It’s a Great Time to be in Printing!
As companies strategize on how to compete in rapidly changing market conditions, they are trying to look into the crystal ball to see what the future holds.
The digital, packaging and inkjet printing technology segments have experienced growth through 2024. Smithers, a printing market research firm, shared in The Future of Printing to 2029 that this growth trend is poised to continue into 2029.
Let’s break it down
The most significant growth is expected to come from the packaging and label printing sector, as digital printing allows for greater customization and shorter print runs, ideal for diverse product variations and on-demand needs. Digitally printed labels increased by 10% in 2024. Increased demand for personalized products across various industries will drive further adoption of digital printing, enabling customized designs on packaging and marketing materials.
There are those that think flexographic printing is a thing of the past. Not so. Flexographic printing is and is still predicted to be the largest print sector. Advances in plate materials, ink delivery systems and improved registration tolerances make this method of printing a mainstay well into the future.
Technology advances are also fueling growth in the digital space at a very fast pace. Higher speeds, better print quality and are making this technology attractive in many markets. The most notable growth area is in packaging. Flexible packaging and pouches are replacing many of the traditional rigid packaging methods at a growth rate above 20%. Front-end graphics automation engines are doing a tremendous amount to simplify workflows with repeatable and scalable process flows in all printing technologies.
Robotics continue to make advances into material handling, cartoning, and palletizing in packaging and label manufacturing. Improvements have been made in replacing the need for complex programming of motion and activities. Programming that used to take significant amounts of time and required a skilled programmer, can now be completed in seconds. By manually moving the robotic arm in the motions and locations needed, “programming” to apply carton labels can be completed in seconds!
Green Bay Innovation Group is continuing to expand it’s presence in the greater Midwest supporting innovation, in the paper, packaging, printing, converting, and supporting industries. Wisconsin, Illionis, Iowa and Minnesota are home to over 357 printers with narrow and wide web flexo reaching a total of 269!
These demographics, advances in technology and market trends combine to make it a great time to be in printing!
Brian Van de Water
CEO
SPL Consulting, LLC
brian@splconsultingllc.com
