What can digital print offer brand owners that conventional print methods can't. and are there any challenges still to be overcome? What are the main practical challenges of shifting to digital?

HP’s innovative digital printing technology offers brands greater value for their digitally printed corrugated packaging. From water-based inks for food-compliant corrugated boxes, through variable data, versioning and customization, to verification and individual marks on the package for combating counterfeits. Not to mention the creative possibilities that help win products their spot in the shop – all of which cannot be achieved through conventional printing.

Beautifully designed and shaped boxes are rapidly becoming the face of the brands and their way to win the hearts of their consumers, but mostly, to get to them on-time. The Covid-19 pandemic has created an increasing demand for corrugated boxes through in-store and on-line shopping, that brands need to keep up and supply on-time. For leading brands, the need for supply chain flexibility, sustainability and constant reductions in operational costs makes digital print ideal for corrugated packaging.

HP’s digitally printed corrugated packaging solutions were designed to meet brands’ increasing demands for short and long runs, faster turnaround times and design flexibility. It brings offset quality to mainstream production of digital corrugated packaging faster and at a lower cost at scaled volume, delivering exactly the capabilities that brands need to leverage their corrugated packaging for amazing marketing impact and flexible delivery, anywhere, anytime.

Now more than ever, brand owners and marketers need to re-evaluate their supply chain strategies and shift from long lead-times and high-quantity order requirements of conventional printing methods, to speedy time-to-market and agility using digital, and free themselves to focus on their product innovation.

How can digital printing benefit e-commerce packaging?

According to Smithers, the global market for e-commerce packaging is currently estimated at $43.1 billion and growing at a CAGR of almost 12% for a projected value of more than $75.1 billion by 2025. More companies are expected to develop packaging solutions specifically geared towards e-commerce applications as the market expands further, placing corrugated packaging as a major need.

As a consequence, supply chain is facing pressures never experienced before, requiring converters to deliver swiftly with greater variability. Optimized supply chain efficiency is needed for fast, flexible corrugated packaging delivery, which makes digital printing a perfect match.

HP’s PageWide digital corrugated presses can deliver the speed, quality and variability to produce high volumes with high versatility through pre-print liners for corrugation or ready-to-go post-print sheets. The format of each platform delivers benefits for different applications and operating models.

HP’s preprint press’s including the T1100 and T400 series have changed the dynamic in corrugated production offering high speed, high quality output with new levels of efficiency. The HP C500 corrugated press similarly is a digital post-print breakthrough solution, offering incredible flexibility and high quality output, creating new business opportunities and new competitive advantages. 

What are some key takeaways that you hope the audience will take from your presentation at the conference?

My presentation at the conference is focused on how converters can offer their Brands e-commerce campaigns that are sustainable at a lower cost, faster and better with HP PageWide digitally printed packaging technology.

Those campaigns can have higher engagement rate, create unboxing experience, include personalized or customized messages, and increase sales with better upsell opportunities – no matter how big the campaign is, either short or long-run with HP PageWide corrugated presses converters can reduce the cost of making a box and increase their customers loyalty.