Business Management - Industry Trends

Bar codes revolutionized automatic identification and data collection more than 30 years ago. However, with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) attracting all the attention and developmental mind power, are bar codes soon to be obsolete? That’s not likely. In fact, bar codes and human-readable information are still required on smart labels to validate the products inside cases and pallets, and they are expected to remain an important part of RFID labels for many years. This is no more a relief than for suppliers of thermal transfer printers and materials. Thermal transfer printing has come a long way since its inception and relies on heat to

The folding carton packaging market is working through some challenging times. Integrated companies and converters/printers alike are dealing with such issues as rising energy costs, overcapacity, overseas competition, and alternative packaging solutions. Despite these challenges, or more appropriately, because of them, industry players are circling the wagons, focusing on the strengths of their product attributes and making the difficult decisions required to consolidate and reduce costs. Commenting on his outlook for Smurfit-Stone Container Corp., Patrick J. Moore, chairman, president, and CEO, states, “The company faces critical challenges and opportunities as a result of dramatic shifts in the market that call for a profound change

While many large label converters have plunged into RFID, small to mid-sized label companies are exploring whether the financial benefits are realizable or just a mirage. RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION (RFID) is making waves in the tag and label industry. From any point of view, RFID has thoroughly and profoundly caught the attention of the entire industry. Industry suppliers have spent the last few years making avenues into RFID. In that same time, converters and their customers have hit the books, per se, filling seats at the numerous RFID seminars, conferences, and trade shows to learn about the technology and how it applies to

INK IS THE colorful part of the package-printing process. Metallics, phosphorescents, pearlescents, fluorescents—ink is often the most eye-catching component of packaging. That may be why, even in the face of rising production and product prices, the ink industry saw growth in 2005. For the last two years, ink manufacturers have had to boost the price of their products between 5-15 percent, with some offerings soaring as much as 30 percent. While some of the price hikes appear to be exorbitant, it's what ink companies have had to do to sustain margins and survive. At the root of this problem is the escalating cost of

Is the increased use of shrink labels affecting the use of release liners? Release liner manufacturers say no and offer different reasons why pressure-sensitive labels are the way to go. ONE THING IS certain, your typical consumer doesn't give any thought to release liners as he or she travels up and down the packed isles in the local grocery store. But package printers know that release liners are a very important component in the world of labeling, one that can impact their bottom lines. packagePRINTING spoke to some release liner manufacturers to see what's new and what impact the growing use of shrink labels

Pouches have come a long way over the past few years, but the sky is the limit and converters need to stay abreast of the business opportunities that pouches can offer. The pouch market has been strong for many years now and like everything else in the realm of package printing, it's still a tough-go for converters to understand what new technologies are out there to best compete for jobs. In addition, consumer product companies (CPCs) continue to ask converters to come up with new and different ideas because of the competition they face within their own marketplace. "The acceptance of the premade flexible

With favorable trends in the use of plastics and pouches, flexible packaging converters are set for success. FLEXIBLE PACKAGING CONTINUES to cast a shining glow over the package-printing landscape. The category has at least two very positive forces filling up its sails (could be spelled "sales"). One is the continuing industry trend toward the use of plastic materials and, along with this, the growth of pouches as a preferred packaging method. In a study released last October titled "Paper versus Plastic in Packaging to 2008," The Freedonia Group projected plastic materials used in packaging to increase 3.1 percent annually through 2008. At

Are synthetic label materials really the best choice for converters to use for their products? Some manufacturers seem to think so. YOU CAN'T JUDGE a book by its cover, and in some instances that old adage is true. Consumers are bombarded with products on the grocery store shelves everyday and typically, they have to make up their minds within just a few seconds. So to get them to even look under the cover, the label has to convey the quality of the packaged product—and synthetic labels can do just that, if used properly. Key factors when choosing synthetic There are many pros and

Surface treating technology makes printing on plastic substrates possible, but not just any off-the-shelf equipment will do. PRINTING ON FILMS without first treating the substrate surface is a lot like skydiving without a parachute. It's possible, but the result is going to be a mess. Luckily, there are several surface treating options, each with advantages for different applications. Of the three main kinds of treaters, corona treaters are the most common, according Tom Gilbertson, Enercon Industries Corp.'s vice president of applications engineering. They are used for most applications and are less expensive alternatives compared to atmospheric plasma and flame treaters. Atmospheric plasma

Is ink price not important? Are metallics losing steam? Industry experts explain the results of packagePRINTING's Ink Usage Survey. PACKAGEPRINTING'S 8TH ANNUAL Ink Usage Survey asked tag & label, flexible packaging, and folding carton printers, as well as ink suppliers, about everything from general ink usage/sales, to hybrids, specialty inks, and more. For a better understanding of the survey tallies, packagePRINTING asked ink suppliers to give their views on the results, many of which reflect a growing and evolving ink industry. Issues that matter On-press predictability and ink price have battled it out for the top spot on the list of package printers' main