Valencia! The next Inkjet revolution
We have been inspired by the innovative people and businesses that are leading the inkjet revolution in Valencia. So much so that we have launched FuturePrint TECH, 28-29 Valencia with a special focus on Packaging and labels.
We want to bring together Europe’s leaders in inkjet innovation at a place steeped in innovation and energy, to help accelerate the next generation of inkjet innovation. For packaging and labels.
The Greater Valencia Community has a rich history of innovation in ceramic tile production. In recent times inkjet technology has become the dominant way to decorate tiles. The unique blend of ceramic tile manufacturing know-how, and advanced inkjet technology mixed with the innovative culture in Valencia has led to a global revolution in ceramic production. This technological revolution however does not stop here. The giant packaging and labels sector is poised to further adopt this new inkjet technology to enable it to meet fast-changing retail demands fuelled by a transformation in consumer spending. And the inkjet community is fast developing the technology further to meet this opportunity.
According to Precedence research, “the global corrugated packaging market size was valued at US$ 276 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach over US$ 410.5 billion by 2032, poised to grow at a CAGR of 4.1% from 2023 to 2032.” This growth is exciting but only possible with increased digitalisation of production. Enter inkjet!
What are the Growth Factors for Corrugated?
Corrugated packaging is directly linked to the growth of the manufacturing industry. Goods need to be packed for protection and shipping. There is an increase in the usage of corrugated boxes across different industries such as food & beverages, consumer electronics, pharmaceuticals, and homecare goods.
The COVID crisis saw a big increase in e-commerce in the past decade and has tremendously spiked the consumption of corrugated packaging all over the globe. The rising popularity of e-commerce and online retail platforms due to changing consumer behaviour will continue to push demand for corrugated packaging.
The material itself also has a sustainable profile - while this may be a fortunate factor, but not the driving force, nonetheless, it means the material aligns with environmental demands laid out by Scope 3 and is therefore future-proofed against possible environmental legislation. Corrugated packaging continues to be the dominant material for tertiary packaging while the introduction of digital printing technologies is enabling a new trend for in-store promotion using the branding potential of the substrate coupled with the practical and expedient power of the substrate to give FMCG brands and retailers the ability to hit the shop floor with product and promotion in super quick time.
Valencia and Leading the Development of Inkjet
While great technological progress has been made by inkjet into packaging and labels, with packaging in particular, there is still a need for technological advancements whether this be from an engineering, chemistry or software perspective. By bringing together a European group of innovators in Valencia, we will spark new conversations and ignite new ideas that will solve the technical challenges that will help accelerate progress.
Some of the world’s leaders in inkjet printing innovation are already well-established in the development and manufacture of digital printing for corrugated. We have spent time visiting and talking with these innovators and have some great recorded and written content to sample.
EFI will be participating at FuturePrint TECH and has been having significant success with the Nozomi machine. Vice President and General Manager, Packaging & Building Materials at EFI, Evandro Matteucci, has under his leadership a specific focus on the development and growth of the Nozomi machine which has a market focus on corrugated packaging. In this podcast, we talk about the development of this technology, the growth of digital printing in corrugated converting, the current economic climate, market trends, FuturePrint TECH in Valencia, and the great success of Nozomi.
Kento Digital Printing is making significant progress with its Hybrid Technology - Javier Quesada presented at FuturePrint TECH in Cambridge in November 2022, please check his talk out here. We also talked with Javier about the technology in more detail in a follow-up article to his talk and discovered some clever and unique characteristics that really blend the ‘best of both worlds’ of new and old technology.
On another visit to Valencia, we were inspired by what we discovered and learned with the team from Itaca - the amazing effect that their ink creates with inkjet printing onto ceramic tiles, their inspiring showroom showcasing an amazing array of applications, their leading market position but also their plans for packaging in the future.
Not far from Itaca is People & Technology which provide an invaluable independent testing and cleaning service for inkjet heads - the business has evolved, initially manufacturing an innovative solution for rotogravure, to now becoming the leader in cleaning and testing. People and Technology now have the ambition and strategy to enter new markets to provide a unique and invaluable service. Again, P&T are an innovative and friendly business and a world leader. We discovered a philosophy that is focused more on collaboration than competition!
Grupo La Plana is one of Europe’s leading corrugated converters, again based in Onda, this business is also an early adopter in terms of technology for digital printing. We visited Grupo La Plana to enjoy a tour of the operation and to also see Kento Hybrid Technology. In the link below you can read more about the trip, discover Kento’s ‘teal coloured philosophy’ and a write-up on a visit to Grupo La Plana.
PS: On Friday, March 1, all delegates to FuturePrint TECH in Valencia, are invited to join Kento Digital Printing for a showcase of their technology which is installed at Grupo La Plana.