Corrugated Packaging: Design Opportunities and Cost Challenges

Larger brands and even smaller brands are beginning to realize that they can adapt their designs to reduce the amount of ink used, which can significantly reduce the cost of digitally produced corrugated and bring it closer to flexo. According to Marc Jorge, the Technical Manager of the Barberan Digital Printing Division, the biggest challenge is working with the brands on what design works well with digital. “What is easy to do in flexo is sometimes difficult in single-pass digital, and what is difficult in flexo is easy in digital. What is cheap to do in flexo is expensive to do in digital and what is expensive to do in flexo is cheap to do in digital.” There is another option, that of using “hybrid” production incorporating flexo and digital inline, similar to what Zumbiel packaging and Kodak created for folding carton production. 

Larger brands are willing to bear an small incremental increase in cost to take advantage of the opportunities offered by digital print production, especially in marketing campaigns. While they are a re-packager and not a FMCG brand manufacturer, Amazon recently offered a great example. As one of the largest users of corrugated boxes, in an effort to distract attention from the mountains of boxes going to the landfill and promote their desire for sustainability, they have recently introduced a campaign on reuse of their corrugated boxes. They are also using it as a way to introduce their customers to the Amazon AR app, which I am sure will find other uses in the future.

During their recent Prime Day event, they are shipping certain purchases in a new eco-friendly designed carton which includes a QR code and a white pumpkin.