Landa unfolds carton packaging predictions

Print and packaging technology provider Landa has released a white paper looking to the future of folding carton production in the twenty-first century, identifying changes in the market forecast to flow through the supply chain.

The company’s research, combined with reports from Smithers-Pira and Karstedt Partners, reports that the total annual consumption of cartonboard currently stands at 43 million tons and generates US$82b in revenue, with year on year growth projected at 4.5 per cent through 2016.

Ila Bialystok, vice president of marketing at Landa, says, “The white paper is the result of our intensive study of the packaging industry and the folding carton segment in preparation for the launch of the Landa S10FC Nanographic printing press.

“During the last year Landa representatives have been on a global tour in which we met with many of our customers as well as industry analysts and end users. Everyone shared their challenges, goals and vision for the industry. We hope that by reading the white paper you feel as excited as we are about the industry.”

According to the report the uncertain global economy means frugal consumers are eating in more often and looking for product convenience through resealable packaging, ready-to-eat microwaveable meals, on-the-go snacks and smaller, individual portions.

Today’s consumers are also said to be mindful of their health and wellness, want fewer chemicals in packaging and demand products that match their individual lifestyles and needs – meaning that one-size-fits-all products and packaging may no longer make the grade, says Landa.

Rising environmental awareness will also play a part in the future of packaging production, the report adds, as the modern consumer, particularly generation Y, become mindful of the green index of the products they buy and how they are manufactured, packaged and transported.

These changes in the market, says Landa, necessitate change for brand owners and retailers, who are now updating their business models to reflect consumer attitudes and are launching more product line extensions.

The research hails greater product personalisation and mass customisation as key areas of growth, with brands, retailers and converters also managing multi-language packaging, faster cycles for print production and time to market.

It adds that competition among brand owners is leading to shorter product shelf lives, with pressures to reduce inventory costs, minimise obsolescence and use highly targeted marketing campaigns.

Following this, Landa sees a push toward short run packaging production, with versioning and segmentation splitting traditional runs between several product variants. This is expected to drive an increase in digital packaging production rather than offset.

However, Landa says that current folding carton printing technologies – including lithography, flexography, gravure and even digital presses, are not yet up to task for meeting the new market demands.

In the future, solutions that enable mass customisation and targeted displays and promotions will attract companies wishing to build brand awareness. Desirable capabilities include superior graphics, customisable messaging, variable data printing, scalability and increased speed-to-market throughput.

Improved workflow management, flexible scheduling, print on demand capabilities, short run cost economies and effectively managing low-volume SKUs will also be on the wish list of packaging producers interested in gaining greater efficiencies and control to keep up with tight deadlines and rapid product releases.

Landa advises packaging converters to collaborate closely with brands to find the best technology to fit their requirements. It says, “Understanding their trending needs will be critical for converters as they assess and invest in future solutions for prepress, production and finishing.”

Download the white paper at http://go.landanano.com/nanography-whitepaper.html

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