02/2007
Flexible Packaging: defining the Grey

Federico d’Annunzio, Managing Director of press manufacturer, GIDUE S.P.A defines how the word "label" has widened its range of applications, creating "grey" areas inside the labels and flexible packaging industries that need to be better explained. Defining the label During internal training sessions at GIDUE when we describe primary packaging we define the label as an information and decoration carrier (IDC) and we define graphic packaging as a product, information and decoration carrier (PIDC). Both carry information about the product, and create the visual impact for the brand and product visibility. Graphic packaging, at the same time adds inherent physical properties that make it suitable to also carry the product itself. The label is applied to a plain bottle, can or container that carries the product. This could be a self-adhesive label, a shrinkable sleeve, a wrap-around label, an in-mould label, a yoghurt lid, or a wet glue label, etc. Graphic packaging, however, also carries the product itself. This could be in rigid packaging such as cartons or directly decorated bottle, can, container, etc. or soft graphic packaging (flexible packaging).
The main advantages of rigid graphic packaging, amongst others, are better product protection during transport, easier shelf stacking and handling, up to six readable sides, good decoration and information possibilities (carton boxes), graphic converting and added value possibilities such as perforating, window patching, hot stamping and embossing.
The comparable advantages of soft graphic packaging, amongst others, are lower packaging volume and weight that are good for logistics and for product transport from store to home; good shelf visibility due to high gloss, over-laminating or direct printing on non ink absorbing films; high product visibility, especially for food packaging as well as longer life and protection against external contamination, for example, reduced oxygen via vacuum, aluminium or plastic compound barrier layers.

Demographic changes
The flexible packaging market is under fierce pressure to reduce printed run lengths due to multi-branding and demographic changes in society, social structure, aging populations, cross-migration, multi-social interconnected boundaries and single parent families to name just a few. Narrow web printers see the opportunity to match these new needs by using their consolidated short-runs skills, which are typical of the self-adhesive market. In addition, and due to the shortening of the supply chain, access to brands is easier making the marketing and purchasing departments more interconnected than in the past. The traditional label printer is today considered a viable source also for producing flexible packaging. This visibility and recognition from the main brands is the key issue for the future success of narrow web printers who want to enter the flexible packaging market. Growth will be a natural evolution, and narrow web printers will become global packaging solution providers, more than just label printers. International brand presence will force companies who want to have a "serious" presence in the graphic packaging market, to consolidate and spread their multi-national or global presence.
Future press developmentsThe response of press manufacturers to the needs of the packaging market has been relatively weak and conservative. I expect the "gap" between wide and narrow web will be filled by new press lines dedicated to the "mid web" (500-900 mm. / 20" - 36"). A reaction from both narrow and wide web press manufacturers has been visible in the past 12 months. Wide web press manufacturers bring a better knowledge of the customer base and the specific product needs. Narrow web press manufacturers bring a more innovative approach and a consolidated know-how on short runs management. The specific traditional in-line configuration of narrow web presses, compared to the central impression of wide web flexo presses, adds more flexibility to press and printed product configuration. In addition the specific knowledge of UV Flexo technology, widely used for self-adhesive labels production for many years, adds a vast set of unprecedented print quality and job management opportunities for the flexible packaging market”.

Flexible packaging applications
With regard to the use of flexible packaging, the food industry plays an important role, due to product visibility and to the extended product life advantages provided by flexible packaging, but liquid chemicals together with house-hold, cosmetic and other industries also make up a large volume in flexible packaging applications. Stand up pouches are becoming more and more popular, but also printing on tubes and on new multi-functional packaging is a growing interest in the industry. The tendency of flexible packaging is to cover the functional gap with traditional carton boxes, adding three dimensional stand-up opportunities, and more robust transport capabilities. At the same time new combination hard plastic devices add new functions to the carrier itself, in the direction of mono or multi dose dispensing, and better transport handling.

Development challenges
The biggest challenge for the future development of flexible packaging is not technical but commercial. Narrow web printers already have all the technical capabilities to provide excellent quality and productivity performance for the flexible packaging industry. The major obstacles are the reluctance to change and the somewhat conservative approach of the traditional flexible packaging industry. At the same time narrow web converters do not yet have enough customer base or market knowledge to be able to fully capitalize on the evident technical advantage and opportunities already available to them. These obstacles are already being overcome by a rapid change of main brands and their perception of flexible packaging that is seen as a superb instrument for product and quick and flexible promotion. This is forcing converters to adapt their production and efficiency strategies, from both the wide web and narrow web sides.
The main innovations in flexible packaging have been provided by the film manufacturers that have added a lot of new functions to films such as "breathing" or "non-breathing" strong barrier effects, health prevention properties, new mechanical and printability performances for new filling and converting efficiencies. On the printing side over the past two years UV flexo has and is gaining more and more considerations, despite a lack of standards in testing the health impact of the UV inks, and quite slow general acceptance from the industry. Also the offset print process will climb in popularity, due to reduced plate costs and the increased adhesion quality of UV technology. UV acceptance will be the first issue that will be overcome.
Press configurations have some how forced flexible packaging purchasing to mid and long runs. It is true that the technology gap in the mid web press market has been filled only recently by some manufacturers including GIDUE and others, and that this technology delay has prevented a more innovative approach to the printing and the converting of flexible packaging. The production of short runs of flexible packaging has become more popular only in the past five years, with a clear tendency of growth for this specific market segment.As soon as the productivity efficiency of the new mid and narrow web presses is established, less attention will be concentrated towards short runs issue. There will be more room to look around for new (for the flexible packaging industry) printing and converting technology that are instead a consolidated standard in the narrow web industry. This will create a vast range of opportunities both for the flexible packaging and for the narrow web industry. The main change will be in the added value chain. Some wide web printers will concentrate in the long and super long run range. Some wide web and many narrow web printers will prefer to add more value to their sales by exploiting the mid and short runs market, and by widening the graphic and converting range capabilities of flexible packaging.

Labels and flexible packaging on the same press
Most GIDUE customers that have purchased the F - Combat, E - Combat, I - Combat, or Athena models in the past few years are currently producing labels and flexible packaging on the same press. Some of them have been exclusively producing flexible packaging for some years. Amongst others we can name the company Colpack in South Africa that has been winning national and international printing awards annually, due to the remarkable print quality of a good press and of UV Flexo printing technology. Additionally one of the most important global players in the flexible packaging world has decided also to join forces with GIDUE by investing in an exclusive press configuration for the production of short run flexible packaging. The name of this new cooperation will be unveiled during 2006. The press is already in production, with excellent results, both in terms of printing quality and in terms of production economies.
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