Digitally printed packaging is an emerging application that’s in an early adopter phase. First movers can still gain powerful advantages in a worldwide market that’s expected to grow from $580 million in 2006 to $6 billion by 2016, based on Experts. Digital printing delivers a nice group of competitive, cost and environmental advantages when compared to traditional package printing technologies, and it’s surprisingly suitable to many packaging applications. Digital print production can use the just-in-time, print-on-demand approach, and with shortened setup requirements and automated makeready, short runs are normally less costly on digital presses. And variable data printing can bring new value through personalization and customization for regional versioning, novelty items and for meeting pharmaceutical and healthcare needs for individual and custom-made packaging. Environmental advantages Packaging accounts for around one-third of solid waste in U.S. municipal landfills, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, which makes it an obvious target of green activism. Today’s environmentally preferred packaging uses minimal materials, which are recycled or produced in environmentally responsible ways, and which are biodegradable and easily recycled or reused so they really aren’t dumped in landfills. Digitally printed packaging plays well with green packaging strategies to meet growing demand of Food, Pet Food and Nutrition packages printing. NUTRITON PACKAGE PRINTING Among its environmentally sustainable qualities are these: On-demand production- Orders could be put into the particular quantities needed, eliminating or reducing warehousing and associated cost, energy requirements and waste from obsolescence. Electronic job ordering and submission, paperless workflow, and soft proofing- These processes reduce paper usage and associated costs while boosting efficiency. Green paper choices- Offer recycled paper or paper with chain-of-custody certification designating it has been manufactured in a supply chain that promotes responsible forestry practices from harvesting to packaging. Some customers are willing to pay extra for green paper and board. Eliminate varnish- Varnish is required for offset printing and adds cost and, in the event of UV varnish, an environmental hazard, small amounts of ozone that must be ventilated. Offset ink takes 24 hours to dry and harden, therefore it requires a coat of varnish for mechanical handling and to seal the surface of the inks, preventing bleeding and smear onto the back side of the next sheet in the stack. On the other hand, digitally printed pieces have a dry and hard surface immediately, with low danger of scratching and color setoff, making varnish necessary only to reach visual effects. Non-toxic glues- They are designed for most binding techniques, eliminating the requirement for ventilation of toxic fumes and waste management issues. Distribute-then-print- Minimize environmental impact by distributing electronically to your print center or partner nearest the consumer for printing and the fastest, least environmentally disruptive delivery. Thinking about learning more about digital packaging? Click here observe how Print Solutions Limited can supercharge any package – featuring customization with variable data, QR codes, versioning, and image personalization. Supercharge your next marketing campaign with Food, Pet Food andNutrition packages…
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