www.printmonthly.co.uk 55 January / February 2024 - Issue 346 PACKAGING SOLUTIONS ALL WRAPPED UP From sustainable solutions to luxury features, what are some of the stand-out trends in the packaging market, and what products are available to help print companies capitalise on these demands? 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. 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. ▲ Antalis bills Performa Light CarbonZero as the market’s first carbon neutral cartonboard
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