Antalis bills Performa Light CarbonZero as the market’s first carbon neutral cartonboard
All Wrapped Up
Packaging has long been talked about as an important growth market for print service providers (PSPs), whether this is for companies seeking to move into the sector or those already active here looking to expand their offering.
The trickier part of the conversation focuses on exactly how you can succeed in a market that is so diversified and attracts so much interest. Considering wider trends and how you can address these will help you identify the areas where the most opportunities lie, and target work you can realistically take on.
Here, we look at some of these core trends, speak with packaging specialists about how to access this sort of work, and consider some of the latest solutions on offer to the market that will help you in your quest for growth.
A Tricky Decision
First up is Metsä Board, which provides solutions across a range of markets within the print sector, with a strong focus on packaging. Ilkka Harju, packaging services director at Metsä, says given the ever-changing demands, finding a packaging solution capable of balancing regulatory compliance, with evolving customer expectations, quality standards, and business requirements can be challenging.
“We have noticed clients coming to us to work together on issues such as designing for a better consumer experience with less environmental impact, reducing overpacking and light-weighting packaging, and calculating the environmental impacts of their packaging,” Harju explains.
Metsä Board explains it is critical for all packaging to both protect and reflect its content
So, what should PSPs be looking for in packaging materials? Harju says Metsä is ideally equipped to help with these trends and issues facing the entire packaging chain, picking out how the company has solutions to address a range of demands.
“At Metsä, we have developed luxury gift box designs where the traditional rigid box is replaced with a lighter weight material containing minimal amount of glue in the construction,” Harju says.
“In collaboration with our partner network, we have created a new lightweight, high-performing gift box solution made of micro-flute with a surface liner out of either uncoated, white kraftliner, or coated white kraftliner. This solution serves as an alternative to the rigid boxes often imported from Asia.
“With this innovation, we have also been able to reduce the amount of material needed and the carbon footprint without compromising the consumer experience.”
Leading on from this, Harju goes on to advise on what makes a successful packaging job, focusing on how the visual appearance of a package tells the consumer a lot about the content and its quality, with packaging needing to reflect its content.
Harju picks out areas like printability and convertibility as being a must for people working with branding, adding that the package needs to protect the content inside. Harju explains boards with a good white printing surface, which give the possibility to use a wide range of special treatments such as embossing and foiling, but also support fast runnability in production and sustainability values, offer the best combination to printers.
Switch to Shorter Runs
Elsewhere, Dufaylite also offers a selection of packaging solutions. Managing director Ashley Moscrop says one key trend that stands out in recent time is the desire for smaller orders. As consumer spending has tightened people are requesting shorter runs.
Dufaylite managing director Ashley Moscrop says a key trend in 2023 has been the desire for smaller orders
“While the focus remains on sustainability, the industry is certainly adapting to the changing consumer demand,” Moscrop says, adding: “This is for short run at higher value, and personalised solutions utilising digital printing technology.
While the focus remains on sustainability, the industry is certainly adapting to the changing consumer demand”
“Shorter runs that are more personalised offer a better customer experience and will help businesses to compete against existing packaging suppliers that are more geared up for the higher volume work.”
As to what PSPs should look for in packaging products, Moscrop says printers should ensure the materials that they work with carry out their core purpose of protecting the goods inside to prevent damages and related returns. Moscrop also advises looking for materials that enable the creation of something different, stand out, and ideally, are made from a single type of material that is easily recyclable by the consumer.”
“In terms of sustainability, we all have the responsibility to ensure we are reducing our environmental impact,” Moscrop says, adding: “As producers, we must make it easy for the consumer to understand how to recycle the packaging, with clear and simple instructions that are easy to follow and where possible, keep to one material type.”
Dufaylite says its insulated box liners and inserts are the first paper-based alternative to polystyrene and lambs’ wool
Looking to the type of solutions Dufaylite has on offer, Moscrop picks out one offering in particular for those customers seeking a more sustainable material. Dufaylite has a range of insulated box liners and inserts that are made entirely from our recycled paper honeycomb.
Moscrop bills these as the first paper-based alternative to polystyrene and lambs’ wool on the market and says they provide excellent levels of insulation. He explains that they deliver excellent thermal properties and keep its contents cool for 24 to 48 hours.
“Quick and easy to install when packing, they’re durable, strong, and extremely rigid, which in turn ensures full protection during transit,” Moscrop explains.
Sublime Sustainability
On the subject of sustainability, Actega, an expert in specialty coatings, inks, adhesives, and sealing compounds for the packaging, printing, and medical industry, has also picked up on this trend and responded with the launch of several new solutions.
The first of these comes in the form of Ultrasheen PakSafe UV coatings, a line of coatings that meet strict regulatory standards on sustainability. These coatings are free of many materials regarded as harmful or potentially dangerous such as per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS), chemicals, and substances of very high concern (SVHC).
As an added benefit, Rob Andrews, head of product management and technical service at Actega, says these coatings retain the scuff resistance and flexibility required for a wide range of high-quality packaging applications. The range includes a variety of gloss-level options for customers to choose from including gloss, satin, and matte.
“The launch of Ultrasheen PakSafe UV coatings represents a ground-breaking moment for packaging applications, raising the bar even higher when it comes to safety and sustainability standards,” Andrews says.
“These new coatings allow printers and converters to coat their packaging with confidence. By ensuring that our products meet all the necessary regulatory requirements, our customers can avoid the burden of worrying about complex industry standards, allowing them to focus their efforts on delivering their own exceptional, more sustainable products.”
Also new from Actega are ACTEseal PVC-free heatseal coatings, designed to improve the recyclability of aluminium coffee capsules. According to Actega, 27 billion aluminium capsules were filled worldwide in 2022, with this number set to rise again in 2023, placing more pressure on recyclability.
Actega has launched ACTEseal PVC-free heatseal coatings to improve the recyclability of aluminium coffee capsules
Capsules coated with PVC-containing coatings pose challenges for recyclers, as incineration of the halogen-containing coating produces substances that can be associated with environmental damage. However, Actega says the new ACTEseal heatseal coatings for the internal coating of aluminium coffee capsules are PVC-free, making a significant contribution to improved recyclability.
“After several years of research and development, we are proud to introduce our new PVC-free heatseal coatings,” says Stefan Brandhoff, vice president sales for flexible packaging in EMEA at Actega. He adds: “We firmly believe that our solution will not only become the industry standard, but also set the bar for responsible packaging.”
Thomas Sawitowski, senior vice president of flexible packaging at Actega, adds: “Innovations in sustainable packaging are developing at an impressive pace, and Actega is paving the way for future solutions. With the successful launch of our new PVC-free coating systems, we offer a promising step forward for the coffee capsule industry and brands seeking to meet growing consumer demands for environmentally sustainable packaging.”
Keep Ahead of Regulation
Also weighing in is Antalis, whose graphical board development manager, Steve Chappell, says a lot of focus has been placed on reducing over-packaged, or unnecessary packaging whilst still delivering on customer experience. He explains that keeping ahead of new and pending packaging regulation will also increasingly impact the packaging industry.
Chappell says when selected from accredited sustainable forests, paperboards provide the perfect substrate for sustainable packaging. He continues: “It is recyclable, biodegradable, and compostable, with a carbon footprint that's unmatched among other packaging materials.
“Boards that give great print results coupled with excellent dimensional stability for multiple print finishing processes are key requirements for printers looking into quality cartonboard.
“A good understanding of the carbon footprint of boards in terms of the manufacturer’s production processes and their logistical impact is a consideration worth looking into when selecting materials for packaging.”
With this, he flags up several new and popular solutions available from Antalis. The stand-out solution for Chappell is Performa Light CarbonZero, a GC2 folding that he says lends itself to the creation of an array of premium packaging applications. Chappell also says this is the market’s first carbon neutral cartonboard. “In choosing Performa Light CarbonZero, brands can show measurable actions on climate change through their packaging,”
Chappell explains, adding: “In addition, it is lightweight and this means reduced environmental impact and a reduced carbon footprint at every stage of the packaging lifecycle.”
While PSPs should be aware of many trends within the packaging sector, the overarching consideration for this market is sustainability. PSPs should ensure that they are offering a sustainable service to customers if they are to win valuable contracts and secure long-term partnerships with like-minded clients.
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