Color Label Solutions

Color Label Solutions
www.colorlabelsolutions.com

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

On-Demand Pouches-WestPack

At the recent WestPack 2021 tradeshow, we ran the FP-230 Flexible Packaging printer and laminator.

FP-230
FP-230 Color Flexible Package Printer


Watch the FP-230 run here:


We then took the printed/laminated material to the Phoenix Engineering booth to fill/seal the material.


And you may have seen my earlier post on using this combination of devices to print, fill, and seal flexible packaging.

FP-230 Printed/Filled Pouches
FP-230 Printed/Filled Pouches

During the show, I asked Mike Atkins, National Sales Manager for Afinia, why use these machines to produce flexible packaging?  According to Mike, “Outsourcing is a good option if you require large quantities of pouches; and the printing is static (i.e. never changes). But if you require variable data printing for different SKUs, and/or your individual SKU requirements are relatively small, you may be forced to purchase more pouches than needed. The FP-230 allows you to print on demand and change the content on the fly.  You don’t have preprinted minimums and you print just the amount you need for a particular run. And if you are white labeling, or private labeling, this opens up more opportunities to deliver quickly, have lower minimums, and create more revenue per product by offering packaging as a service.”


Artysio Flexible Pouches

In the FP-230, we used Sihl’s Artysio Flexible Packaging material.


Grace Engebretsen, Manager, Sales & Business Development Packaging North America for Sihl believes the Artysio material fits many different types of customers.  The technology allows total flexibility and is very sustainable, printing only what is needed and locally on site.  Grace says, “Generally speaking, small to medium sized brand owners with a large number of SKU’s (i.e. more product complexity) as well as copackers are both ideal customers.  Copackers who do business with multiple customers, offering varying products/sizes for markets such as food, nutraceutical, and personal care.  We’re looking for customers that want to control their own packaging operation due to product complexity and/or small quantity runs.”

Artysio
Artysio Product Profile


At the show, I told Mike that it seems to be fairly easy to run the FP-230.  Mike said, “The printer is fairly simple to operate. Designs can be printed from a simple PDF viewer, or you can print directly from any number of design applications. Printing flexible packaging is as straightforward as any other type of desktop publishing. The FP-230 connects directly to a PC, or to your network, and installs in your list of printers using a standard Windows driver.”

 

From my perspective, the most difficult aspect of this printing is making sure the art is designed for the correct size of packaging. But please remember; I have no experience running packaging equipment.  Phoenix Engineering’s packaging equipment seems straight forward.

 

Globally, packaging is a $120 to $160 Billion business; of which flexible packaging is a large part.  In the US, flexible packaging is a $31 billion business. Over the next few years, some of this market will move to on-demand color packaging. The trend toward shorter runs and more just-in-time or on-demand production will drive this move.

 

Contact us if you want to move to on-demand flexible packaging.  We can support this switch.

 

Guy Mikel

855-962-7670

info@colorlabelsolutions.com


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