Myths of Digital Corrugated Printing Debunked

BEN GINESI

Production of corrugated packaging has been predicted to reach almost 190 million metric tpy by 2029 (Smithers’ The Future of Corrugated Board Packaging to 2029), with inkjet expected to experience the strongest growth, fueled by an increase in demand for short and medium runs of highimpact retail and ecommerce packaging.

Investing in digital printing technology can help converters efficiently keep pace with this demand, while driving business growth. However, converters often have concerns about the economics and practicalities of running a digital printing process for corrugated packaging when viewed through the lens of familiarity with conventional printing processes.

With this in mind, let’s dispel some of the common misconceptions about digital corrugated printing.

Is digital printing more complex than traditional printing methods?

We believe it’s all down to experience. Converters that have used traditional printing methods and processes for decades trust the technology and are confident in its capabilities. They know that flexo works well for high-volume print jobs that don’t require reproduction of fine detail; they’re familiar with litho as the go-to technology for high-quality prints with higher complexity. They know both perform well across a range of substrates.

This familiarity can make adopting a digital process seem daunting for converters. It’s true that it’s very different from their current process—but that doesn’t necessarily mean difficult.

Think about it: you take the digital artwork, send it to the machine, and the machine prints it—the process is so much simpler and shorter than flexo or litho. Without printing plates and time-consuming mechanical setup, digital is far easier and more efficient than a traditional process. But just as with any other piece of equipment, you need the right processes and fully trained people to ensure the technology is set up correctly to deliver the best performance.

Is it difficult to find the right people to run a digital press?

The skills and knowledge gap in the print industry, which is widening as experienced professionals are retiring, has made recruiting traditional press operators challenging for converters. Yet the digital printing process requires a completely different set of skills.

That said, an operator with decades of experience in running a flexo or litho printing press, with all the mechanical set-up that is required, would be able to operate a digital press. They may need time and specific training to adapt to the digital process, but the general ease of using a digital press can soon make controlling, setting up, and optimizing the digital printing process via a touchscreen interface second nature.

The fact that no technical know-how specific to the printing industry is required to run a digital press means that converters benefit from access to a much wider pool of potential candidates than they would have when recruiting for a flexo press operator. Given the predominance of digital devices in everyday life, even someone without prior experience in the printing industry might have an easy time adapting to operating a digital press.

Is it true that all digital presses have a large footprint and require a controlled cleanroom environment?

The size of digital corrugated presses is often an issue for converters interested in going digital, and many are concerned about the resources required to create a cleanroom environment in which to run a corrugated printing press.

It’s true that some digital corrugated presses have a larger footprint than their flexographic counterparts and require a cleanroom environment to run effectively, increasing the initial investment. However, there are corrugated digital inkjet presses on the market that use fast-drying inks with compact drying modules that greatly reduce the overall footprint. In addition, there are presses available with internal environmental controls for temperature and dust extraction, eliminating the need for a cleanroom—which means you can effectively place the press alongside the traditional presses in your facility.

Are digital printing fluids more expensive than traditional consumables?

Ink for digital presses can be more expensive than consumables for flexo or litho print—that’s true—but ink price per liter is a misleading indicator of the total running cost for printing equipment.

Converters balking at the higher price for digital printing inks often consider the consumption of the traditional process when running calculations to predict the total running cost. However, digital printing inks that seem expensive on paper often prove a better value in use, as improved coverage of the substrate can bring down the cost per square meter of print. The hidden cost of primer as a consumable should also factor into calculations; inks that do not require pre-coating may deliver considerable savings.

Does the investment in digital pay off?

We strongly believe in the opportunities digital printing offers, and the benefits are well known—but evaluating the return on investment can be a challenge for converters. It’s a cultural shift. Digital printing offers a completely different value proposition. ROI in digital printing is not a one-size-fits-all approach across brands and digital press models. Total cost of ownership is key, as running costs can vary greatly across equipment available in the market.

What factors should be considered as part of the total cost of ownership?

Digital presses feature an optimized combination of various, often proprietary, technologies that all factor into the ROI. How much (or how little) of an impact they have on the cost per printed board can vary greatly.

It’s not just about the cost of the ink. Some fast-drying formulations proactively contribute to lower energy consumption, while printheads and ink sets that provide excellent coverage in a single pass can reduce overall ink consumption.

The cost of maintaining a controlled environment is also a factor: environmental controls on-board a press eliminate the need and running cost for a custom-built cleanroom, let alone the cost of installing the cleanroom in the first place.

What advice can you give converters looking to invest in digital corrugated printing technology?

Make sure to consider all factors when evaluating a digital printing solution—from staffing and consumables to the all-important return on investment.

More importantly, partner with a trusted digital printing expert that can provide a genuine appraisal of the ROI for your corrugated print application and offer support in your digital printing journey. A strong partner should be willing to provide support along each step, from providing valuable insights into the ideal profile a digital press operator should have, to identifying profitable business opportunities and new applications.

Ben Ginesi is European sales manager—digital corrugated packaging at Domino. To learn more, please visit www.domino-printing.com.

Adoption of Digital: A Converter’s Perspective

Dayle Roane, commercial and client engagement manager at HSG Packaging, UK, discusses how HSG and its brand customers have benefited from the investment in digital corrugated printing technology.

GINESI: What are the main benefits you have seen in adopting a digital printing process?

ROANE: We see the main benefits around waste reduction, more actual time printing in comparison to traditional print technology, and the ability to offer lower minimum order quantities through greater print versioning. Much of this is down to the digital technology not requiring tooling changes.

We can queue jobs, enabling nonstop print of multiple designs—including versions for locations and languages—all in one print run, without time-consuming mechanical set up.

With no limit to the number of colors, our brand customers can now feature powerful imagery and wider color palettes in their packaging designs, and the press enables us to produce hard samples to demonstrate that the packaging is fit-for-purpose.

What about the benefits for your brand customers?

The feedback from our customers has been incredible! They love that we are no longer governed by the restraints of traditional printing technology. Brands now have the opportunity to make creativity in their designs a priority, without being held back by tooling cost. No matter if it’s one color or 99 colors, it’s all the same price using the digital press.

There’s also no need to print inflated minimum order quantities to hit a price point, which eliminates the need to hold and potentially write off unused stock, reducing waste.

The cost savings are significant and our ability to deliver within seven to 10 days from artwork sign-off is key for many customers. We can literally be in and out, printed and delivered, before a traditional print house has finished setting up their press.

Which markets are most likely to benefit from digital packaging print?

The three key markets most interested in digital printing right now are retail, ecommerce, and food and beverage. In those markets, digital allows us to provide great service and make an impact very quickly, and we can see that in the brands bringing great projects to our table.

We are currently printing a range of eye-catching ecommerce boxes, which are ideal for printing on the digital press. The press also allows us to do some interesting work on point-of-sale displays for retailers.

What advice would you give corrugated converters starting their digital journey?

Take the time to understand the technology and identify the target markets that would most benefit. It will be highly worthwhile!