Page 24 - Print 21 Sep-Oct 2019

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Solving sustainability
APCO CEO Brooke Donnelly joined Lindy Hughson; Aleks Lajovic
of Impact International; David Martin, CEO of Spicers; Fred Soar of Soar Print; and Jack Malki of Jet Technologies for a panel on how these companies are meeting their sustainability challenges.
Donnelly warned that, despite Australia’s sustainability framework being a world leader, there is no silver bullet; packagers must think about a product’s life cycle, how it functions, and what it will become at end of life.
Martin discussed opportunities
in replacing plastic packaging with fibre, but stressed that paper-
based solutions are better for some applications – polystyrene clamshell packs, for example – than others like transparent plastic bottles.
Malki brought up new plastic products which contain enzymes that cause them to degrade up to 70 per cent within two years.
Soar said that customers are becoming aware of their carbon footprint, and want to feel like they’re doing something; he added that carbon taxes are a positive step.
Lajovic, whose company has developed sustainable plastic tubes made from sugar cane – the growth of which offsets the carbon used
to produce the plastic – added that people want to make a positive step. He said, “We’re trying to help customers walk through the correct channels, and make sure their good intentions don’t have a bad result.”
3key takeaways:
• Sustainability must be strategic – there are no silver bullets.
• Standard plastics can be replaced by more sustainable options, depending upon applications.
• Customer demand is driving the push to sustainable packaging.
Connecting with
consumers by codes
Packaging printers need to use current equipment to better engage consumers, said Paul Haggett of Kodak in his presentation.
Haggett took guests through
the past, present, and future of technology, and argued that brands must use unique codes to keep
up with consumers’ needs – that marketing to anonymous customers is no longer sufficient.
“The key, and I cannot stress this enough, is putting a unique identifier on every single pack,” he said.
In one striking segment, Haggett showed an animation of the most valuable brands over the past couple of decades, and how their fortunes shifted with time – the fall of companies like Nokia, and the rise of Google, Amazon and Apple, being among them.
“Brands that best respond to the evolution in customers’ needs will stand to dominate,” he said. “Even companies thought to be too big to fail have failed when they didn’t keep up.”
Haggett predicted that unique codes will end up on every single pack, and took heart in seeing
a giant like Tetra Pak pledging unique fingerprints on all of its
•
Packaging • security
techniques:
Daniel Blau,
HP
Fresh blood,
fresh ideas
The last session of the day saw
Wayne Robinson, editor of Print21 and associate editor of PKN
Packaging News, speak with Matt
Ellis of Luminar and Aaron Lusch
of Platypus Print Packaging – two young innovators who have helped transform their respective businesses.
Ellis discussed how Luminar
– formerly Avonlea Labels – had branched out into flexible packaging with digital print technology.
“We were solving a lot of problems, especially for SMEs who wanted to venture out of rigid packaging and labels into flexibles,” he said. “I see a positive future for digital labels and flexible packaging.”
He also exhorted brands to think outside the square and welcome discomfort. “Don’t stay in your box, welcome new things,” he said.
Lusch, meanwhile, spoke about how the Platypus packaging business actually ended up quadrupling after a big customer pulled out, initially costing them 35 to 40 per cent of their business.
“We are actually a stronger and better business for having gone through it,” he said, adding that the Platypus motto is that there is always a way. “Through the tough times, don’t give up.” 21
3
Above left
Rising stars: Wayne Robinson, Print21 (left) talks to
Below
Barcode of tomorrow: Mark Dingley of Matthews
Matt Ellis, Luminar (centre) and Aaron Lusch, Platypus Print Packaging
bi3
• Brands need to be relevant, convenient,
llions of containers.
Bottom right
and timely to engage consumers. Unique codes should, and will, be used on all packaging.
Packaging printers should learn from commercial printers on the use of variable data – personalisation is the future of customer experience.
• Digitally printed labels and flexibles are growing.
• Businesses should not be afraid to try new things.
• Don’t give up when faced with adversity – find a way around.
key takeaways:
key takeaways:
24 Print21 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019