Shrink Label Savvy

Shrink sleeve label printing requires a lot of work, but the rewards can make it all worth while.

SHRINK SLEEVE LABELING has taken aim at the product decoration market in a big way. It's not doing this with a single-shot sniper's rifle, either. It's blasting away at market opportunities and market share with both barrels. Shrink labels represent a high-growth segment in product decoration, and those package printers with the technical savvy to make it work are reaping the benefits of its market appeal.

Technical savvy is the key, because a shrink label is a moving target—it starts out in one shape and ends up in another. Graphic design, label production, and label application all have to be done with the utmost care and skill.

packagePRINTING contacted a number of package printers that are veterans in the shrink label business—Fort Dearborn, Logotech/Tadbik, Multi-Color Corp., and SleeveCo. They provided a rundown of this exciting segment of the product decoration market in terms of market and process considerations.

Market play

Shrink sleeve labels are making their presence known in many consumer markets, but the beverage market is clearly leading the way. "By volume, the largest product category using shrink sleeves is the beverage market," says Martin Wilson, director of sales and marketing for SleeveCo. "Even when dividing this market into subcategories you find that by volume, they outpace many other markets. Examples include dairy, juices and teas, and nutritional drinks."

Other markets promising solid growth include food and health and beauty aids (HBA). "The demand for portability and single-serve meal and snack options is fostering continued growth within the food market as well," says Shannon Kroner, marketing business analyst for Fort Dearborn Company. "Many of the current products that cater to these trends are packaged in plastic containers decorated with shrink labels."