What Consumers Crave
The question about consumer demand certainly brought out the most responses. One converter said consumer demand is twofold. Club stores are still pushing for higher graphics, yet online purchasing often means fewer graphics. He said he heard just that morning that 15 percent of products are sold online today! Where will that number be in five years?
Another said consumers are drawn toward color and quality, and always have been. The fact that we can now provide that is increasing demand. Six-, 7- and 8-color direct print with high gloss UV coatings is available and attracts consumers.
Consumer demand has been the catalyst to many press purchases in recent years. They are looking for color predictability and repeatability. Tightened procedures and processes will define the market leaders in years to come.
One converter summed it up best when he said the more options you can present to the consumer, the better off you will be. Direct print is one of those options and the capability of direct print today finally lets us compete on an even playing field!
Corrugated Meets Digital
If you want to elicit passionate responses, ask corrugated converters their opinion of digital printing and how it is affecting their business. Their replies are more than we have room to discuss here.
One converter said digital may well affect the display business, but certainly not the consumer packaging business. He runs cheese boxes at 24,000 pieces per hour all day long—I’m pretty certain digital doesn’t have an answer for that.
Many of the people who responded have digital presses in their facilities. The presses allow them to provide an alternative to direct print, when runs are short and the required printing exceeds what they can produce. For customers who want variability in their print, digital is a natural choice.
Most of the respondents conveyed that digital print is a complement to their direct print capability. One even said their digital print business actually drove them to buy a 7-color flexo direct print machine. A couple of converters who responded already consider digital print to be their primary focus for the future. They cite variable data and mass customization as exactly what brand owners are looking for and note direct print does not fill that need.
One converter explained that he had put all his eggs in the digital basket, so to speak, going forward. His customers are already taking advantage of the print quality to upgrade what they had been getting in the past and are excited about their chances of gaining additional business in the future.
Most of the respondents conveyed that digital print is a complement to their direct print capability. One even said their digital print business actually drove them to buy a 7-color flexo direct print machine.
All agreed that digital is the elephant in the room and the process will continue to gain a larger share of the market going forward.
The Direct Print Corrugated Forecast? Sunny Skies
The overall opinion of the market, conveyed by almost everyone in assembling this direct print corrugated forecast, was positive. Most said orders, the number of colors printed and customer confidence levels all increased in 2016. Equipment upgrades, better operator training opportunities and the ability to differentiate from others are the keys to success in the future.
As for the suppliers to the direct print market, we are all working on efficiencies that will make us more valuable to the converter. The bottom line is that we are busy, which is a very positive sign!
Over the years, I have participated in many seminars where corrugated plants would send their brightest people to learn about printing. When I wasn’t speaking, I would sit in the back of the room and watch the participants look at the sample boxes that were passed around. Eventually, they would get around to looking at the printing, but not before they checked to see if the box was square, the slots were clean and, if it was a die cut, what the edges looked like.
Today, I’m happy to say many of those people have now become printers, and they look at the printing first! We are happy to have been a small part of that transition.
About the Author: Jack Fulton is vice president of sales at Printron. He has been involved in the corrugated printing industry for 39 years. Beyond his overall responsibility for sales and marketing, he is very active in the high graphics arena, both in the prepress area and the development of plate and mounting systems for the corrugated market. Jack is active in several trade organizations and is currently serving on FTA’s Board of Directors and FFTA’s Board of Trustees. He has made presentations at many national meetings as well as regional workshops.