ProPack Pro June 2022 by The Intermedia Group

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www.propack.pro June 2022

A FOCUS ON:

ePac opens its first facility in Australia The company cements the future of flexibles with the grand opening of its facility

Providing a sneak peek into the future of digital packaging

Graph-Pak installs Rollem at Mildura Mildura Printing has improved its operational efficiencies with the install

New innovations at AUSPACK 2022 Check out the innovations launched at the recent AUSPACK tradeshow in our photo gallery

See us at Stand E48

ALSO INSIDE...

Profiting with short-run

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‘CUSTOMER IS ^ KING AT HERO PRINT’ ...AND IT SHOWS o Queen

AUSTRALIA’S BEST TRADE PRINTER

EDITOR’S NOTE HAFIZAH OSMAN

Packaging in the limelight It is no surprise that the packaging industry is going through remarkably unprecedented growth. And that is the case in all parts of the world including A/NZ. According to research firm Smithers, the global packaging market is set to expand by almost three per cent per annum, reaching over US$1.2 trillion between 2018 and 2028. In addition, it found that the global packaging market has increased by 6.8 per cent from 2013 to 2018. Economic and demographic growth, packaging technology, consumer trends and brand owner trends are only expected to further expedite this growth.

Companies in Australia that are thinking ahead are already creating opportunities from this. Take digital flexible packaging company ePac as an example. The business recently opened its first Australian manufacturing facility in Melbourne’s thriving industrial district of Coburg North. Visy is another such example. The company recently made a $700 million investment into Queensland’s recycling and manufacturing as part of its executive chairman Anthony Pratt’s $2 billion investment pledge to Australia’s recycling and clean energy infrastructure over the ensuing decade. Visy and ePac aren’t the only examples.

Companies beefing up their manufacturing facilities also include Frucor Suntory, Brightmark, Circular Plastics, and many others. The Australian State and Federal Governments, too, are doing their parts to facilitate development in the packaging space. This issue of ProPack.pro focuses on the opening of ePac’s Australian manufacturing facility and the areas of growth that CEOs need to focus on for 2022 and beyond as packaging continues to shape businesses. This issue also examines short-run packaging and why today’s markets are demanding for short-run, on-demand boutique packaging production. Enjoy this read. Hafizah Osman Editor hosman@intermedia.com.au Ph: +61 431 466 140

Stay informed… visit www.propack.pro and subscribe to receive the latest packaging industry news and views

ProPack Industry Supporters

Managing Director & Publisher: James Wells Editor: Hafizah Osman Design: Carrie Tong

Sales Manager: Carmen Ciappara Production Manager: Jacqui Cooper Pre-Press Manager: Tony Willson

Printed by: Hero Print, Alexandria, NSW 2015 Mailed by: D&D Mailing Services

ProPack.pro is published by Printer Media Group, registered in Australia ABN 47 628 473 334. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or in part without the written permission of the publishers. While every care has been taken in the preparation of this magazine, it is a condition of distribution that the publisher does not assume any responsibility or liability for any loss or damage which may result from any inaccuracy or omission in the publication. DISCLAIMER This publication is published by The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd (the “Publisher”). Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by Australian and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees. Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information. The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded save for those conditions and warranties which must be implied under the laws of any State of Australia or the provisions of Division 2 of Part V of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication. Copyright © 2022 — Charted Media Group Pty Ltd

4 ProPack.pro June 2022

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CONTENTS

IN THIS ISSUE... P30-32

P24-28

ePac’s grand opening cements the future of flexible packaging P16-17 P12-14

Fast-moving consumer goods news out of New Zealand P6-8 Read about the latest news that is shaping the fast-moving consumer goods space in New Zealand

Adding value in the health, beauty and wellness space P10-11 Essentra Tapes’ solutions tick many boxes for health and beauty converters who are increasingly demaning more than frustration-free packaging

Jet Technologies supports Screen in becoming digital press leader P12-14 Jet Technologies shows its pedigree in labels and packaging with new Screen digital presses such as the second generation L350UV SAI

AUSPACK 2022 showcases new innovation P22-23

ePac Flexible Packaging recently celebrated the grand opening of its first Australian manufacturing facility in Melbourne’s thriving industrial district

AUSPACK 2022, which recently took place at the MCEC, brought together the thought leaders, game changers and big discussions that the industry needs to shape the future

Mildura Printing purchases new Rollem Insignia 5 from Graph-Pak P18

Boxfuls of opportunities available with shortrun packaging P24-28

Productivity at Mildura Printing has improved significantly since the installation of a Rollem Insignia 5, with the machine also having the potential to take on more work

The online purchasing revolution is crying out for closely focused orders and boutique manufacturing, produced onshore and quickly

Xeikon’s digitisation levels lift with LCU Series P20 New technology included in the LCU Series aims to offer broader options for automation in labels making

What 2022 and beyond brings for the packaging industry’s CEOs P30-32 The revolution sparked by two megatrends - sustainability and digital - is unprecedented in the packaging industry. We highlight six priority moves for industry participants

Pack Diary P20

P34

A guide to the upcoming packaging industry events globally

THIS ISSUE SUPPORTED BY

www.propack.pro

June 2022 ProPack.pro 5

FOCUS FMCG IN NEW ZEALAND

The danger in packaging trends

t’s that time of year when all eyes are on what’s coming. High season for trend-watchers and the soothsayers of marketing, their words clung onto for sign of what’s hot – or at least likely to be in the year ahead. In case you missed it, here’s the condensed version of what’s predicted for FMCG packaging in New Zealand. Sustainability, obviously, is the biggest trend, but in an overt way. Think bright colours as an antidote to COVID-induced gloom; latching on to topical political and social trends like identity and mental health; and the importance of presenting well online as sales move that way. There are a few other riffs on those main themes and they’re all well and good. But here’s the catch. In a world saturated with information and analysis, everybody’s reading – and cross referencing – the same reports. Everything will be backed up by impressively presented data. Data which of course can only measure what has happened, not what’s going to happen. Spot the irony? This means we are going to see loads of packaging that

It’s no secret that one of the biggest trends in packaging is sustainability

dutifully follows those trends. In other words, predictable groupthink. If your brand isn’t differentiated in a competitive market, you might as well pack up shop and go home. So the question about trends is this: do you follow them or avoid them? At brotherdesign.co.nz you’ll see

packaging design that has set trends rather than followed them. It’s how we intend to do things again in 2022. By Jenny McMillan, Business Development Director, Brother Design www.brotherdesign.co.nz Ph 021 1932141

Say goodbye to misleading country of origin claims

oon you’ll see full country of origin labels for many fresh, thawed and frozen foods in New Zealand. New rules require this information on fresh and thawed food from February 2022, and frozen food from May 2023. Businesses must clearly disclose on the item, product packaging, or signage near the product, the country or ocean in which the food was grown, raised, caught, or harvested. This is good news for consumers who currently have to take country of origin claims from food suppliers at face value. Take a ham, for example. At present, packaging could claim that the ham is a product of New Zealand – but that pig could have been born, raised and slaughtered overseas, before being processed and packaged only in New Zealand. The result is that some consumers may believe that they’re supporting local, but not as much as they may think. Before these regulations take effect, country of origin food labelling has been voluntary in New Zealand (except for wine).

6 ProPack.pro June 2022

Changes to how information is labelled on packaging has started to take effect in New Zealand as of February

The following foods will be required to disclose their country of origin: • fruit • vegetables • meat • finfish or shellfish • cured pork All of the above need to meet certain criteria of being only one type, fresh, thawed or frozen, and no more than minimally processed. Any food that doesn’t fall into the above categories is not covered by the new rules – for example, a mixed bag of

frozen peas and corn, is more than one type of vegetable and is not included.

What are the penalties for breaking the rules?

There can be hefty fees for not following the rules: The Commerce Commission can issue an infringement notice to a business of up to $1000 per offence. For serious non-compliance, the courts can prosecute a company with a fine up to $30,000 while individuals can be fined up to $10,000 for each offence. www.propack.pro

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FOCUS FMCG IN NEW ZEALAND

New, recycled content packaging for Handee, Purex and Sorbent

ew Handee paper towel, Purex and Sorbent Toilet Tissue packaging is to hit the shelves in New Zealand containing 20 per cent recycled plastic. As market leading brands in the category, this will be the first recycled plastic packaging seen in the paper towel and toilet paper aisles of New Zealand’s supermarkets. Recycled plastic has been used before and reduces plastics going to landfill, supporting the development of New Zealand’s circular economy. Essity’s investment into recycled plastic packaging in its Kawerau Mill comes after 18 months of research and trials investigating sustainable packaging options. The Handee, Sorbent and Purex range of products has been transitioning to 20 per cent recycled plastic packaging since October 2021. “We know New Zealanders are concerned about plastic waste, so we are excited to be making our products available to our customers and consumers with more sustainable packaging. Our research into sustainable packaging options shows that using 20 per cent Post Consumer Recycled (PCR) content in Handee paper towel, Purex and Sorbent Toilet

As Handee, Purex and Sorbent make changes to their plastic packaging, New Zealand will see these brands as the first to recycle plastic packaging in the paper towel and toilet paper aisles

plastic packaging, reduces the carbon footprint of our packaging, contributes to the circular economy and reduces plastic waste,” Essity Australasia sustainability general manager Fiona Baxter said. “From the beginning of the project, we chose to follow best practise and drive the circular economy. This meant we chose materials which were not only technically recycled but likely to be collected and recycled at scale. We reviewed paper packaging, but due to issues with contamination at curbside and the lack of local capacity to reprocess we were concerned that this was unlikely to be recycled. Adding post consumer recycled content to our soft plastics packaging drives the

circular economy by creating valuable material to be collected and processed.” Developing this packaging innovation had many technical hurdles and 20 per cent is just the start of Essity’s journey as it plans to increase the PCR content. Essity’s “forest to flush” product lifecycle for these products has been independently reviewed, confirming that packaging contributes less than 10 per cent to the carbon footprint for these products. Reaching 20 per cent recycled content in this new packaging reduces the carbon footprint further and moves Essity closer to the sustainable packaging target of 85 per cent recycled and/or renewable content in its packaging by 2025.

Seeing the forest for the cheese

amed after a local forest in the South Island of New Zealand, Talbot Forest Cheese Co. produces specialty cheeses that have become very popular since launching in 2000. However, following a thorough brand audit, it was decided the brand and packaging needed an upgrade to better reflect its origins and re-establish credentials as an iconic, if not disruptive, Kiwi! Finding inspiration in its New Zealand Forest origins, Onfire Design went to work bringing the brand story to life along with its quirky personality and unique perspective in cheesemaking. Utilising a bold typographic woodblock pattern, Onfire wove a botanical theme of local flora, fauna and birdlife illustrations throughout the entire range.

8 ProPack.pro June 2022

Talbot Forest Cheese Co. has updated its packaging to better reflect its origins and re-establish its credentials

At the point-of-sale, this creates an eye-catching, ever-changing forest scene. The result is a brand that sparks curiosity with a distinctive personality in a category that’s become saturated with various iterations of the now commoditised craft story. Maja Szarmach, the head of marketing and innovation for Talbot Forest Cheese said, “The specialty cheese category is extremely fragmented, so driving brand presence

and commanding shopper attention are key drivers of success. “Having worked with Onfire Design on several successful package design projects I knew the team was well placed to deliver. “The outcome is a fresh, bold design that embraces Talbot Forest’s roots and story but does so with a contemporary vibrant look that sparks curiosity and attention – a real game changer for the brand and for the category!” www.propack.pro

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FOCUS ESSENTRA TAPES

Adding value in the health, Essentra Tapes’ solutions tick many boxes for health and beauty converters who are increasingly demanding more than frustrationfree packaging

ssentra Tapes, part of Essentra PLC and a market player in the production of packaging tape solutions, specialises in the opening, closing, and brand protection of packaging solutions. ProPack.pro spoke to its APAC sales manager Eva Kartika about how the company adds value in the health, beauty and wellness space, and its plans moving forward.

Q: What does Essentra Tapes do as a business and why did it decide to specialise on solutions for the health/ beauty industry?

Eva Kartika (EK): We specialise in opening, closing, and brand protection packaging solutions. Our flagship products are the RippaTape – for paper and board cartons – and SupaStrip – which is applied to plastic and film packaging applications. Our solutions tick many boxes for health and beauty converters, who are increasingly demanding frustration-free and easy to open packaging that meets the needs of today’s omnichannel retail world. There is a real push for health and beauty brands to be more inclusive in all areas now. We feel strongly that mindset should extend to packaging, too, so it is a natural fit for us to supply easy-open tapes to converters supplying this market.

Q: Who are some of Essentra Tapes biggest clients in the APAC region?

: We work with some leading players in the region across a variety of sectors. Our easy-open tape solutions have been used on packaging for leading APAC-focused and global FMCG and food brands in the region. We also work with paper and board manufacturers and converters in the 10 ProPack.pro June 2022

1. RippaTape has been used on packaging for leading APACfocused and global FMCG and food brands in the region

region. We provide tapes for easy-open cartonboard tearing for clients with a strong focus on Indonesian businesses due to our site in the country. One of our biggest partner industries is tobacco, where customers want to give consumers tamper-proof, frustration-free packaging. We collaborate with companies to create unique easy-open solutions for their packaging, to give their consumers peace of mind that their purchase is genuine at a time when counterfeit tobacco is a real issue in the region.

Q: What are some of the main Asia-Pacific packaging trends that are specific to the health/beauty space?

: It is perhaps obvious that the main trend is driven by consumer behaviour shifts postpandemic. Hygienically sealed products that are wrapped are in high demand, putting pressure on converters to provide film-wrapped packaging that is easily accessible while still being completely sealed. We know there is a growing desire for robust brand protection solutions to combat the rise of counterfeit goods. We have advanced our covert and overt

security technologies a great deal in recent years in response to brands who want to stay one step ahead of counterfeiters. We also know that convenience and practicality is hugely important for consumers today – while it’s not necessarily about on-the-go use as lifestyles have changed, consumers want simple product packaging solutions that make their lives easier and a positive opening experience. This hasn’t gone away during the pandemic. Finally, it’s clear that sustainability is hot on the agenda wherever you look. At Essentra Tapes, we’ve just launched our SupaStrip PCR solution which contains recycled material and has several new innovations coming to market in the next few months that will support brands in their sustainable packaging developments.

Q: How does Essentra Tapes create value-add for customers?

: Fundamentally, we make packaging more accessible for everyone. Research shows that a positive opening experience increases consumer brand loyalty, which means www.propack.pro

ESSENTRA TAPES FOCUS

beauty and wellness space any packaging supplier that can demonstrate this will be desirable. Secondly, we’re focusing heavily on adding value to the sustainability agenda. For example, RippaTape can be used on the inside of cartonboard to fortify packages, which means converters can use a lighter, lower-cost grade of corrugate for some applications without compromising on quality and lower the carbon footprint of the pack. Importantly, RippaTape does not impact the board’s recyclability once it enters the recycling chain, so enables companies to meet their sustainability goals, which is something that is only getting more important as time passes.

Q: How should customers make their products stand out from the crowd?

: Customers need to send a message that products at all levels of the supply chain have to tell a story. Using inclusive packaging, designed to be easily used for those with visual, cognitive, or motor impairments to open, is a compelling addition to that story – particularly in the health and beauty space. Our tape solutions can also be printed to carry almost any design, which opens up exciting possibilities for branding. Because the consumer has to use the tape to open or reclose

2. RippaTape can be used on the inside of cartonboard to fortify packages 3. Supastrip tape solutions can also be printed to carry almost any design, which opens up exciting possibilities for branding 4. SupaStrip is applied to plastic and film packaging applications

the product, they are guaranteed to view the message. Our RE:Close tape is particularly useful for this, enabling brands to add promotional messages or cross-promotion without ordering a new line of packaging.

Q: What are some of the must-have applications on a health/beauty solution?

: RippaTape makes for great SRP because it makes for a cleaner tear than perforations, which is hugely important when competing for shelf appeal in this sector. We also advocate boosting the security of packs and notably, tamper protection. Particularly in the post-

pandemic market, packaging converters need to give their customers and consumers every confidence that their health and beauty products are sealed and secure. Easy-open tape makes it obvious when a product has been tampered with, and it can even be augmented with further covert and overt security measures such as void if removed foil stamps or holographic seals of authenticity. For products like perfume, OTC medication, and highend makeup, this is crucial. Counterfeit cosmetics, in particular, have grown massively since the start of the pandemic and are now estimated to be worth around $5.4 billion globally. This is a particular issue in mainland China and Hong Kong, where the vast majority of seized fake goods originate from according to the OECD. Naturally, these counterfeits find their way into the wider Asia-Pacific region in increasing numbers, so our authentication solutions are a must-have.

Q: What are some of Essentra Tapes’ plans for the Asia-Pacific region?

: Long-term, our vision is to become a total tapes solution provider across a wide range of applications and markets. Today, we are a global market leader in tapes for easy opening, closing, and protection of packs and already have bases in India and Indonesia, alongside our presence in Australia with Essentra plc. Growing the Asia-Pacific region further is a core part of Essentra Tapes’ global strategy. Short-term, we want to continue to work towards a frustration-free future for Asia-Pacific consumers by ensuring converters have the tape technology they need to make it happen.

Q: How does the business aim to achieve these goals?

4 www.propack.pro

: This can be achieved by continuing to offer tapes that add multiple benefits to the value chain without compromising on performance or sustainability. Functionality is always at the core of what we do, so our tapes will always carry out their core function whether that is easy opening, closing, or protecting. However, we will continue to innovate, providing additional layers to our product offer, just as we have done with our sustainability, authentication, and design printing solutions. June 2022 ProPack.pro 11

COVER STORY

Jet Technologies supports Screen in becoming digital press leader Jet Technologies shows its pedigree in labels and packaging with new Screen digital presses such as the second generation L350UV SAI

raditionally recognised in Australia for its range of high-quality Offset CtP devices, Screen GP Australia is part of a much larger global conglomerate that was founded in Japan in 1943. Today, Screen is one of the world’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of production systems for the prepress and printing industries, pioneering innovation in all range of solutions from CtP devices to semi-conductors, to inkjet printers and more. With 75 years’ experience in the graphic arts industry, Screen has an ongoing commitment to developing the highest quality, and most reliable printing machinery. Key highlights for the company include the development of its first industrial inkjet machine for textile printing in 1983, followed by the launch of the world’s first full-colour, high-speed web fed, inkjet press for transactional printing in 2006, and the Truepress Jet L350UV inkjet label press in 2014. Screen had already been present in Australia for many years, when a chance meeting between Screen and Jet Technologies in 2009 started a partnership that saw both companies collaborate extensively in the flexo and then label sectors. That partnership has strengthened and grown over the last 13 years, through the promotion and market adoption of a range of key printing solutions, in particular numerous L350UV (and later L350UV SAI) inkjet presses around Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. In a global first outside of Japan, Jet Technologies and Screen showed the 12 ProPack.pro June 2022

1. Jet Technologies’ Jack Malki, Albert Malki and Daniel Malki (first row l-r) with their staff

first of these presses to the local market at PacPrint 2013, highlighting the rapidly growing relationship between the companies. The demonstration was a huge success with overwhelming interest from the industry. Since that event, there has always been an L350UV in Jet Technologies Demonstration Centre (located in Sydney) where clients can experience detailed demonstrations, training and trials.

An Australian first

DS Labels in Sydney became the very first label printing company in Australia to install an L350UV and more recently, the very first to install the second generation L350UV SAI. The first machine installed by DS Labels is still in use and operates with more than 90 per cent uptime – a testament to the way Screen not only build machines but also how it services and maintains its equipment for the benefit of customers today. “Many clients think that the journey ends with their purchase, whereas the truth is that the journey has only

begun. We guide clients, like DS Labels, through so many aspects of the setup and running of the equipment once their press arrives,” Jet Technologies director of sales David Reece said. “Having our own demonstration centre is also a huge benefit to clients as we can provide first-hand experiences with the various substrates and applications.” Given their longstanding working history and ongoing partnership strength, it was no surprise that when Jet Technologies director Jack Malki and Reece made their first overseas trips since the COVID-19 outbreak, that the destination was Japan – and directly to Screen’s headquarters in Kyoto. During the pandemic, Screen had been busy working on a number of new developments for the packaging industry. In particular, two mediumto-wide web inkjet presses are sure to attract significant market interest. Both of these new developments utilise the latest water-based inkjet technology, enabling super-highresolution printing onto a wide range www.propack.pro

“The Best Label Printer” Winner of the 2021 European Digital Press Association’s category

Why has the SCREEN Truepress Jet L350UV SAI won another EDP Award for the company? It’s the third time, as each generation of the L350UV label printers have received this accolade. The judges claimed it was primarily “for its ease-of-use thanks to its excellent software, as well as for its improved quality and speed.” We agree, adding:

• 7 vibrant colours including a brilliant blue and orange • Speed of 60 mpm and 50 mpm when using white • Engineered for highest (>93%) uptime • Fully supported by local factory-trained technicians • User-friendly EQUIOS software integrates with MIS SEE US AT: 28 June -1 July 2022 Melbourne Exhibition Centre

www.screenaust.com.au

www.jet-ap.com

COVER STORY Continued from page 12

of substrates, without requiring ‘inkjetspecific’ materials, thus keeping down costs and ensuring competitiveness in numerous markets against conventional print. The first – with 520mm wide web width – builds on Screen’s expertise with this web width over many years in various markets including transactional printing on demand and publishing. It is aimed specifically at paper and board printing, taking advantage of the global growth in fibre packaging. The second press – a new 830mm web width – specifically aimed at the flexibles market and results thus far have been extremely impressive with print speeds of 75m/min. “There is genuine belief that inkjet is the future of print in many sectors and these two presses are just the beginning of a serious shift,” Screen GP Australia managing director Peter Scott said. “Screen have long held this belief and this new generation of presses is just the start of our move towards high performance print-on-demand devices for the packaging sector.”

Meeting customer needs

Digital presses meet the needs of brand-owners that now include printing on demand and significantly reducing the time needed to roll out new designs and concepts. Being able to respond in an agile manner to demand fluctuations also affords brand-owners a substantial advantage over competitors, who need to plan many months in advance and may end up disposing substantial amounts of pre-packaged product that was not sold. Printing on-demand is also associated with the lowest rates of waste, with the first print from the Screen presses as good as the last, ensuring an absolute minimum of make-good and reject material from any print run. “Jet Technologies has been in the print and packaging sectors in Australia and New Zealand for over 40 years and our experience in this

2. Jet Technologies’ David Reece and Jack Malki (right) having dinner with the Japanese supplier 3. Jet Technologies’ sale of the Screen L350UV SAI Inkjet Series to Sticky Labels 4. The Screen L350UV SAI that was recently sold to Onpack 5. Attendees seeing a Screen Truepress Jet L350UV machine demo at Jet Technologies’ Digital Innovations session 6. Sticky Labels has optimised its digital operations by upgrading to the latest automated label production system – the Screen L350UV SAI Inkjet Series

6 segment has been key in assisting clients make the successful transition from conventional to digital print,” Malki said. “The 13-year partnership between Screen and Jet Technologies may seem like a long-time today’s business environment, but in my view, our working relationship has only just begun. Customers are attracted to

working with both companies due to our joint commitment to quality and service and how we don’t rest until our clients’ goals are met. “The coming years will see a number of exciting new releases from Screen, with Jet Technologies aiming for Screen to become the number one digital press in the labels and packaging field in the region.”

FOCUS FLEXIBLE PACKAGING

ePac’s grand opening ce ePac Flexible Packaging recently celebrated the grand opening of its first Australian manufacturing facility in Melbourne’s thriving industrial district, Coburg North

hen ePac’s first flexible packaging site opened at Madison, Wisconsin in 2016, few would have realised that it would become a global enterprise spanning four continents. The latest is here in Melbourne where early demand for short-run on-demand flexible pouches has resulted in the addition of a second printing and converting line, making for a $10 million investment and 40 new jobs and rising to 160. Following considerable R&D and a little help from Cal Poly’s Graphic Communications department, ePac’s three founders, Jack Knott, Carl Joachim and Virag Patel (who attended the Melbourne opening); became convinced that there was a pent-up demand for high quality, environmentally sustainable flexible packaging for the smaller food and FMCG companies for whom the run length demands of major flexible packaging producers – plus the six-totwelve-week lead time, were unrealistic. ePac delivers pouches within five to 15 days. About the same time, HP Indigo completed field testing of its new 20000 (since upgraded to the 25K) digital press, with a 760mm web width, up to seven colours and ability to print on paper, filmic substrates such as PET and Mylar, BOPP, BOPA, shrink film, PETG, PVC, OPS, label stocks (PE label) and pre-laminates such as PET/ALU/PE. Sensing a disruptive technology when coupled with short-run converting, ePac forged ahead and very soon had to double its capacity at Wisconsin and open up another site at Boulder, Colorado. The main products are stand-up and lay-flat pouches, with rollstock also produced for clients with in-house FFS (Form, Fill & Seal) machinery. Today there are 17 ePac sites in North 16 ProPack.pro June 2022

1. (l-r) Cutting the ribbon – ePac’s Virag Patel and Jason Brown, with HP’s Craig Walmsley and Cr. Oscar Yildiz 2. ePac Australia managing director Jason Browns cuts the celebration cake

America, four in Europe, one in Africa, two in Asia and now one in Oceania. It is entirely possible that we will see a second Australian site in Sydney. All are standardised with HP Indigo 25K printing with pouch converting and solventless laminating by Karlville, Totani and Nordmeccanica. Flexibles, in particular pouches, are a boom market, with a current estimated 19 per cent share of all packaging and growing at around 3.9 per cent CAGR. Pouches offer so many advantages: photo-quality imagery, see-though panels, re-sealability, liquid spouts, hang-sell or shelf-standing configurations and, increasingly, recyclability and aseptic packaging.

A grand opening

The official opening for ePac’s first Australian factory was in April, although production had already begun using the initially installed single HP Indigo 25K and Totani converting line. A second complete line was added due to unprecedented demand at the pristine purpose-built Coburg site. Headed up by Jason Brown, an experienced printer and supplier of print materials, the local team was joined by senior management from the US including co-founder and COO Virag Patel, CIO Parag Patel, VP of sales and business development John Ferreira and business analyst Serin. Local Moreland City councillor Oscar Yildiz welcomed the new business, and accompanying jobs, to his jurisdiction and the all-important indigenous ‘smoking ceremony’ was performed by an elder from the traditional landowners the Wurundjeri people – Uncle Ringo. The audience consisted of staff and customers, including Cinzia Cozzolino,

owner of The Smoothie Bomb, who credits ePac and Jason Brown with helping to launch and grow her nutrition brand in record time. Cinzia was sceptical of ePac’s ability to turn around her flexible packaging needs within three weeks instead of the conventional 12 to 14 weeks. “But they did, they pulled it off!” she beamed, “and within my pricing scope”.

Enabled by technology

Supply companies were also present including Craig Walmsley, country manager for HP Indigo and Mark Daws of sales and service partner Currie Group, who together gave a thorough demonstation of the HP Indigo 25K print technology during the ‘walkabout’ stage of the opening. Printing in up to seven colours across the 760mm wide web, HP Indigo presses use the ‘liquid toner’ electrophotographic imaging method pioneered in application by Benny Landa and first seen at Ipex 1993 in the UK. HP has owned Indigo since 2001. Landa has openly credited Australian Ken Metcalfe of Adelaide’s Defence Standards Laboratories with the original invention of liquid toners, in the 1950s. What does ePac offer that conventional flexo platemaking and printing does not? Its managing director Jason Brown said it is speed, economy, sustainability and convenience. “In recent years, Australians have increased their support for small businesses in their community. ePac’s first Australian manufacturing site comes at an opportune time, providing small business owners who are looking to scale up with a fast, cost-effective and sustainable offering to meet their www.propack.pro

FLEXIBLE PACKAGING FOCUS

ements flexible future 3

packaging needs. ePac is proud to play a role in revitalising the local community by supporting small businesses whilst also creating new jobs,” he said. At the ePac Flexibles opening, it was clear from the quality of the pouches, sachets and rollstock coming off the lines, that quality is right up there with the best flexo can deliver, only faster and economical in much smaller batches. This is a huge advantage for micro, mid-level and boutique manufacturers since it presents their products at the same level as other major brands.

3. (l-r) ePac co-founder Virag Patel, VP of sales John Ferreira and CIO Parag Patel from the US 4. Wurunjeri elder ‘Uncle Ringo’ welcomes ePac with his smoking ceremony 5. ePac’s reception displays samples of pouches and sachets

data content can be changed, if dictated by the workflow. This enables versioning, personalisation and even full colour image changes on-the-fly. This is the great ‘pro’ of digital printing – no platemaking and variable data. The ‘con’ is purely speed – digital printing is much slower than flexo, offset and gravure. In short runs however, this is not a disadvantage since the demands of micromanufacturers are for more frequent, smaller batches produced on-demand.

The perfect timing for fragmented production

As it happens, ePac has arrived at a perfect time in Australia as FMCG consumption is fragmenting and entrepreneurial start-ups – such as Cinzia Cozzolino’s The Smoothe Bomb – are flourishing. What were once ‘home recipes’ have become boutique brands and carry premium prices that health-conscious and informed consumers are willing to pay for. However, some of the big packagers are not ‘asleep at the wheel’. One of the largest packagers, Amcor, has invested into ePac Flexibles. At the time of last year’s investment, Amcor’s CEO Ron Delia said, “We are incredibly proud of Amcor’s innovation and R&D capabilities but with our scale and global footprint we are also positioned to supplement our internal efforts with investments in complementary technologies and business models. Our investment in ePac is the first corporate venture-type investment for Amcor and provides a great opportunity to learn from a high growth start-up.” It’s a telling and savvy indication of things to come in the flexible packaging world.

Advantages of no-plate packaging production

Platemaking in flexography is a highly skilled and lengthy process – even with digital imaging of plates. When combined with presses that can run at up to 600 metres-perminute, flexo using photopolymer plates does deliver excellent quality at incredible speeds and is gradually displacing gravure in all but hyperlong print runs. Offset platemaking is easier and more automated but for packaging production in short runs is still an additional step and, with aluminium plate costs going through the roof, is increasingly expensive. In removing platemaking altogether, ePac can take design files directly from the computer or internet, pre-flight them and queue up for print production within minutes. When printing several similar or varied jobs, the HP Indigo 25K presses do not need to stop, data flows like water into the workflow and RIP, which then sends it to the imaging station inside the press. With every revolution of the imaging drum, the www.propack.pro

June 2022 ProPack.pro 17

FOCUS NEW INSTALLATION

Mildura Printing buys Rollem Insignia 5 from Graph-Pak Productivity at Mildura Printing has improved significantly since the installation of the Rollem Insignia 5, with the machine also having the potential to take on more work

A Rollem Insignia 5 was recently installed at Mildura Printing

igital and label printing company Mildura Printing has purchased and installed a Rollem Insignia 5 digital die cutter from Graph-Pak. As a first-time customer of GraphPak, Mildura Printing director Lindsay Stephens said he had been eyeing the Rollem technology since 2019 and was stoked when he finally purchased the machine for his business. “I first looked at a Rollem in 2019 but the investment didn’t fit into our plans at that time. So, when the necessity arose for us to get a heavyduty die cutter, as we had been using an old letterpress to do die cutting, I reached out to Tom Ralph from Graph-Pak to have a look at the Rollem again. Tom was running a special deal on the Insignia 5, which sweetened the deal,” he said. “I did look at a few other options, but none were as sturdy, speedy and suited to what we were doing than the Rollem Insignia 5.” The Rollem Insignia 5 digital die cutter creates a distinct space in the print finishing market for sheet-fed, label, packaging and mail applications. This flexo-magnetic rotary die cutter is set apart by its short, medium or long run capacity. Changeover on this machine is measured in just minutes and it is the only machine in its class capable of die cutting up to 30 pt. in thickness. With run speeds up to 5,000 sheets per hour and its ease of operation, the Rollem Insignia 5 opens endless revenue streams for businesses. It die-cuts, kiss-cuts and cut-scores an unlimited number of products including labels, folding cartons, shaped direct mailers, presentation folders, magnets, POP displays, custom greeting cards, event passes and more. 18 ProPack.pro June 2022

According to Lindsay, productivity at his business has improved significantly since the installation of the Rollem Insignia 5 and the machine has the potential to take on more work. “Our productivity has been up since we installed the machine a few weeks ago. We’re adapting to use the machine for a lot of other things like die cutting different products such as plant tags for nurseries and promotional materials for supermarkets – anything that requires different shaped tags,” he said. “It widens our product range going into the future as we can go into different areas which we couldn’t do before. And one of the features of this machine is that you can add on pieces in the future, which makes it even more diversifiable.” Graph-Pak managing director Tom Ralph said before the investment in the Rollem machine, Mildura Printing had a good business, but wasn’t getting the most out of its return. So, following its purchase of the Rollem Insignia 5, the company now has a reliable solution that meets its needs. “Lindsay made a leap of faith. He’d never met me in person before but was comfortable with our brand and our recognition,” Tom said.

“Even though we had some delivery issues getting the machine out of the US – which meant we had to end up delivering it by air and send out our engineer two days after it landed in Mildura – it was running on the third day. And I don’t think it has stopped since, nor do I expect it to stop either.” Tom also added that the Rollem Insignia 5 allows Mildura Printing to be a much more sustainable and profitable business moving forward. “The die cutting was a very slow in-house process for Mildura which also required a lot of outsourcing. This was eating up a lot of money plus involved more waiting time. Now, Mildura Printing can print and be die cutting within minutes of the job coming off the printing press – something he had to wait possibly a week on many occasions to do,” he said. “The machine is simple to operate and is robust in nature. If there was ever an issue, we’ll be able to send out trained engineers within an hour of Mildura’s plant as they aren’t located in a metro area. So, the business has a full package with us. In addition, Mildura Printing has a reliable solution for what it needs now, with a view of what it will need in the future.” www.propack.pro

GRAPH-PAK SUPPLIER PROFILE

Since 2006 GRAPH-PAK PTY LTD has delivered high quality products and services to the printing and packaging industries in Australia & New Zealand. Our mission is to continue to provide advanced, reliable and functional equipment and engineering solutions and services that enable our customers to maximise their business potential.

SERIESDIE DIECUTTER CUTTER SERIES SERIES SERIES DIE DIE CUTTER CUTTER TheInsignia Insigniaisisaasheet-fed, sheet-fed,rotary, rotary, The The Insignia is a sheet-fed, rotary, flexo magnetic die cutter designed The magnetic Insignia isdie a sheet-fed, rotary, flexo cutter designed flexo magnetic die cutter designed for production-driven operation flexo magnetic die cutter designed for production-driven operation atat for production-driven operation at an affordable price point. production-driven operation at anforaffordable price point. an affordable price point. an affordable price point. INSIGNIAS W/ WASTE STRIPPING UNIT INSIGNIAS W/ WASTE STRIPPING UNIT INSIGNIAS W/ WASTE STRIPPING UNIT INSIGNIAS W/ WASTE STRIPPING UNIT

INSIGNIAS W/ RECEDING STACKER INSIGNIAS W/ RECEDING STACKER INSIGNIAS W/ RECEDING STACKER

Available Sizes • 510 x 380 • 510 x 510 • 760 x 610

See us at on stand D08

A TRUE GUIDE & GRIP REGISTER A TRUE GUIDE & GRIPSHEET-TO-SHEET REGISTER SYSTEM ENSURE SYSTEM ENSURE SHEET-TO-SHEET AACCURACY. TRUE GUIDE GRIPGUIDE REGISTER SIDE&PULL IS ACCURACY. PULL GUIDE IS SYSTEM ENSURE CAPABLE OF PULLING EITHER A TRUE SIDE GUIDE & SHEET-TO-SHEET GRIP REGISTER CAPABLE OF ENSURE PULLING EITHER ACCURACY. SIDETOPULL GUIDE IS LEFT OR RIGHT MATCH PRESS SYSTEM SHEET-TO-SHEET LEFTCAPABLE OR RIGHT TO MATCH PRESS IS PULLING REGISTER ACCURACY.OFEDGES. SIDE PULL EITHER GUIDE REGISTER LEFT OREDGES. RIGHT TO MATCH PRESS CAPABLE OF PULLING EITHER REGISTER EDGES.TO MATCH PRESS LEFT OR RIGHT REGISTER EDGES. A TOP SUCTION AIR FEEDER A TOP SUCTION AIR IS POWERED VIAFEEDER A BUILT IS POWERED VIA A BUILT AINTOP SUCTION AIRINFEEDER BLOWER PUMP THE IN BLOWER PUMP INAIR IS POWERED ATHE BUILT MACHINE. ANVIA OPERATOR CAN A TOP SUCTION FEEDER MACHINE. AN OPERATOR CAN IN BLOWER PUMP THE INDEPENDENTLY IS POWERED VIA ADJUST AINBUILT INDEPENDENTLY ADJUST MACHINE. ANPUMP OPERATOR VOLUMES BOTH & IN BLOWEROF INBLOW THECAN VOLUMES OF BOTH BLOW & CAN INDEPENDENTLY ADJUST SUCTION FOR THE MACHINE.TOANADJUST OPERATOR SUCTION TORANGE ADJUST FOR THE & VOLUMES OF BOTH BLOW WIDEST OFADJUST MATERIALS INDEPENDENTLY WIDEST RANGE OF MATERIALS SUCTION ADJUST FOR THE POSSIBLE. INDEPENDENT VOLUMESTOOF BOTH BLOW & POSSIBLE. WIDEST RANGE OF SUCKER HEADS CANMATERIALS BE SUCTIONINDEPENDENT TO ADJUST FOR THE SUCKER HEADS CAN POSSIBLE. INDEPENDENT ADJUSTED TO SHEET SIZE. WIDEST RANGE OFBEMATERIALS ADJUSTED TO SHEET SIZE.BE SUCKER CAN POSSIBLE.HEADS INDEPENDENT ADJUSTED TO SHEET SIZE. SUCKER HEADS CAN BE ADJUSTED TO SHEET SIZE. A RECESSED SCRIBE LINE ON A RECESSED SCRIBE LINE ON SINGLE MAGNETIC MACHINES SINGLE MAGNETIC MACHINES AALLOW RECESSED SCRIBE LINE ON FOR FAST, CONSISTENT ALLOW FOR FAST, CONSISTENT SINGLE MAGNETIC MACHINES DIE MOUNTING & ENSURES A RECESSED SCRIBE LINE ONDIE DIE ALLOW MOUNTING &FAST, ENSURES DIE & FOR CONSISTENT TOOLS ARE HUNG PARALLEL SINGLE MAGNETIC MACHINES TOOLS ARE HUNG PARALLEL & DIE DIE MOUNTING & ENSURES CENTERED. ALLOW FOR FAST, CONSISTENT CENTERED. TOOLS ARE HUNG PARALLEL & DIE MOUNTING & ENSURES DIE CENTERED. TOOLS ARE HUNG PARALLEL & CENTERED. A PIN MOUNT SYSTEM ON DUAL A PINMAGNETIC MOUNT SYSTEM ON ENSURE DUAL MACHINES MAGNETIC MACHINES ENSURE ATHEPINALIGNMENT MOUNT SYSTEM DUAL OF THEONPAIRED THEMAGNETIC OFSYSTEM THECYLINDERS PAIRED ENSURE SET DIEMACHINES TOOLS. AALIGNMENT PINOFMOUNT ON DUAL SET THE OF DIE TOOLS. CYLINDERS ALIGNMENT OF THE PAIRED ALSO HAVE BUILT-IN MICROMAGNETIC MACHINES ENSURE ALSOSET HAVE BUILT-IN MICRODIE TOOLS. ADJUSTMENT CAPABILITIES TO THE OF ALIGNMENT OFCYLINDERS THE PAIRED ADJUSTMENT CAPABILITIES TO ALSO BUILT-IN MICROENSURE MATING. SET OFHAVE DIE TOOLS. CYLINDERS ENSURE ADJUSTMENT CAPABILITIES ALSOMATING. HAVE BUILT-IN MICRO-TO ENSURE MATING. ADJUSTMENT CAPABILITIES TO ENSURE MATING. HYDRAULIC PRESSURE HYDRAULIC PRESSURE ASSEMBLIES ARE ADJUSTED EASILY ASSEMBLIES AREPRESSURE ADJUSTED EASILY HYDRAULIC VIA THE BLACK WHEEL. INFINITELY VIA ASSEMBLIES THE BLACK WHEEL. INFINITELY ARETOADJUSTED ADJUSTABLE UP 3,000 PSIEASILY OF HYDRAULIC PRESSURE ADJUSTABLE UP TO 3,000 OFEASILY VIA THE BLACK INFINITELY CUTTING PRESSURE IS PSI AVAILABLE. ASSEMBLIES AREWHEEL. ADJUSTED CUTTING PRESSURE ISOPERATOR AVAILABLE. ADJUSTABLE UPWHEEL. TO 3,000 PSITOOF GAUGES ENABLE VIA THE BLACK INFINITELY GAUGES ENABLE OPERATOR TOPSI OF CUTTING PRESSURE IS AVAILABLE. DETERMINE MINIMUM PRESSURES ADJUSTABLE UP TO 3,000 DETERMINE MINIMUM PRESSURES GAUGES ENABLE OPERATOR TO TO EXTEND DIE LIFE. CUTTING PRESSURE IS AVAILABLE. TO EXTEND DIE LIFE. DETERMINE MINIMUM PRESSURES GAUGES ENABLE OPERATOR TO TO EXTEND DIE LIFE. PRESSURES DETERMINE MINIMUM TO EXTEND DIE LIFE.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT OUR HEAD OFFICE

Specialising in Capital Equipment PLEASE Sales, Service, Engineering FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT OUR HEAD OFFICE Specialising in Capital Equipment Sales, Service, Engineering Solutions and Consumables. Solutions and Consumables. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE HEAD OFFICE Head Office: 1/44 President Avenue Caringbah, NSW,CONTACT 2229, email:OUR info@graph-pak.com.au info@graph-pak.com.au SpecialisingEnquiries: in Capital Equipment Sales, Service, Engineering Enquiries: info@graph-pak.com.au FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT OUR HEAD OFFICE Solutions and Consumables. Specialising in Capital Equipment Sales, Service, Engineering

Unit 1G, 1-3 Endeavour Road, Caringbah NSW 2229, email: info@graph-pak.com.au Unit 1G, 1-3 Endeavour Road, Caringbah NSW 2229, email: info@graph-pak.com.au Toll Free: 1300 885 550 NSW www.graph-pak.com.au Unit Toll 1G, 1-3 Endeavour Road, Caringbah 2229, email: info@graph-pak.com.au Free: 1300 885 550 www.graph-pak.com.au Enquiries: info@graph-pak.com.au Solutions and Consumables. Unit 1G, 1-3 Endeavour Road, Caringbah NSW 2229, email: info@graph-pak.com.au

FOCUS LABELS & PACKAGING

Xeikon’s digitisation levels lift with LCU Series New technology aims to offer broader options for automation in label making

eikon has launched its LCU Series with two label converting units, the Xeikon LCU350 and the Xeikon LCU33. The company said it has designed its label converting units with modular and scalable architecture for added flexibility, cloud connection, and full integration. The Xeikon LCU350 offers the new modular platform for added flexibility and scalability to support business growth, while the Xeikon LCU33 is a basic version and entry level choice. Jeroen Van Bauwel, director for product management at Xeikon, said, “A key value of our new Xeikon LCU series is in the various different options and levels of investment available to suit the customer’s requirements. “As with many of our digital solutions, we have designed the Xeikon LCU series to adapt and grow with our customer’s business needs. Through our Xeikon Solution Services, customised versions and different configurations are possible as the customer’s business grows. This depends on the application and volumes required, and that can be a basic varnish through to automatic laser die-cut capability and wider web versions up to 520mm. “The integration of the units in the Xeikon LCU series along with cloud connection offers full automation possibilities for both process and information exchange across all equipment. The Xeikon LCU Series is designed to work inline and offline with both Xeikon’s Panther and Cheetah digital presses.”

Automation features

With Xeikon’s LCU series, automation is available for processes, such as optional automatic turret rewind or optional die plate change. It is also available for job information, which allows data transfer to different units, giving transparency and insight to the 20 ProPack.pro June 2022

The Xeikon LCU33 is an entry-level model that is designed for smaller business operations. It is an attractive investment, and is upgradeable and market competitive

operator of the various status and functionality of the converting steps. Operators can monitor every process: lamination, die-cutting, slitting, winding, hot foiling, and screen printing. The varnishing station comes with increased varnishing width and varnishing register, and an easy upgrade to spot varnishing. Xeikon mentioned its new LCU series is highly accurate in terms of precision for cutting and precise registration. Options for expanding functionality include additional flexo stations to avoid changeover between different varnishes; automated laser die-cutting to avoid die plate changeover and increase turnaround speed; auto die plate change to reduce setup time; and hot foil and screen printing stations to expand application range. The die-cutting speeds range from semi-rotary at 80 metres per minute to a maximum full rotary of 130 metres per minute.

Xeikon digitisation

Xeikon has increased digitisation in three ways. First, the Xeikon LCU series has built in cloud connectivity for data collection and remote service. The collected data is translated into key information that helps operators in their day to day decision making. Second, it offers machine to machine interfaces on Xeikon’s Panther 2.0 UV inkjet presses and Xeikon’s Cheetah 2.0 dry toner presses.

Third, human-machine interfaces give additional autonomy to the operator of the press. Van Bauwel said, “From the converter’s point of view, not only will they now have the latest fully automated and high quality finishing and embellishing capabilities, but they will also have the flexibility to customise the finishing department and combine a number of different processes to maximise their label applications and extend their label portfolio to grow their business. “Xeikon is also addressing customers who are on a smaller budget. “The Xeikon LCU33 is an entry-level model that is designed for smaller business operations. It is an attractive investment, and is upgradeable and market competitive. “With our new LCU series, all processes are now connected in one smooth process from file to finish. With the cloud connection, the operators can now rely solely on the capabilities of the Xeikon machines. “Converters today are constantly searching for new technologies and equipment to enable them to meet the high levels of demand from brand owners for the latest sophisticated and unique embellishments plus highquality finish to attract consumers. “With the new LCU series, our customers will have all they need to take the next step towards full digitalisation in label production and manufacturing.” www.propack.pro

Our award-winning products.

FOCUS AUSPACK GALLERY

AUSPACK 2022 showcases new innovation AUSPACK 2022, which recently took place at the MCEC, brought together the thought leaders, game changers and big discussions that the industry needs to raise the bar, collaborate and shape the future. Here are some pictures from the event, with a full review to come in the August issue of our ProPack.pro magazine.

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22 ProPack.pro June 2022

1. An aerial image of the MCEC hall at AUSPACK 2022 2. David Scoones and Daniel Maaka from Aldus Tronics with the new S4 starting at $100,000 for an Australian made customised labelling solution 3. Wojciech Wawrzyniak from Konica Minolta exhibited at Auspack with the Markforged 3D printing systems starting at $30,000 4. Visy showcased a number of solutions including the Hitachi UX2 industrial inkjet printer 5. Ferag MD Philip Batty and Ferag GM Ian Martin promoted their packaging automation solutions at AUSPACK 2022 6. Kerry Alleaume, Bill Katsinas and Emma Hvalgen from Peacock Bros showcased their printing and labelling solutions 7. The OF Packaging/Close The Loop team promoted their sustainable, compostable and recyclable packaging solutions using a concept called the Innovation Station 8. Spotted at AUSPACK – Wolf Viergever from Starward Whisky with Mark Daws from Currie Group www.propack.pro

AUSPACK GALLERY FOCUS

15 9. Matt Johnson and the Trimatt team with the Trimatt FoldLine 9000 feed, fold and glue solution 10. Justin Gibson from No Bull Blinds speaking with Tom Ralph from Graph-Pak about the Boxway FitSize 2500 box making machine 11. Michael Dossor (Result Group) with Avi Valecha and Manfred Bartnitzky from Insignia 12. Checking out intelligent identification technology from Matthews 13. Plenty of discussions going on at the Jet Technologies stand at AUSPACK 2022 14. J.L.Lennard showing off its technologies to attendees of AUSPACK 2022 15. Innovative packaging solutions were on show at Propak Industries’ stand at AUSPACK 2022

www.propack.pro

June 2022 ProPack.pro 23

FOCUS SHORT-RUN

Boxfuls of opportunities The online purchasing revolution is crying out for closely focused orders and boutique manufacturing, produced onshore and quickly

By Peter Kohn

oday’s markets are brimming with opportunities for shortrun, on-demand, boutique packaging production. There’s great potential for enhanced or ‘smart’ packaging, in specialised, focused production runs, and for variable-data printed packaging. But is the short-run packaging space emerging as an exciting new opening for print/ packaging providers that are not traditionally in the packaging sector? Or alternatively, can it also be a new revenue stream for traditional volume packaging producers? ProPack.Pro checked in with major packaging technology developers and vendors in the short-run space.

Cyber

Cyber regional managing director Bernard Cheong said over the pandemic period, take-aways had become very popular, and the demand for take-away printed containers grew rapidly. Moreover, Cheong sees boutique and cosmetics packaging as a submarket that has been rapidly evolving for the past decade. “Distinct from premium and custom products that require some product differentiation, many new brands are being intorduced. Like all start-ups, everything starts small,” he said. He added that Cyber is well placed to meet these new short-cycle needs in the market. Prominent among its offerings is Ryobi-Mitsubishi (RMGT)’s new 1060/1020 B1-format press, introduced in January this year. The press features ‘simul-changer’, a parallel tool that is part of its tandem perfecting, and which significantly reduces makeready time. A cylinder-independent drive motor and a mechanical clutch for each unit enable both plate changing and blanket washing to be performed simultaneously. Both processes can 24 ProPack.pro June 2022

1. A short-run packaging sample from Heidelberg 2. By implementing a solution such as Esko WebCenter, all stakeholders can work on the same version of the artwork and its components

be completed within around 75 seconds. In comparison with standard blanket washing devices, job changes can be shortened by around 80 seconds, according to Cheong. “This can help to increase the packaging pressroom’s productivity substantially and the customer can easily operate eight-colour long perfecting with a minimal number of operators,” he said. As an example of applications in the Asia Pacific region, Cheong relates a success story about HD & Tek, a South Korean company specialising in the manufacture and supply of various types of food packages, kitchen equipment and utensils. In food packaging, the company produces packaging boxes, vinyl packs, paper bags and paper cups. Its newly

acquired 1050LX, configured with a coater unit with inline coating, has boosted productivity. Similarly, a manufacturer of containers for instant noodles in Vietnam flourished after the arrival of an RMGT 920ST-6+CC+SLD. The business was able to achieve exponential growth, even though there had been no prior experience in dealing with offset press machinery.

Esko Oceania

Esko Oceania marketing and channels manager Scott Thompson explained that by implementing a solution such as Esko WebCenter – a labels and packaging management and collaboration platform – all stakeholders can work on the same version of the artwork and its components (logo, images, symbols, text etc.) avoiding unnecessary duplications and versioning errors. Specifications, comments and instructions issued throughout the artwork prepress phase can be stored and tracked along with the project. This enables quality reporting along the way. Pre-defined specifications, such as colour, can also be shared with an integrated inspection technology, such as AVT Helios, to then create a closed-loop solution using the Color Trace module in WebCenter to guarantee print quality. When it comes to variable-data printing (VDP), Thompson says VDP can take the role of packaging to a new level. www.propack.pro

SHORT-RUN FOCUS

including next generation Color Preflight with Automation Engine and ArtPro+; new Native Apple Silicon support for ArtPro+, DeskPack and Studio; improved WebCenter user experience and reporting; and a new ArtPro+ Digital Edition for digital print workflows.

Graffica

“With opportunities for localisation, serialisation, personalisation and traceability, advances in automation mean it is now possible to further harness the technology to transform the prepress environment. The latest version of the Esko workflow server software, Automation Engine, incorporates a VDP module that enables businesses to supercharge their capabilities in terms of both speed and scale,” he added. “This was underlined when Esko delivered a world-first in connected packaging production, with a collaboration with Scantrust and pioneering packaging company ePac Flexible Packaging. Esko Automation Engine is at the heart of the operation, with its innovative VDP technology enabling the printing of serialised and secure QR codes on flexible packaging on a mass scale. This unleashed the power of VDP for the new connected packaging and connected goods service, ePacConnect.” Thompson said with cloud deployment for 24/7 global access to data and new scalability capabilities, automation engine is enabling ePac to realise the power of VDP for an organisation – without the downsides. “By connecting the VDP module in Automation Engine with Scantrust, we’ve created a framework for codes that makes it easy for converters to use. Not only was this implementation the first of its kind, but it also unlocked capabilities that were previously difficult to achieve,” he said. Launched in March, Esko Release 22.03 includes a host of new features,

www.propack.pro

3. The BCS Boxer and Feeder from Graffica 4. Box plus 1 is an automatic folder-gluer machine available from Graph-Pak

Eight years ago, 80 per cent of corrugated boxes were plain-brown and unprinted, Graffica co-founder Neil Southerington noted. “The demand for custom-sized boxes, printed and plain, in a variety of Fefco (European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers) styles, delivered on a just-in-time basis, is booming,” Southerington said. “There was always a market for shortrun custom boxes, with many buyers not wanting to purchase fixed-set minimum quantities of 500 or 1,000 in one box size when they only needed 50. Not to mention the cost outlay and additional storage space required for this unwanted stock. But the expansion of online purchasing, accelerated by COVID, has set this sector on fire. “Not only has the demand for custom-sized boxes with print increased, the demand for box styles other than RSCs (Regular Slotted Cartons) has risen also. “The Kolbus Autobox machine can now produce over 100 styles at the touch of a screen and offers a free draw mode for many more. Its under-60 second tool-less setup time can be performed either on the machine’s touchscreen, by USB, or from a remote PC or device. The unit is also backed up with Ethernet service from the Autobox plant.” Corrugated manufacturers and sheet plants are still the biggest revenue sector for Kolbus Autobox sales, he finds. This is not necessarily in the number of sales, but in the higher specification of the machines they buy. These underpin jobs such as boxes for double mattresses produced in one pass, with die-cut hand holes and a basic print – all of it requiring a highly specified machine. Specs for this type of kit often include fully automated suction feeding, a box-forming section, and auto-stacking, coupled with printing. The printing can be either from one or two-colour digital or flexo machines or a combination of both. “The Australian-New Zealand market hasn’t been slow in recognising the benefits of this level of automation,” Southerington said, noting that one of the very first Kolbus Autobox installations worldwide was in Sydney. Southerington identified digital print companies as the latest sector utilising

their equipment to enter the fast growing, lucrative custom box arena without the need for extensive box making know-how, the high cost of carton board equipment, or the need for outsourcing. “We now often sell a full package comprising slitting, box-making, gluing, strapping or any parts of these requirements. Graffica has experienced local engineers and factory-trained technicians for installation and commissioning of machines and for service and support,” he said. At PacPrint, Graffica will exhibit its JIT/On-demand Boxer-brand machine which features a small footprint, easyto-operate box maker, together with a cost-effective hot-melt gluer – all of it combining to generate quality and finished products.

Graph-Pak

Graph-Pak managing director Tom Ralph sees short-run packaging as a growth stream for printers. “And if they do it smart, it will be a very profitable one. It only makes sense that as the on-demand market grows, we will all see the need for more small runs, more niche-type products, more branding, and more branching out,” he said. In terms of smart packaging, Ralph sees this area as “massive”. He predicts that “it will be the biggest boom in years, but to help it grow, it’s important that packaging printers understand and gear up for this growing sector. They will need smart, hybrid, compact, robust equipment – easy to operate, set up, run and maintain. In addition, reliability will be paramount”. Short-run packaging, he says, “is an opportunity for packaging printers to reset the baseline and gear down towards on-demand machinery, opposed to adding traditionally bigger, faster machines suited for longer runs. It also offers non-packaging commercial printers an exciting opportunity to enter new markets at a relatively low cost”. Addressing Graph-Pak’s equipment line-up for short-run packaging, Ralph said the Box plus 1, an automatic foldergluer machine, has been designed and manufactured to handle linear boxes, presentation folders with one or two pockets, DVD wallets with one or two pockets, courier envelopes (such as DHL, FedEx and TNT) with doublesided tape and tear tape. It also handles double-sided adhesive and Rissband self-adhesive profile applications on posters, envelopes, CD/DVD holders and boxes, as well as tiles, plastic samplings, paper and DVD insertion. Continued on page 26 June 2022 ProPack.pro 25

FOCUS SHORT-RUN 5. Heidelberg’s Versafire is a prime example of musthave hardware in the short-run packaging space

6. A package printed on the Revo 2500W Pro digital inkjet printer

Continued from page 25

The Insignia rotary die-cutter, a breakthrough in rotary die-cutting and packaging technology from Rollem International, offers flexible, affordable, high-quality custom diecutting inhouse. It is available in four models to meet all press sizes. “Insignia is ideal for folded cartons, promotional products, garment and industrial tags, labels, nameplates, shaped direct mail, photo products, pocket folders, stickers and more,” Ralph noted. “The Insignia series is a new class of sheetfed rotary die-cutter capable of die-cutting, kiss-cutting, embossing, perforating, scoring, and cut-scoring a range of papers, plastics, magnetic material, PVC, styrene, and polypropylenes. It’s the only machine in its class capable of die-cutting up to 30pt in thickness.”

Heidelberg A/NZ

Heidelberg A/NZ managing director Savas Mystakidis said opportunities for smart packaging is made possible through clever software such as Prinect Packaging Designer. He pointed out that the Prinect Multicolour process can be used to reproduce most spot colours – using the three spot colours and the traditional CMYK colours. “With the Anicolor process it is possible to do incredibly short-runs and many jobs per shift. Potential packaging customers need to be aware of the speciality embellishments and die-cutting requirements needed to complete a product,” he explained.

26 ProPack.pro June 2022

“When it comes to short-runs, smart packaging has been under development for some time, Mystakidis said, with many products using QR codes and other connectivity media to follow the story of the product in the box. Modern printing presses can make ready with such effectiveness that short-runs are achievable even on the larger offset presses. The Heidelberg Anicolor and Versafire are also specialist presses for this kind of short-run output.” Mystakidis also said Heidelberg’s Versafire, Speedmaster XL75, Speedmaster XL75 Anicolor and Speedmaster XL106, are prime examples of must-have hardware in the short-run packaging space. Asked about applications of VDP in short-run packaging, he noted that VDP is possible through the Versafire and additional add on inkjet devices. But is the short-run space an opportunity for print/packaging providers that are not traditionally in the packaging sector? “Yes always. Most Heidelberg presses have the capability to print up to 1mm, so are capable of producing packaging materials. As stated earlier, the downstream equipment required to process the boxes to the next stage can be a challenge unless of course some of those processes can be outsourced,” Mystakidis said. Alternatively, is it a new revenue stream for traditional volume packaging producers? “Traditional volume packaging producers have a requirement to look after their major clients so often they don’t have the desire to break into a long run job to do short-run work,”

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he noted, adding that “the world is constantly changing, so one should never say ‘never’.”

Kissel + Wolf Australia

Kissel + Wolf A/NZ industrial print and packaging business development director Jamie Weller said ‘Smart’ packaging is becoming the new buzzword in short-run packaging and is all about engaging digitally with QR codes or Augmented Reality (AR) with the consumer. “On the other hand, smart packaging can be as simple as enhancing the ‘unboxing’ experience of the consumer, by printing not only outside of the packaging but also inside, letting brands engage more meaningfully with their customers,” Weller said. “Smart packaging for me also means upselling. The blank space on the packaging is a great marketing tool when used cleverly. Little is done to use the space to promote other products or services. For now, this remains largely a missed opportunity.” An interesting aspect of short-run packaging is the variable-data (VDP) element, according to Weller. “VDP printing on the packaging is less about printing a personalised message, but rather product differentiation,” Weller said. “This can be achieved by printing smaller SKUs that target a certain demographic ‒ or even randomised designs. Traditionally box converters are slow in adopting new digital printing technology as they are not fully educated about available technologies and their benefits. General commercial printers and others not traditionally in the packaging sector are more open to digital print, as it has been wellestablished in their field. And yes, there is a very good opportunity to invest in an entry-level packaging printer and add revenue streams.” On Kissel + Wolf’s product line-up in this space, Weller mentioned that Continued on page 28

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FOCUS SHORT-RUN Continued from page 26

9 it includes a wide array of products spanning everything from entry-level to mainstream production, including digital cutting solutions and workflow. Its Revo 2500W Pro digital inkjet printer, for example, is the optimal solution for folding cartons and corrugated that converters need to produce short-to-medium runs. Productivity is high, with a print output of up to 1,400 sqm per hour, covering a wide range of applications on coated and uncoated boards. The Revo is ideal for everything from basic boxes to premium, on-demand printing, versioning, customised print, and retail-ready displays. It is also great for food packaging, as it is supported by food-safe aqueous ink. He said the 2500W eliminates traditional processes such as plate making, makeready and ink mixing, resulting in savings in time, ink, labour, plates, and the associated storage costs. The outcome is improved supply chains and a stronger bottom line.

OKI Data A/NZ

OKI Data A/NZ channel marketing manager Michelle Rochford said the OKI Pro 9 series Graphic Arts, Packaging Printer range offers fast-tomarket print production, providing the opportunity to print short-runs economically in CMYK+white and with substrate flexibility – including paper, card, kraft, synthetic media (films including polyester substrates), and magnetic media. “Established packaging printers have typically large print volumes. But they often have a need for the short-runs as well – for work such as mock-ups and test runs with professional print features, for more economical substrate changes, for re-orders, and for personalisation. Commercial printers that have much lower packaging volumes or are trying to build up volumes will find the Pro 9 can be a stepping-stone device to test markets, and can diversify the application range for short-run packaging ,” she said. OKI Pro Series printers are specifically designed for the graphic 28 ProPack.pro June 2022

8. The OKI Pro 9 series Graphic Arts, Packaging Printer range offers fastto-market print production 9. Without plates, a digital inkjet press such as the L350UV SAI, can vary every droplet at high speed 10. A short-run packaging sample printed on the Screen L350 press

arts and packaging printing market, according to Rochford. “They offer outstanding print quality, higher print speeds, lower total cost of ownership and media flexibility. For a printer at this price point, they provide a unique option of a fifth colour. You can now print on demand the full range of process colours, with the addition of a fifth colour in either white or clear gloss,” she said. “With unrivalled media flexibility, you can print on a range of media of weights of up to 360gsm single-sided and 320gsm duplex, heavier than any comparable printer. Add to this media sizes from A6 to SRA3, and banners up to 1.3m, and you have the most versatile printers available.” The Pro9542dn is ideal for printing high-density white on coloured or transparent media, making white on colour design possibilities endless. “Or lay white underneath CMYK colours to create high impact ‘colouron-colour’ designs on coloured or transparent substrates. With outstanding print quality achieved in a single pass, the Pro9542dn is ideal for short-run packaging printing,” Rochford said. However, where the Pro9541dn differs is in laying white or clear toner down as the last colour, allowing you to create selective spot effects or embellishment for a vibrant finish. “Printing spot clear-gloss to draw attention to particular elements of a design ‒ adding a new vibrancy to colour, creating an instant visual impact ‒ has traditionally been restricted to costly, intricate and lengthy processes, with the expense far outweighing the benefits,” Rochford mentioned.

and folding cartons. For Screen, we are seeing increased ink usage from our installed base of Truepress Jet L350UVseries presses. This is as a result of two forces – rising demand for agile, justin-time and variable label production from traditional packagers, and also the upscaling of micro- and minimanufacturing from plain labelling to full colour labels that are every bit as professional as big-brand packaging. The same applies for flexibles, and we are seeing it take off in corrugated and fibreboard as well,” Scott said. On short-run and enhanced packaging, he said, “Again, digital technologies enable smart packaging to engage with consumers. It’s not difficult from a print perspective. GS1 and QR coding can introduce smart shoppers to an entire brand story, sustainability information, source of raw produce, competitions, and corporate story-telling. Every code can be different if needed and this helps track-and-trace and anti-counterfeiting.” And in the VDP space, Scott said Screen has been extremely active. “Screen sees variable-data packaging as part of smart packaging and we have been enabling this for some years now. Our EQUIOS software allows highspeed processing of large amounts of data – a key requirement of variable data printing. Of course, without plates – a digital inkjet press such as our L350UV SAI, can vary every droplet at high-speed,” he added. Looking at Screen GP’s product entries in this area, he mentioned that the star machine is Screen’s Truepress Jet L350UV SAI. “Label printers and their clients love the vibrancy of the new orange and blue inks – plus the fact that, even when running white ink ‒ which traditionally slows a digital press down by half – the L350UV SAI still runs at 50 metres-per-minute. Upcoming launches include our PacJet 830F midweb flexible packaging press, which is still under development,” he said.

Screen GP

Asked how he views the potential of short-run, demand-driven, boutique packaging, the response from Screen GP Australia managing director Peter Scott is, “in a word – enormous.” “The evidence is out there in the increasing use of digital short-runs for labels, flexible packaging, corrugated

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FOCUS MCKINSEY REPORT

2022 and beyond for the pa The revolution sparked by two megatrends – sustainability and digital – is unprecedented in the packaging industry. We highlight six priority moves for industry participants By McKinsey’s David Feber, Oskar Lingqvist, Daniel Nordigården, and Matthew Seidner

ver the past few decades, the global packaging industry has enjoyed healthy growth, supported by several megatrends. They will continue to shape the business, and we expect that two of them – sustainability and digital (particularly e-commerce) – will create significant challenges for industry leaders, as well as once-in-alifetime transformational opportunities. To understand what lies ahead, we looked back at how the industry has adapted over previous decades. We found that since 2000, there have been three eras, including today’s, stretching into the immediate future. Each era has been characterised by large changes in consumer behaviour – changes that brought into existence new packaging products and other innovations that ultimately led to new corporate and value chain structures. Significantly, as these three eras unfolded, the proliferation of digital devices and social media sped up the pace of change and influenced the type of disruption. In the current era, a dramatic shift to online shopping, increased global regulation of packaging waste, and the acceleration of consumers’ sustainability concerns have combined to reinforce the rapid pace of change. If CEOs are to navigate this extraordinary disruption, nextgeneration industry winners must update and future-proof their business models and market approaches.

In context: The three disruptive eras in the global packaging industry

Packaging is a critical enabler for the everyday lives of most consumers. It helps to support the purchasing decision journey in retail stores, creates cost-efficient delivery systems for brand 30 ProPack.pro June 2022

Packaging is a critical enabler for the everyday lives of most consumers

owners, minimises product breakage and food waste throughout the value chain, and facilitates the consumer’s need for convenience. In 2019, we predicted e-commerce, changing consumer preferences, margin compression, sustainability, and digitisation to change the game in the diverse $1 trillion-plus packaging industry. We predicted that these trends would raise the bar for performance over the next five to ten years. In 2020, COVID-19 made food safety and hygiene a sixth key industry-shaping trend. Overall, the strategic importance of well-functioning and cost-efficient packaging materials for customers in the value chain accelerated, given the stretched supply chains of the pandemic. What now lies in store for the packaging industry during the next normal up to 2030? How can CEOs navigate these choppy waters? To understand the future, industry leaders must consider where the packaging industry is coming from. Each of the three eras we identified (exhibit 1 on page 31) has been characterised by major changes in consumer behaviour (factor 1), which promoted innovation and the development of new packaging products (factor 2). Changes in the market and global environment ultimately led to renewed corporate and value-chain structures as well (factor 3).

Era 1 (2000–09): Substrate shift changes

The headline changes during this era included the continued increasing use of flexible packaging and rigid plastics (such as PET plastic packaging) to replace rigids such as metal, paper, and glass. The goals here were to accommodate the consumer’s demand for convenience – for instance, ready-toeat, portability, and smaller (including single- portion) packs – to improve functionality, and to drive down costs. From a corporate-structure perspective, this was an era of forced restructuring: several global diversified corporations divested non-core areas (such as packaging and graphic papers), and paper-packaging companies sold off upstream businesses (such as the ownership of forests). Given the reality of mature growth in developed regions, European and North American corporations entered new high-growth ones (such as China, India, and Latin America), mostly through acquisitions or joint ventures, but also organically, as they followed the growth of their customers. The great financial crisis toward the end of the era had a negative impact on packaging consumption and further accelerated the shift toward plastic packaging to manage cost pressures. The impact was mixed for different end-use areas, however: food and beverages are necessities, and thus www.propack.pro

MCKINSEY REPORT FOCUS

packaging industry’s CEOs

their packaging was more resilient to the downturn; industrial and luxurygoods packaging was more sensitive to it.

Era 2 (2009–20): Changing face of the consumer

This era began with the uncertainty and disruption of the great financial crisis. Despite the overall economic challenges, most global packaging players emerged strong from the crisis: they enjoyed steady growth from continued shifts in the choice of substrates (for example, retort pouches) and expansion in booming emerging markets. During this era, China surpassed North America as the world’s largest packaging market. Despite the shift in the economic centre of packaging demand, European, Japanese, and North American companies remained in the industry’s top ten, given the high number of megamergers in Europe and North America and continued fragmentation in emerging markets. From a corporate-structure perspective, private-equity activity increased robustly. Toward the end of the period, awareness of sustainability rose significantly: consumers began to turn against the leakage of packaging into the environment, and action to curb this problem became more common. The movement against plastic straws, for example, increased www.propack.pro

consumer awareness of the potential dangers of single-use plastics. Policy makers reacted to the public outcry with a variety of responses, such as the European Union’s singleuse directive, taxes on plastic bags, outright bans in many US states, and regulations on food service packaging in China. Brand owners responded to this increased public and regulatory pressure by making bold commitments to reach full recyclability and to increase their usage of recycled materials. The use of non-plastic (such as metal-, glass-, and paper-based) substrates increased. Although heightened pressure for sustainability generated a growing appetite for innovation, large-scale commercialisation was quite rare, partly because the packaging industry couldn’t find cost-effective and functional alternatives to plastic.

Era 3 (2020–): Sustainability and the digital transformation

The era of transformational change is upon us, and the pace of change is accelerating rapidly. Sustainability and digital (particularly e-commerce) are the megatrends shaping this era (exhibit 2 on page 32), which will be the most disruptive so far, creating uncertainty, challenges, and opportunities. For industry leaders, this disruption has two main aspects,

the first from a customer-back perspective, the second from a product-forward one. Above all, as new regulations emerge in response to global consumer concerns, “greenwashing” doesn’t cut it anymore. Capital allocation is already – and will increasingly be – based on the sustainability and performance of businesses that will be focusing their attention through three lenses: decreased leakage, improved circularity, and a reduced carbon footprint. We therefore expect a more balanced understanding of true sustainability. Meanwhile, as a result of this pressure, we now see stronger efforts to commercialise packaging innovations, as well as better marketing of their performance (for example, the carbon footprint printed on packages). It will be important for innovative products to be not only more sustainable but also less expensive, so packaging converters will probably have to consider incorporating new materials, even new substrates, into their portfolios. These substrate shifts will return, but with a larger pallet of available materials, both new and old. Several category shifts can be expected over the coming years as cost curves come down in response to the higher production of new materials and as extended producer responsibility Continued on page 32 June 2022 ProPack.pro 31

FOCUS MCKINSEY REPORT Continued from page 31

(EPR) and tax pressures make non-sustainable packaging more problematic. We also expect that emerging business models and technologies for reuse and refilling will gain further acceptance and traction. However, none of these can be described as an easy win; they will require real market making to succeed. Sustainability pressures will also create challenges for substrate players that rely on materials being phased out. As their products and assets become obsolete, their leaders will have to make an early strategic choice: either to be the lowest-cost, most efficient “last player in the game” or to dramatically reposition the portfolio. Waiting and riding out this transformational change is not an option. CEOs ought to think about sustainability in a fully holistic manner. In addition to having a sustainable product portfolio, they should accelerate their programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions both in operations and throughout the supply chain. The other potent ingredient in this mix is digital, especially e-commerce. Increased online shopping is creating and expanding new avenues of packaging demand, especially for sustainable protective and transport packaging. E-commerce will change the requirements fundamentally: packaging will be specifically tailored to it – designed for efficiency in the supply chain and for unboxing at home rather than for sitting on retail shelves. In the next few years, ship-ready packaging will probably become a must for brand owners to manage cost and sustainability pressures. We already see e-commerce giants, as well as countries such as China, swiftly adopting standards to scale up the usage of this type of packaging, which ultimately could eliminate a significant amount of demand for secondary packaging. Packaging isn’t the only issue raised by digital. In addition, it provides opportunities to improve the end-to-end customer journey, to manage the pipeline for new and current customers, and to measure the customer experience more fully and accurately. From a corporate-structure perspective, CEOs should consider two components of change. First, companies will increasingly focus on growth drivers and spin off non-core businesses into new standalone entities. Digital enablement is the other component – in customer engagement, internal workflows, the supply chain, manufacturing automation, and faster decision making. The packaging industry is still in the early stages of 32 ProPack.pro June 2022

digitisation, but we expect it to become a clear priority and an important value creation lever, particularly in the current context of volatile raw-material markets and increased protectionism and trade policies, because digital can make supply chains transparent and promote excellence in procurement.

CEO priorities: Six key moves to help navigate transformational change

The transformational changes of the immediate future will challenge many packaging players. Nevertheless, these changes will also offer real growth opportunities for organisations pursuing the right focus and actions. How should CEOs of packaging companies manage in this new environment? The first requirement is to build resilience. Our research on the last recession found that some companies – the resilient ones – generated excess total shareholder returns (TSR) during the downturn and the recovery. Resilient companies have some distinctive characteristics in common, which enable them to emerge strong during the recovery phase. An important one is focusing on growth by focusing aggressively on resources: for example, doubling their reallocation to key growth areas. So is innovation, including new business models and capabilities. Another vital factor is to rebuild the portfolio through acquisitions while also restructuring costs from a position of strength (for example, by driving down sourcing costs and using automation). In the context of today’s era of disruption, transformational change

in markets, and increasing volatility, these are the six priority moves that industry leaders can use to create resilience, capture growth, and navigate transformational change: 1. Sustainability: Invest where it matters to consumers as well as regulators. 2. Growth: Win by identifying granular pockets of opportunity. 3. Procurement and the supply chain: Use strategic category management to get ahead of inflation as well as supply headwinds. 4. Pricing excellence: Recapture inflation and use it to capture margins. 5. Talent: Attract, retain, and retrain employees, and get the return to work right. 6. Digital and e-commerce: Embrace digitisation (including the use of automation) in the front, back, and middle of processes. None of these involves wholly new territory. In fact, a few are about going back to the basics – for example, retraining the talent base to fill critical capability gaps in sales and procurement. Companies will have to carry out these moves against the backdrop of the current external environment (labour shortages, working from home) and the new tools and technology available (for instance, automation). From a growth perspective, the performance and attractiveness of subsegments (such as specific combinations of substrates, geographies, and end uses) will continue to vary significantly. Winners should identify and move into the most attractive segments by tailoring a granular market approach. CEOs of packaging companies should address the six moves holistically and in combination. All six require action and urgency. Trying to ride out the transformational changes ahead by hunkering down will not work. Change often emerges gradually and then accelerates suddenly. CEOs of packaging companies must treat the higher volatility of their markets as a new normal in this era of transformational change. Corporations that fail to address the real issues will face significant uphill struggles and risk going out of business or being acquired. Resilient and successful companies will embark upon the next level of value creation. David Feber is a partner in McKinsey’s Detroit office. Oskar Lingqvist is a senior partner in the Stockholm office. Daniel Nordigården is a partner in the Toronto office. Matthew Seidner is a partner in the Chicago office. This story was republished with permission. www.propack.pro

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• Up to 91%

No VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) Reduce heat generation Long life span

To better handle ultra-short-run printing, the make-ready time had been further reduced from 3 minutes to 2 minutes with the introduction of the new Smart-Parallel-FPC. Non-stop continuous printing with our new Smart Assist Printing is made even more efficient. The “parallel process” function simultaneously performs plate change, blanket clean, and ink preset by independent drive mechanism with the plate cylinders contributing to further productivity improvement. Fast job changeover is a powerful advantage as the volume of ultra-short and short-run work continues to grow. Together with our well received LED-UV dry-to-dry printing system, a diversed range of work can all be done within a single shift. In addition, as part of the “RMGT Smart Factory” driver, the RMGT Press Information Cloud Management System, AGV (Autonomous Guided Vehicle) system and the future Robotic-arm automatic plate loading system will together create a smart factory where one can visualise the whole print production digitally where you can optimise job order to product delivery in the shortest time. Stay tuned.

• Up to 15 times

Printing on film and cardboard Just like your conventional offset press ...without the cons. SMART PARALLEL-FPC

Sydney

Sydney - Rob Crough 0423 337 788 Melbourne - Greg Knight 0411 338 855 Brisbane - Peter Erskine 0432 663 322 Perth - Alan Strugnell 0418 955 512 New Zealand - Paul Hilleard (64) 21 191 6548 Malaysia - Tel: (60) 3 7955 1668 (Kuala Lumpur) Indonesia - Tel: (62) 21 2555 8924 Tel: (60) 7 598 0771/2 (Senai, Johor) Vietnam - Tel: (84) 9 0938 9468

: 38 Victoria Street, Beaconsfield, NSW 2015 Australia Tel: (61) 2 9318 0099 Fax: (61) 2 9318 0399 New Zealand : Unit 22, Ground Floor, 6 Ken Browne Drive, Te Rapa, Hamilton 3200, New Zealand Tel: (64) 7 949 7722 sales@cyber1976.com www.cyber1976.com

Singapore - Tel: (65) 6272 8936 Thailand - Tel: (66) 2 682 3411-4

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