Selling Digital

Printing Comparison

Flexo Printing

As we know, most of the printing in the corrugated industry is done by means of a flexographic printing process, which uses flexible rubber or polymer plates.

Fast-drying, water-based inks are generally used, which allow for fast running speeds. The print quality depends on many variables in the flexo process, but is strongly influenced by the absorbency of the stock or material being printed.

Flexography easily prints onto rough materials such as corrugated, and is fairly well-suited for printing large areas of solid color with high gloss and brilliance. It is possible to obtain line and half-tone quality from this process using direct-to-plate digitally imaged plates and UV inks for higher resolution dots during four-color process printing.

• Pros: Fast printing speed, quick setups (for the most part), ideal for long runs.
• Cons: Plate cost can be high. Print plates wear out over time. Revisions are costly.
• Note: Flexography can be the least expensive and simplest of the processes for the basic corrugated carton.

Digital Printing

Digital printing on corrugated will not be overtaking the flexography process anytime soon, if ever, but it is growing at a very rapid speed. I would suggest that you consider it another arrow in your quiver. Weekly, we see articles about companies announcing they are buying, installing, and promoting their new equipment with the latest and greatest digital print capabilities, in reaction to the market demand regarding digital printing.

It reminds me of a time in my past when everyone was saying “We are going to have to get into graphics if we want to compete!” And that meant three or four colors on a flexo or die cutter!

Online shopping has also exploded, and all indications show that it will not slow down.

We should not underestimate the opportunities that are out there for digital today. The early adopters who saw this coming have already been engaged in rapid learning of what digital presses can do to support their existing clients, as well as position them to win new business in the marketplace. The race has begun!

Digital Print Drivers

Our customers are driving us to make it better, faster, more sustainable, and less expensive. Online shopping has also exploded, and all indications show that it will not slow down.

The web in 2018 will account for 11 percent of total retail sales, up from 8 percent in 2013, according to a new Forrester Research e-retail forecast.

Competition is tremendous, with many manufacturers supporting in-house training and continual learning workshops to educate their customers on the most up-to-date digital progress of capabilities.

Many companies want their customers to have a better branding experience when they receive their package. Retailers want to get the product to the market faster, and digital printing accomplishes both by substantially reducing the time it takes to launch a new product with enhanced new graphics.

Digital Landscape. There are many companies leading the market in the making of great quality digital printers. Many can run at speeds of 190-plus feet per minute, 70,000-plus square feet per hour, with four to seven colors and UV coatings. The capital cost can run from $125,000 to $8 million. Competition is tremendous, with many manufacturers supporting in-house training and continual learning workshops to educate their customers on the most up-to-date digital progress of capabilities.

Digital Case Study. Rochester Midland Corp., in Rochester, N.Y., converted two product lines from direct flexo print to full digital printing with 85 percent gradient coverage using four-color process at 1600-by-1600 dpi. Labels that were applied by hand before filling could now be printed digitally, along with lot code numbers that change with every run.

All carton artwork has the most current revision number also printed on the bottom flaps. There are more than 75 different prints.

The enhancement of the brand in the market was a key focus of this customer. Marketing loved the “wow” factor of the new print.

Purchasing was also engaged and supportive.

What Digital Strategy Makes Sense? It really depends on what you think a digital printing offering can do for you or your company. Here are seven questions to help you think about what your strategy should be:

1. What are your customers talking about?
2. What market forces are driving your customers’ business?
3. Can you afford the equipment needed? Some of it is very expensive.
4. What would your return on investment be?
5. Does your sales force understand how to present and promote digital?
6. What is your competition doing?
7. Do you have relationships you can engage in with companies like ColorHub, which are supporting the independents in a way similar to the sheet feeder strategy?

Digital Sales Opportunities. There are digital sales opportunities everywhere in your marketplace. You need to be trained on what to look for and understand what your value proposition will be. It does not have to be very elaborate printing to be considered for digital. We have several customers who just have us print one color on a kraft-colored carton in low quantities.

You also do not have to be a POP or display company to take the plunge into this world. Here are some segments in which to look for opportunities to discuss and present a possible solution for a digital print offering.

1. Trial Runs: New product launches can be a great area to suggest a digital print solution. The savings potential of printing plates alone could be a major decision-maker for someone to try digital printing.
2. Specialty Short Runs: Your customer maybe offering an exclusive one-time sale. Samples could also be an area to look at.
3. Double-Sided Print: Many companies that have an internet online sales segment that is selling direct to consumers are investigating printing on the inside of their carton to enhance the customers’ experience with their brand.
4. PDQ, POP, and Counter Displays: Great opportunities exist for companies that are growing and want to try selling more of their product in one of these formats.
5. Call on Marketing Managers and Design Teams: Do some of your customers have teams assigned to new products? If yes, talk to them and see what their customers are asking for.
6. Fulfillment Houses/E-commerce: Do you have any in your market? Find out the names of the companies they are picking, packing, and fulfilling orders for. You might find an opportunity to put the fulfillment house in a competitive advantage by helping them improve the branding for their customers.
7. Be Patient: It takes time, and this is a new area for most corrugated salespeople. Much training is needed to understand the capacity and capabilities of the equipment, and how to spot opportunities in the market.

This is a very exciting time to be in the packaging business, and I would like to suggest that if you want to learn more about the digital print world, take the time to attend one of the AICC training seminars and workshops.

George Moretti, GM Training & Consulting, can be reached at 716-909-1177 or gmtcg@roadrunner.com.