WEEK 09

PACKAGING

Overview: The use of pre-press and digital printing solutions for application in packaging production lines and in-store sales campaign support is likely to have implications way beyond what anyone can imagine at the present time. Opportunities are likely to arise in areas that involve the combination of publishing and sales of other goods.

Technological convergence and its impact on the packaging industry

Technological convergence will result in packaging organisations having to access data and information management technologies that will link them very closely to their customers data warehousing infrastructure. There will be no alternative to do this because packaging organisations will become an important partner in the flow of product information as digital printing activities become integrated into the manufacturing production lines of packaging products. The packaging industry therefore has potential to become a partner in the process of channeling new marketing, sales and after sales marketing messages to end consumers.

Examples of emerging information management practices in the packaging industry

One example of emerging applications of information management in the packaging industry is the use of in-line printing of customized messages directed at different niche markets. Such niche markets might be different ethnic groups or different customer profiles grouped by age demographics. This type of customized printing of packaging products could extend to the use of different graphic images and brand management strategies for different market segments. Product labels may also need to become more customized highlighting specific information about source of origin and raw material specifications for each batch of products.

Linking inline packaging printing with in-store promotions

With increasing access to point of sales data and information, customized sales-promotion materials can now printed on an in-store basis. As a result there may be an increasing need for coordination between printing of packaging products and in-store digital printing of sales support materials. Different campaigns might be built around information derived from point of sales data across a wide range of geographic outlets.

Re-positioning the packaging industry

This shift towards in-line printing of packaging products has the potential to integrate the graphic design function with other functions such as with pre-press, information management and on-line data management and marketing. The hidden benefit of this is that it could bring a different type of image to the packaging industry a shift away from a traditional manufacturing ethos to one that adds a creative design and value added dimension.

Unforeseen consequences of the packaging industry embracing technological convergence

One of the features of bringing the graphic design, digital printing and the packaging sectors together in close workflow coordination might be the impact on unique identifier infrastructure. The Electronic Article Numbering system (EAN) has been widely adopted with the use of bar-code technology systems across all industries. The bar coding technology helps with the unique identification of each specific manufactured product and the location of these product items within complex distribution and warehousing systems. In the digital world, unique identifier infrastructure that creates unique numbering system for all digital objects is still in its infancy. The International Digital Object Identifier Foundation (see www.doi.org) is an example of such infrastructure. Over time, there might be a need to link unique digital object identifiers with specific instances of bar codes. This could become an important way to establish links between products and product documentation - very important in the maintenance engineering support industry - but still only a minor component for most consumer products.

KEY IMPLICATIONS

• The use of pre-press and digital printing technologies within the packaging industry is likely to increase
• The opportunities for pre-press organisations could be substantial as this represents an area of significant value adding for packaging organisations
• The long term impact of packaging organisations embracing digital imaging technologies could be substantial. This will especially be the case as point of sales data is used to coordinate print design solutions for packaging products and in-store sales promotion activities.
• The information management requirements associated with integrating bar code technologies with unique numbering systems for digital objects could result in new types of innovation.
• All these activities need to be integrated into the customer's use of enterprise-wide publishing systems. The media and publishing industry has the potential to shape the development of such systems in ways that might prove to be unique.