More companies are beginning to adapt Digital Printing and packaging with the knowledge that it can save money on short to medium runs. The digital method also supports just-in-time manufacturing, allowing companies to hold on to less inventory. However, Digital Printing can do more than just improve supply chains. It also offers greater opportunities to engage with customers. As time goes on, Digital Printing will only become more sophisticated with applications in more types of packaging and markets.

The state of digital printing

Digital is a fast-growing topic of conversation in the packaging world. A study from Report Buyer estimated that the world market for digital packaging and labeling would reach $8.02 billion by the end of 2014. A survey from Smithers Pira found that the market for digital packaging worldwide would reach $15.3 billion by 2018, which amounts to an increase of 90.77 percent over the next four years.

For now, the majority of digital printing is related to labels. The Smithers Pira report found that in 2013, labels were estimated to comprise almost 90 percent of all digital packaging, accounting for $6 billion. As the market becomes more mature, companies will start utilizing the other capabilities of digital, and new applications will be developed.

At Nosco, this is already happening. Nosco was one of the first companies to gain access to the HP Indigo 30000, a Digital Carton press in the On_Demand Solutions Center in Bristol, Pennsylvania. By investing in this state-of-the-art press, Nosco is able to bring the benefits of Digital Printing, including cost-effective short to medium runs with a faster cycle time for cartons. Over time, more specialized Digital Printing equipment will likely be developed to meet more specific needs, and companies will start adopting digital technology for more than just labeling. Digital Printing for flexible packaging, rigid plastics and metal packaging are also expected to increase dramatically over the next four years.

Variable data printing and personalization

Perhaps the most exciting realm of Digital Printing is the ability to personalize materials. The most high-profile example of this is Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign, which Nosco helped to print. Coca-Cola took advantage of digital printing’s enhanced personalization abilities to print 250 of the most popular names for teens and millennials in the U.S. Nosco collaborated with four other digital printers to print labels 24/7 for more than 10 weeks on an HP Indigo 6600.

This has applications for many different companies, and personalization doesn’t have to be based on a first name, either. Customers can be targeted by geographical region, for instance. Companies can personalize their packaging based on local sports teams or even target specific interests, like fishing or camping. Businesses have only really scratched the surface of what can be done.

Nosco is a company with a sharp eye for innovation. As a result, the company was an early adopter of Digital Packaging and still leads the way in Digital Carton production. Whatever innovations are on the horizon in the Digital space, Nosco will be a Digital Driver!