana AG is a German chemical company headquartered in Wesel, Germany with 6,500 employees and revenues of approximately € 2.5 billion. It has four divisions with facilities located across the globe. Their Actega division specializes in packaging and printing. They have a strong focus on environmental sustainability, as can be seen in their EcoLeaf digital metallization process. Their latest process, Signite, is a low environmental impact approach to rigid container decorating based on their 2017 acquisition of NuLabel. It uses patented Actega UV chemistry and customized hybrid (flexo and digital) hardware to additively build variable printed color-rich label decorations. 

Since there is no material in non-artwork space, Signite can provide a 40% - 80% reduction in decoration area relative to current pressure-sensitive labels, and the converters have no die cutting or matrix waste. The solution was designed to address reusability of glass containers and recyclability of metal and plastic containers. The Signite process reverse prints on a recyclable carrier film. First printing a liquid label layer of the artwork shape and then building on the subsequent color layers, finally adding an adhesive layer.

The Signite decoration is then applied to the container using a custom application machine developed by Actega and their partners. Currently, depending on the shape and size of the bottle and decoration, they can apply about 50 per minute, although they anticipate that will increase dramatically over the course of the next couple of years as they refine their materials and process.

It has already been selectively installed in a few converting facilities, and they are now expanding their footprint as well as market and application support.

Currently Signite supports cylindrical glass containers like those used in wine, distilled spirits, cold brew coffee and candles. Industrial washing machines can easily remove the Signite decorations from the glass containers to support re-decorating and re-use. In 2022 they expect to support aluminum cans in which smelting furnaces can remove the contaminates and reduce containers to raw material for reforming. Additionally, they expect to introduce support for rigid plastic containers in which shredded and agitated flakes promote 100% separation of the decoration and adhesive from the cleaned plastic for recycling. In 2023 they expect to support thin-walled plastic containers and high-speed plastic decorating.

Just the Beginning

As consumer behavior continues to shift, fast-moving consumer goods manufacturers will be forced to follow. This will undoubtedly put pressure on the convertors as well as the print technology companies like Tonejet and Actega to support those new and changing packaging requirements.