ProPack Pro April 2023

A

Valiani debuts in Australia

Triumphal return of Labelexpo SEA

The second edition of the show hosted people from 84 countries

FPLMA recognises the best in labels

The FPLMA conference and awards put the spotlight on labelling

AIP conference a big success

At the recent conference, held in Melbourne, sustainability was high on the agenda

ALSO INSIDE... Soft plastics recycling

I wish to say a huge thank you for accommodating all our crazy orders over the past fortnight, your brilliant service made it possible to reach all the deadlines.

Lizzie

Thanks for your help with these cards. The parcel arrived yesterday and they look great! We’re looking forward to pushing the raised foil more this year so we’ll pass some more jobs across soon.

Doug

The Guide looks beautiful! Gorgeous print and colours, thank you again for organising the press check and paying such close attention to our work.

Caroline

The print is amazing - even better than I expected. Everything went so smoothlyyou were so prompt to respond to me, the tracker you have with the daily and update emails is fantastic, even the courier service you use has such good tracking info.

Ellen

The folders look fantastic. Thank you so much for your help and tireless efforts getting them through for us. You are such a legend and fill us with confidence knowing you’ve got our backs.

Sarah

Printing has already dispatched – thank you!!! I always feel confident sending an urgent job your way, and in this online world where you rarely get to deal with a real live human, I really appreciate that.

Mel

YOU

With plenty of packaging and labelling events scheduled for this year, there are multiple opportunities for idea sharing, education and knowledge to be gained. The industry has always understood the importance of face-to-face events and the most recent tradeshows didn’t fail to deliver on value.

Digital presses dominated the Labelexpo Southeast Asia 2023 tradeshow, which took place in Bangkok, Thailand in February. It was a long-awaited edition of the event, following several postponements as a result of COVID-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2022.

The digital presses on show all promised better print quality, flexibility in printing, higher speeds and unique features to enable printers with better TCOs. The latest in finishing touches were also on display, with more printers looking to bring such capabilities in-house.

The Flexible Packaging and Label Manufacturers Association (FPLMA) 2023 ‘Creation to Consumer’ Technical Forum took place in Melbourne, putting the spotlight on packaging and labelling trends.

Industry thought leaders addressed the challenges of the local market, but more importantly focussed on the new opportunities that are presenting themselves in the demanding world of packaging and labelling. Many of the speakers also delved into the merging worlds of digital and physical, and how they can support each other in a unique way in the future.

As for the most recent 2023 Australasian Institute of Packaging (AIP) Conference, the topics of circular economies and sustainable packaging were key themes. The environmental impact of packaging

technology, particularly in relation to the food and beverage and pharmaceutical industries took centre stage.

In addition, the potential of extended producer responsibility (EPR) was examined at one of the keynote sessions, with speaker professor Pierre Pienaar saying, “it is the way of the future” and that producers taking responsibility for what they’re producing is “the solution to our issues”.

If these learnings are anything to go by, we can safely say that there are a number of key trends moulding the future of packaging – we just have to read them well and take the right actions to benefit from them.

Hafizah Osman | Editor hosman@intermedia.com.au

Ph:

+61 431 466 140

or the provisions of Division 2 of Part V of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from

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Hafizah Osman

IN THIS ISSUE...

There is no stopping the digital printing boom for packaging

P6-7

While flexo is still widely used across labels and packaging markets, digital is making headway with short-run cost-effectiveness and print personalisation

Australia’s soft plastics recycling at a standstill

Triumphal return of Labelexpo Southeast Asia

P14-18

The second edition of Labelexpo Southeast Asia returned to Bangkok in February 2023 to host nearly 7,500 delegates from 84 countries

FPLMA conference and awards spotlight packaging and labelling trends

P20-22

A focus on recyclability

P28

Focusing on Australia’s call for all packaging to be recyclable and Victoria’s new phase of single-use plastic ban

New-age wine packaging: Inside the box

P8-9

The state of soft plastics recycling in Australia is dire, but will there be a positive outcome for it in the coming months?

Pozitive launches Valiani Omnia 100 at Open Day event

P10-12

Pozitive recently took the wraps off the Valiani Omnia 100 automatic feed die cutting machine and introduced it to customers at the launch

International industry leaders recently discussed the latest packaging and innovations trends in Melbourne under the ‘creation to consumer’ theme

2023 AIP Conference address the best in packaging design and innovation

P24-27

Sustainability, packaging design and innovation were some of the key topics addressed at the recent 2023 AIP Australasian Packaging Conference

THIS ISSUE SUPPORTED BY

P30-31

It’s time to rethink boxed packaging for wine – the underdog in the wine industry

Wrapping packaging up

with labels

P32-33

The latest packaging design trends are shaping up to be a playful, bright and fun bunch, according to 99designs by Vista

Pack diary

A comprehensive guide to the upcoming events locally and globally

P34

P8-9

P30-31 P12

There is no stopping the digital printing boom for packaging

personalisation

Durst says it is challenging 4-colour flexography with its Tau RSCi inkjet press, shown for the first time also at the Labelexpo Americas 2022, printing at 1,200dpi x 1,200dpi resolution at 100m/min on a 20in web in four colours, with flexo units both before and after the digital engine.

Global consultancy Smithers has released a new study, ‘The Future of Package Printing to 2027’, forecasting that the labels and printed packaging markets will continue to increase in demand.

Data charts show that a global market worth US$456.3 billion in 2021 will increase to US$473.7 billion and then grow at a CAGR of 3.1 per cent to reach US$551.3 billion in 2027.

While flexo will remain the most widely used print process, the greatest expansion will come from digital print for packaging –with a CAGR of over 10 per cent forecast through 2027. Print service providers are poised to reap the benefits of significant R&D investment by digital OEMs.

Digital revolution

For a long time, digital was slightly behind analogue methods. But with the latest developments in digital, this barrier has slowly diminished as machines such as the HP Indigo V12 Digital Press deliver on quality and speed. The HP Indigo V12 is the first Indigo press built on next-generation HP Indigo LEPX architecture. It prints up to six colours at 120 linear metres per minute, using six in-line imaging engines running simultaneously; new highdefinition imaging; up to 12 colours on press capabilities; and one-pass, highspeed finishing capabilities provided by AB Graphic.

“The V12 is our Series 6 press, and it is completely redesigned from the ground up. The V12 is a press that has been in development for several years. It runs

narrow-web at a speed of four times faster than anything we’ve seen before, powered by HP Indigo Liquid Electro Photography technology (LEP),” HP Indigo A/NZ country manager Craig Walmsley said.

“We call it a V12 as we’re able to run 12 colours on it simultaneously. The V12 Press has the power of multiple flexo presses, in the one system. The speed of the press is only matched by its versatility, technical capabilities, and print quality, all of which sets a new benchmark for performance. For label manufacturers, this press will lead to new business opportunities including brand protection, smart packaging, sustainable packaging, and diversification into flexible packaging. The HP Indigo V12 Digital Press is tomorrow’s print technology of today.”

HP Indigo and AB Graphic equipment is supplied and supported by Currie Group in A/NZ.

Inkjet doesn’t typically require frequent part replacements and offers several advantages, including zero waste, higher robustness, and expanded colour gamut with fewer inks when compared to the traditional and current toner-based digital print technologies. According to Durst, printers can achieve 98 per cent of Pantone colours with just eight inks. Inkjet is also approaching production cost closer to flexo, without its click charge or print tax, as well as considering media and time saving.

“We see first-hand the digital print and finishing space continue to evolve. This combination is going to play a huge part in the way labels and packaging are produced,” Aarque Group national equipment sales consultant Graham Blackall said.

Aarque Group is a distributor of various brands, including Durst, Epson and GM in New Zealand.

“As manufacturers broaden their product offerings, marketers need to react quickly, which drives adaptable just-in-time fulfilment at the packaging and label

While flexo is still widely used across labels and packaging markets, digital is making headway with short-run cost-effectiveness and print

The HP Indigo V12 can print as fast as analogue with greater production agility, redefining digital label printing

Screen’s press is available in a low migration option to meet food packaging-compliant regulations

production end – digital meets these needs,” Blackall said.

Screen, which has been at the forefront of inkjet printing for many years, develops presses for labels and paper packaging in various formats from 330mm to 830mm. The company sees the future growth of digital coming in one-pass digital/hybrid presses, where printers are able to both print and finish labels efficiently.

2023 will be a year with numerous announcements as Screen continues its growth in the A/NZ market with its partner Jet Technologies.

“Whilst we are still strong believers in flexo, ultimately, as technology continues to improve and commercialise, the ability of digital will keep on improving, and the cost will continue to fall until it is the dominant print technology,” Jet Technologies director Jack Malki said.

“That said, there are and will be more varying digital technologies, so, for example, inkjet is on the ascendancy now over toner, but who knows what the future holds?” Malki mentioned.

From a printer’s perspective, in the longrun, digital printing is likely to be the direction that perhaps all print is heading.

“It won’t happen tomorrow, but it definitely feels like it’s edging that way. In saying that, though, when I started my apprenticeship, there was always talk about conventional machines becoming obsolete in the very near future with

LABELS & PACKAGING

All these factors explain why digital print is poised for such considerable growth. So, what are the disadvantages?

“Cost and productivity are still the major disadvantages. If the digital print was as economical and productive as flexo, then there would be no place for flexo (or other print technologies), but right now, that is not the case,” Malki said.

On the other hand, Blackall said digital production has no disadvantage when printers have defined their supply requirements.

“Digital Print caters to demand between alternative production methods; it delivers flexibility across media types,

digital presses being developed,” Auckland-based Rapid Labels technical director Alex Straight said.

“That was over 30 years ago, and flexo is still going strong, as is offset. Letterpress, however, was the first to wind down. Its demise occurred when digital machines were still running at relatively slow speeds. If we take this as a learning of what the future holds for flexo, then surely, with the increased running speeds of digital, flexo could be the next print process in its sight.”

Pros and cons

As with every printing technique, digital has its long list of pros and cons. It offers incredible quality and low costs at low volumes compared to traditional printing. It introduces variable data printing flexibility and short lead times. According to Straight, the biggest advantage of digital print is its ability to print unique images and data.

“No two printed images need to be the same. It opens a whole new world of print. Unique QR codes, numbering and the option to make changes to any job without the cost of making more plates. These are some of the digital print’s greatest advantages that conventional machines can’t do,” he said.

“Our customers see the flexibility of the digital press as a key feature in our multifaceted print market,” Blackall said.

“Our customers want to cater to a broad range of market demands; volumes vary — so having a printer that can create a signoff proof or prototype on demand without wasting metres of media and time — results in a payoff for the customer and the manufacturer.”

Malki said the benefits are many, and it is difficult to focus on just one, but being able to print exactly what’s needed right now is the most powerful tool.

volumes and high quality. Ultimately the customer benefits from a production base that can cater to their requirements, big or small,” he added.

What’s trending

Printers in the digital space are investing more in highly embellished labels.

“Perhaps it is a sculpted emboss or textured foil, a micro embossed security feature or a floating foil. It is anything that can give them a point of difference and a greater shelf presence compared to their competitors,” Straight said.

For carton packaging, it is the on-demand fulfilment, managing volumes, storage requirements vs product going to market.

“Customers want to remain relevant and compete in the store aisle, so it’s vital they have a supplier that can respond to these demands with efficient print and finishing solutions. Labels are not dissimilar; there are more boutique products coming to market, and large brands are diversifying with variants,” Blackall said.

Malki added that hybrid, in-line presses is where he sees the customer’s interest now, saying, “Clients are asking how they can print and finish in one pass, with one operator, and that is very much possible today”.

Durst Tau RSCi prints at 1,200 x 1,200 DPI resolution at 100m/min

Personalisation and variable data flexibility is one of the advantages of digital print

Brands often redirect flexo production savings onto digital embellishment

Australia’s soft plastics recycling at a standstill, or will this change?

The state of soft plastics recycling in Australia is dire, but will there be a positive outcome for it in the coming months?

With REDcycle suspending its program, soft plastics recycling in Australia has been massively impacted. Government, community, industry and partners have come together in setting up a taskforce to find a solution to the predicament, but it’s evident that it will come with its own set of challenges.

REDcycle suspended its collection scheme in November last year, with the company citing “unforeseen challenges, exacerbated by the pandemic” causing REDCycle’s recycling partners to be unable to accept and process the rapidly increasing volume of soft plastics due to lack of immediate access to infrastructure, inadequate processing capacity, and reduced demand for recycled products.

“There was no 350 per cent increase in demand for recycled products to match the supply, in fact, the opposite occurred thanks to market downturns. Then in June 2022, our largest volume offtake partner had a significant fire, resulting in their Tonerplas facility closing for reconstruction for 12 months,” REDcycle said.

This offtake partner is Close the Loop Group. In Australia, Close the Loop Group is the largest user of the post-consumer soft

plastics that have been collected through the REDcycle program, in addition to using mixed plastic packaging from other sources.

“We have worked with REDcycle for a number of years, taking huge volumes of this highly-contaminated, post-consumer material that form a main ingredient in our asphalt improvement product – TonerPlas, as well as our recycled plastic injectionmoulding resin rFlex,” the company said.

“We believe we are the only company that has been able to process 100 per cent of the material received from REDcycle, in line with our Zero Waste to Landfill brand promise. Despite using the material at scale at our plant, the volumes of material recovered by REDcycle appear to exceed the capacity of any sole business to recycle.

“The use of these materials by Close the Loop is possible due to the novel IP that the business has developed, in order to process the mixed, post-consumer soft plastic waste from sources such as REDcycle that would otherwise be difficult to reuse for new applications.

“Other products using post-consumer soft plastic waste can only use the materials at small percentages due to the poor quality

of the feedstock, in addition to a vital lack of end-market buy-back for these types of recycled content items.

“While we are currently upgrading our TonerPlas line, we will be back in full production by July 2023 and will require large volumes of soft plastic material to meet demands for both TonerPlas and rFlex products.”

Elizabeth Kasell, who conceived REDcycle in 2011, agreed that Australia’s circular economy is “not a perfect diagram on a presentation slide”.

“The REDcycle part of the chain was thriving with growing community engagement, meaning greater volumes of soft plastic were diverted from landfill and retained in the circular economy,” she said.

“The downstream links of the chain were unable to keep up. Because this is a maturing system, it rarely, if ever, operates in perfect harmony. To expect this is possible, to maintain this balance at all times, is not only idealistic, but also does a serious disservice to a system that is not failing, but evolving. Since the program pause, we’ve had negotiations

REDcycle helped revolutionise how Australians consider plastics and recycling, and with it, created a movement

with governments, regulators, potential partners, leading manufacturers who all share our vision and recognise the power of the community movement and critical recovery pipeline REDcycle has created.

“REDcycle helped revolutionise how Australians consider plastics and recycling, and with it, created a movement. This legacy and opportunity now need to be grasped with both hands. The price of not doing so is too high.”

What soon followed was the set-up of a Soft Plastics Taskforce (SPT), which has released a Roadmap to Restart, outlining the steps needed to launch a new supermarket soft plastic collection scheme, and the current state of play in the Australian recycling industry.

The SPT, made up of major supermarket retailers ALDI, Coles and Woolworths, has been tasked with developing an interim solution to restore community access to soft plastic recycling following the suspension of the REDcycle program.

Under the current plan, an initial in-store collection pilot is anticipated to launch in select stores in late 2023 – provided that REDcycle’s existing soft plastic stockpiles can be cleared prior. The new program would then be gradually rolled out nationwide next year.

However, while the SPT is working on launching in-store collections urgently, it said it is “severely constrained” by Australia’s limited access to domestic soft plastic recycling, which can manage the “mixed polymer” soft plastics that are deposited by the public in supermarket collection bins.

“At present, it would not be possible to recycle the volume of household soft plastics collected in a supermarket program using domestic infrastructure. Accordingly, the taskforce has plotted out the projected gradual increase in Australian soft plastic recycling capacity

over the next year, as new operators launch, and existing processors expand,” the SPT said.

From late 2023, the SPT is expected to meet the newly available processing capacity with a staged re-introduction of in-store collections so that the volume of incoming household soft plastics does not exceed the amount that can be recycled.

A spokesperson for the SPT previously said, “For the vast majority of Australian households, the only avenue to recycle their soft plastic waste has been through the REDcycle bins available at Coles and Woolworths supermarkets.

“Restoring public trust in soft plastic recycling is paramount, and the Soft Plastics Taskforce will reintroduce soft plastic collections when it can be confident that it will be properly recycled.

“The best way to accelerate nationwide access to soft plastic recycling is through continued investment in recycling facilities to bring forward existing plans to expand domestic capacity.”

The SPT added that the current timeline to launch an in-store collection pilot by late 2023 is contingent on the ability to clear REDcycle’s existing stockpiles of soft plastic, which Coles and Woolworths have recently been granted control of.

In addition, it said should new domestic processing capacity be taken up by the estimated 12,000 tonnes of stockpiled material for at least a year, the recommencement of in-store collections will be delayed.

“Accordingly, Coles and Woolworths intend to work through options to export the stockpiles to trusted recycling facilities overseas with the necessary transparency, traceability and government approvals. This would allow access to advanced recycling beyond Australia’s existing domestic capabilities,” the SPT said.

The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) estimated that less than five per cent of consumer soft plastic was collected by the REDcycle program, with the taskforce recognising the need for a long-term national soft plastic recycling strategy beyond its interim program, which has the potential to significantly increase the proportion of household soft plastic collected.

APCO CEO Chris Foley previously said, “We know that soft plastics is a challenging packaging material for Australia and we have to get better at managing it. This is a short-term glitch in the system largely related to the pandemic coinciding with unforeseen challenges experienced by reprocessing partners.

“Strong, positive moves for soft plastics recycling are on the horizon – capital investment is happening and capacity will soon be coming through.

“While it’s disappointing to see the program be put on hold, this is a good opportunity for Australia’s brand owners and the packaging and recycling industries to pause and reset on how we manage soft plastics.

“This reset will allow Australia to build ongoing sustainable pathways for soft plastics and APCO is working with industry stakeholders to resolve the issue and develop a strong, permanent solution.”

Kasell asked that this focus is transitioned to actionable steps, that not only the largest players are engaged, but the pioneers and innovators like REDcycle, Curbcycle, APR, SaveBoard have a seat at the table.

“Not out of entitlement, but because the experience is rich, there is much work to be done and we know how to roll up our sleeves,” she said.

“Our time on this planet is small, but our impact on it will be much greater. What the future holds for REDcycle remains to be seen, but I know my team and I will always be dedicated to the cause, one that sees our waste become a resource and helps create a better environment for our children.”

Elizabeth Kasell, who conceived REDcycle in 2011

APCO CEO Chris Foley

Pozitive shows off Valiani Omnia

Pozitive’s customers recently flocked to the Print Finishing Open House at Eastern Creek in Western Sydney, eager to see the new Valiani Omnia 100 automatic feed die cutting machine that the company had on show

The Roland DG TrueVIS AP-640 resin printer was also demonstrated at the Open House event

Pozitive customers learning more about the new Valiani Omnia 100

Carmen Ciappara (Printer Media Group), Andrea Trumble (Pozitive), Colleen Bate (Printer Media Group) and Lynette Hawthorne (Pozitive)

Phil Trumble (Pozitive) and the Valiani team from Italy talking to interested customers

Warren Davey, Eugene Tan and Alfred David (Pozitive) with the Summa cutter

Greg Stone (Roland DG) and Simon Waters (Roland DG)

Paul Cavalier (Printstorm) with Phil Trumble (Pozitive)

Phil Trumble (Pozitive) and Greg Stone (Roland DG)

Phil Trumble (Pozitive) and Benn Murphy (Clarke Murphy Print)

Andrea Trumble and Lynette Hawthorne (Pozitive)

Renee Sheridan and David Wowk (Pozitive)

Nathan Leong (The Distillery) with Phil Trumble (Pozitive) discussing the Valiani cutter

Andrea Trumble (Pozitive), Hayley Morrow (Printstorm), Paul Cavalier (Printstom) and Michael Farnham (Pozitive)

Tony Bonnici (All Aussie Prints), Milad Guergues (Pozitive) and Justin Bonnici (All Aussie Prints)

Simon Wilson (Allprint Graphics), Alfred David (Pozitive) and Chris Wright (Allprint Graphics)

Pozitive launches Valiani Omnia 100 die cutter at Sydney Open Day event

Pozitive recently took the wraps off the Valiani Omnia 100 automatic feed die cutting machine and introduced it to customers at the recent Open House event in Sydney

Trumble then moved on to the Summa S One D160 and S Class 2 T160 cutters, explaining that they could kiss cut and flex cut pre-printed material, and pointed out the advantages of the barcode workflow feature.

“The cutter will read the barcode and identify the job, then load the correct cutting file, allowing for full automation,” he said, adding that with the F Series flatbed cutters, even more flexibility can be added, like routing and creasing.

Stone was on hand to take us through the Roland DG TrueVIS AP-640 and LG-640 UV printers, which he said had been launched last year, and would be on display at Visual Impact in May.

The Valiani Omnia 100 automatic feed die cutting machine was launched for the first time in Australia at Pozitive Sign & Graphic Supplies’ recent Print Finishing Open House at Eastern Creek in Sydney.

Also on display and being demonstrated at the open house was Summa’s latest finishing solutions, along with Roland DG’s TrueVIS AP-640 resin and LG-640 UV printers.

Pozitive staff were in attendance to help attendees gain first-hand experience on the company’s finishing solutions including sheet-fed, wide-format and roll cutting technology to suit their cutting, creasing and scoring needs, and more.

Valiani CEO Nico Valiani, Pozitive managing director Phil Trumble, and Roland DG product and marketing manager Greg Stone took us on a tour of the respective machinery.

“An advantage of the Omnia 100 is that it is designed and developed to work automatically all day long without the presence of an operator,” Valiani said, kicking off his demonstration of the machine.

Valiani explained that he has been in the family business for 29 years, and that it was started by his father 49 years ago. The company was recently sold to the Summa Group.

He pointed out that the Omnia 100, which is made in Italy, can process media up to 75cm by 105cm in size, and caters to the growing demand of personalised diecutting processes, exclusive packaging and unique labels without the added cost of dies and make-readies.

Other benefits of the Omnia 100 include its QR Code feature.

The high-res camera quickly detects the code, pulls up the cut files into the software and executes each project, eliminating cut lists.

Valiani also pointed out that the Omnia can cut several types of material of different thicknesses (up to 12.7mm) and is able to collect two SRA3 sheets at a time, significantly increasing average output levels.

ProPack.pro was then given a tour of the Summa S One and S Class 2 series cutters by Trumble.

He explained that the S One D60 drag knife driven cutter, ideal for signmakers that require the functionality and performance for high volume vinyl and digital print shop environments, has a vibrant colour touchscreen, fast and reliable ethernet connection and improved processing speed, amongst other notable features.

“The TrueVIS AP-640 four-colour resin printer is the first leap into resin technology for Roland, so it’s pretty exciting,” he said, explaining that the printer has redefined resin printing with high colour saturation on a wide range of materials from uncoated PVC to non-PVC media.

It features new TrueVIS resin ink and advanced machine features to optimise colour reproduction and includes variable dot control technology and dual staggered printheads to create impressive image and colour quality.

Stone also went on to point out the benefits of the LG-640 UV 64-inch series printer and cutter which includes staggered print heads, wide colour gamut and high-density white ink, high-definition output, fast-drying print, speciality printing, broad media compatibility and automatic calibrations.

Andrea and Phil Trumble (Pozitive) with Nico Valiani and Francesco Morelli (Valiani)

The Valiani Omnia 100

Triumphal return of Labelexpo Southeast Asia after COVID hiatus

The second edition of Labelexpo Southeast Asia returned to Bangkok in February 2023 to host nearly 7,500 delegates from 84 countries

By Piotr Wnuk in Bangkok

Regional printers and converters flocked to Bangkok, Thailand, intrigued to see the latest developments in the label and packaging printing space and preview trends which will potentially drive the market this year. It was a long-awaited edition of the Labelexpo Southeast Asia tradeshow after events planned in 2020 and 2022 were postponed in the wake of COVID-19. Tarsus Group, the organiser of the Labelexpo Global Series, said it was impressed with the multi-national attendees flocking to Bangkok to see the latest developments.

“Labelexpo Southeast Asia launched in 2018 in May was the most successful launch event our company has ever had,” Tarsus Group event manager for Labelexpo Southeast Asia Richard Quirk said.

According to Tarsus, the first edition of Labelexpo Southeast Asia was the

region’s biggest label and package printing event, attracting 7,934 attendees from 62 countries.

“We were due to have the second edition in 2020, and we were forced to cancel and then postpone. So, this is the first time we’ve been back here for nearly five years,” Quirk said.

This year, the exhibition featured more than 170 exhibitors across the label and packaging supply chain and 7,448 delegates from 84 countries, including Thailand, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, India, Singapore and Vietnam.

“I am delighted to report that the show exceeded our expectations. The show floor was bustling. There was a lot of machinery on show, and we’re thrilled to receive positive feedback. The exhibitors were seeing a lot of international visitors, which

we’re pleased about because we’ve invested massively into marketing in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia, and it’s nice to see that our efforts are translated on the show floor,” Tarsus Group portfolio director Jade Grace said. Indeed, despite a much more compact show floor than those in Brussels and Chicago, the equipment at the show was impressive, with an interesting mix of technologies, both from global and regional manufacturers.

Digital presses dominate the show

According to the Knowledge Sourcing Intelligence report published in September 2022, the Asia Pacific (APAC) digital printing market is anticipated to grow significantly in the region and outpace other printing technology. This trend was visible on the show floor.

Labelexpo Southeast Asia returned to Bangkok after events planned in 2020 and 2022 were postponed

Durst Group has gathered tremendous interest from regional audiences hungry for innovations and the latest technology developments. The company was one of the few European manufacturers arriving at the Labelexpo show with an impressive equipment line up, showcasing its Tau RSC E 330 5c press working in unison with the Durst printer-software ecosystem and providing visitors access to experienced industry experts.

“People like to interact with each other; that’s why we exhibit at shows like this one. It was the first time I was at a Labelexpo Southeast Asia show, and I think it went very well. We have seen a significant amount of people attend,” Durst global sales director for labels and flexible packaging Thomas Macina said.

“I heard some statistics that only on the first day, we had more people coming through the doors than for the entire duration of the last edition in 2018. What surprised me was that we have seen printers not only from Thailand but also from surrounding regions like Australia, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia and Uzbekistan. Converters from all surrounding regions are flocking here, and most were stopping by our booth.

“I think we were the only digital inkjet manufacturer at the show with a 1,200dpi machine. I believe all visitors can see the difference in print quality between Durst and the other inkjet players. I have spoken to several visitors who have seen this machine for the first time and have questions. Some customers know us, already have an older version of our presses, and are considering an upgrade.”

The RSC E has been designed by Durst to evolve and grow with the business and is equipped with native 1,200 DPI resolution. It offers converters an economically attractive entry into successful Tau RSC technology. The press comes fully equipped with Durst Workflow and Durst Analytics software and optional Durst Smart Shop software, enabling web-toprint technology.

According to Macina, some of the most prevalent trends and most often requested functionalities by the

Labelexpo visitors were workflow and automation options.

This is precisely what Durst has set out to showcase during the show. The team on the stand included Thomas Bodner, a service engineer who had travelled from the company headquarters in Brixen, Italy, to showcase Durst’s holistic approach to print and automation by presenting the Durst Workflow and Durst Analytics software working with the Tau RSC E 330 press.

Durst Workflow is a tailor-made solution for the printing industry to prepare customer data for printing and finishing. Data preparation typically requires recurring tasks that can now be automated, freeing up valuable time for other tasks. This software combines automation and product-specific data preparation to decrease production costs.

On the other hand, Durst Analytics is a web-based software that leverages a printer’s data to provide easily accessible and interpretable dashboards available on a single screen. All software packages are individually expandable and can be used for label, corrugated, textile and large-format printing.

Epson presented industrial and on-demand colour label solutions: the SurePress L-4533AW water-based ink machine and SurePress L-6534VW UV ink press, showcasing flexibility in customised label printing for retailers, SMEs and factories.

in the market right now. This is especially evident with companies starting to enter the labels market. They are quite cautious as well,” Epson Asia Pacific growth and innovation lead Conrad Mendoza Jr. said.

“We met potential customers asking for cost-effective solutions but still delivering the quality which would allow them to compete in the market.”

Konica Minolta showcased the AccurioLabel 400 in the region for the first time after the official launch at Labelexpo Americas last year. According to the company, the press was initially designed to offer an affordable entry point into high-quality digital printing for small-tomid-sized label converters.

The L-6534VW, which gathered significant interest, is an inkjet label press with LED UV curing ink, enabling high-speed printing suitable for producing labels and packaging with outstanding scratch and weather resistance.

The space-saving, compact design integrates all of the functions required for production, such as Corona treatment, white ink, digital varnish, and an additional UV curing unit.

“The printers are looking for something unique that could bring them better TCO, given the fact there is a lot of cost pressure

The AccurioLabel 400 incorporates Konica Minolta’s technology, including the Intelligent Quality Optimiser (IQ-520) colour management functionality for realtime colour stability and registration control. The new press features a fifth well for white toner to expand creative label applications and many automated control features for highly productive output.

An interesting addition to the show floor was Chinese manufacturer Flora, promoting its J-330S, a compact 5-colour digital UV inkjet machine designed as a compact and fully integrated single-pass platform.

The machine uses the new circulation Epson S3200 600 DPI printhead and can run with speeds up to 60m/min to offer high productivity and flexibility. The 350mm print width can support a wide range of applications.

According to the company, the single-pass technology with non-contact printing and one-step forming can deliver consistent

Durst Group gathered significant interest with the Tau RSC E 330 5c press working in unison with Durst software

Konica Minolta showcased the AccurioLabel 400 press for the first time in the region

Epson presented SurePress L-4533AW and SurePress L-6534VW UV presses

Chinese manufacturer Flora promoted its J-330S compact 5-colour digital UV inkjet machine

printing quality. It offers one-step personalisation with shorter set-up time, minimal tool cost and optimal workflow connection while reducing waste.

Despite the apparent domination of digital technologies in Bangkok, Malaysian manufacturer Sen Label showcased highspeed full servo intermittent UV flexo and UV LED letterpress.

Press Systems Group (PSG), one of the leading Southeast Asia distributors of printing products covering the flexo, offset and gravure markets, presented three Rhyguan machines, including the Top330-2 semi/full-rotary die-cutting and inspection system configured with one flexo printing unit incorporating additional equipment, including GEW LED-UV curing systems, Sandon anilox roll, Swedcut doctor blade and Innova mounting tape.

The latest in finishing touches

New to the show was the Digital Embellishment Trail, successfully introduced at Labelexpo Americas last year. Participating companies included Kurz, Grafotronic, Domino and Epson, which offered samples and a team of experts to demonstrate the possibilities of variable embellishment.

Grafotronic, a Swedish/Polish company founded in 2004, promoted two machines at the show. The first one, CF, is a compact, modular digital label finisher configured with a flexo unit for spot varnish, semirotary die, automated loading, slitting station, and standard rewind units.

“This machine can run up to 100 m/min, but the newly developed die-cutting unit can operate with up to 150 m/min speeds. What’s unique about this unit is that despite its extreme speeds, we were able to minimise the waste to only 30cm when switching jobs,” Grafotronic sales and marketing vice-president Mattias Malmqvist said.

The company was also showcasing its HI3 inspection machine developed for 24/7 production environments, available in widths between 13 and 22in, running with speeds of up to 400m/min.

A focus on materials

Armor-Iimak promoted inkanto and other thermal transfer ribbons developed to offer resistance, legibility and print medium (uncoated, coated paper, synthetic, textile, flexible packaging). Its products come with a lifetime guarantee and Certificate of Conformity to provide traceability to end-users.

Cosmo Films showcased a wide range of products, including flexible packaging, label, lamination, packaging, synthetic paper and industrial films, and its newly launched products – PET-G shrink label films and Cosmo Plastech.

Zhuoli Imaging Technology featured thermal transfer ribbons with selfmanufactured PET film. Its main products include wax, wax/resin, resin, near-edge ribbons and colour ribbons. These products are manufactured in compliance with RoHS and REACH regulations and have ISEGA and UL certifications.

Australian businesses in Thailand

Despite a significant distance, the Bangkok show floor has seen a few familiar faces from the region.

Aldus Graphics’ Lindsey Boyd and Damien Prunty represented Mark Andy with its entire range of printing presses developed for label and packaging converters.

Grafotronic presented two finishing machines

Damien Prunty and Lindsey Boyd represented Sydney-based Aldus Graphics

The exhibition featured more than 170 exhibitors and was visited by 7,448 delegates from 84 countries

“For us, the show has been fantastic, there is a very strong vibe. We had a lot of good interest generated,” Prunty said.

“We have not seen many visitors from Australia or New Zealand, but mainly from Southeast Asia.

“Our regional market, coming out of COVID, was quite buoyant to us. Several customers have put capital investments on hold through that period, and as we came out of that, the business confidence was higher.

“We have been quite successful, particularly with Mark Andy, and we had several installations over the last eight months. We see a resurgence, especially among the label printers, in investing capital.”

Jet Technologies representative Jack Malki has also been supporting its supplier brands in Bangkok.

“In terms of technology, it was clear to all attendees that inkjet was the star of the show, with virtually all major players present and often with impressive presses printing away,” Malki said.

“For Jet Technologies, specifically, there was very strong demand for the Screen range of inkjet presses, with new L350UV SAI presses on-route to clients in New Zealand, Australia and Indonesia at present.

“Hybrid inkjet solutions, where the press is embedded in a single line that includes other processes such as flexo, screen, foiling, die cutting and so forth to produce a finished product in a single pass, continue to be a key area of interest.

“Jet Technologies partners, Esko and Asahi continue to make strong strides in imaging and water-wash plate technology, bringing flexo to levels not seen before. So frankly, it is not just digital print that is making progress, but we continue to see flexo respond with their own advancements.”

Warming up for Brussels

In the conversations with ProPack.pro, many brands present at the show in Bangkok confirmed they are preparing major product launches for the upcoming Labelexpo Europe in Brussels in September. HP has booked the largest stand available on the show floor in prime position, so we can only expect that the

V12 will be showcased in Belgium after its launch at Labelexpo Americas 2022 in Chicago.

Lombardi, an Italian family-owned flexo and hybrid press manufacturer, took the second-largest stand and promised a significant technology launch.

“We are already preparing for the show in Brussels. We have reserved the biggest booth in Lombardi Converting Machinery history in Hall 5 in the heart of the exhibition,” Lombardi Converting Machinery marketing director Nicola Lombardi said.

“All I can say at this stage is that something big is coming. We have been working very hard perfecting new technology so it will be ready to be launched in Belgium.”

Lombardi has also hinted that Australia and New Zealand are desirable markets, and the company has firmly put them on its expansion plans. The Italian company is currently gearing up for the first installation in Australia.

Other sizeable stands are already reserved for Mark Andy, Omet, Screen, Bobst, Durst, Konica Minolta, ABG, Grafotronic and Domino, all promising to show some exciting innovations.

With just a few months to go, Labelexpo Europe will be one not to miss.

Jack Malki of Jet Technologies with a team of Jet Technologies Indonesia

The exhibition featured more than 170 exhibitors and was visited by 7,448 delegates from 84 countries

FPLMA conference spotlights packaging and labelling trends

International industry leaders discussed the latest packaging and innovations trends in Melbourne under the ‘Creation to Consumer’ theme

By Piotr Wnuk in Melbourne

The Flexible Packaging and Label Manufacturers Association (FPLMA) 2023 ‘Creation to Consumer’ Technical Forum recently gathered industry leaders from around the globe in Melbourne. As per tradition, a gala dinner concluded the event with the prestigious awards ceremony.

Delegates at the 2023 Technical Forum were treated to the most extensive line-up of international speakers the event has ever hosted. It included industry professionals from Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Belgium, Italy and the US.

The forum, under the theme of ‘Creation to Consumer’, saw speakers covering a wide range of topics – from the power of the virtual world, enabling new opportunities to communicate between brands and consumers, to the latest trends in packaging and innovations on the market.

The conference was organised under the patronage of The Collie Print Trust and sponsored by DIC Corporation, Visual Connections, APCO, Amcor, Ball & Doggett,

BrandPack, Catalyst, Currie Group, DuPont, Efficient Anilox Care, Esko, Hamillroad, Independent Design & Graphics, Kirk, LeadEdge, MacDermid, Martin Automatic, SYD STAAS Perpetuity Fund, tesa, Windmöller & Hölscher, Orafol, Result Group, Uteco and Nekkorb.

Uncovering new opportunities

The event, held in the Crown Promenade conference centre in Melbourne in the first week of March, was opened by Vince Sedunary, president of the FPLMA, who welcomed all attendees and thanked the event sponsors for their support.

A keynote was delivered by Taylor Nugent, an economist, and corporate and institutional banking specialist from the National Australia Bank, who drew the path back from inflation and gave an economic update on the Australian financial market.

“The Q4 was expected to mark a peak of interest rates, but it is still a long way to go to stabilise at lower levels. Freight costs

more than doubled, with domestic transport and warehousing costs still elevated. We are hopeful that these costs will be coming down, but we are yet to see the data to confirm it,” Nugent said.

Cath Cornaggia, commercial director for labels and packaging materials at Avery Dennison A/NZ, delivered a captivating presentation venturing into the world of digital packaging, opening the enormity of new possibilities for brands to connect with consumers, unique shopping experience, enabling a holistic environmental approach and more efficient value chains.

“Traditional packaging and labels will remain the foundation of this vision, but our industry is growing. We must cooperate with digital services providers as the metaverse parallels the physical world. The future is wow, and the future is now,” Cornaggia said.

Amcor Flexibles Asia Pacific operational excellence manager David Correzzola gave an in-depth presentation on achieving successful transformation and implementing sustainable change, a well-defined and documented set of practices and business processes to run, maintain and improve operations enterprise-wise – executed through daily management systems. He accentuated the importance of developing business talent and empowering teams.

Technical advancements in the packaging sector were the focus of Ian Hayes’ presentation. The packaging specialist at the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) outlined the challenges and expectations of packaging in a demanding environment.

Apart from its primary purpose of simply protecting a product from external conditions, he said packaging needs to respond to consumer pressures, mainly from a sustainable angle. Hayes gave several examples of brands trialling refillable packaging concepts and switching to fibre-based packaging but also highlighted that it’s not feasible to remove plastic from packaging entirely.

“We will not be able to discard plastic from packaging markets. However, it is

Over two days, sixteen speakers discussed the latest trends and innovations in the flexible packaging and labelling market

important to follow simple rules: remove it where we can, reduce it if we can, reuse if possible and recycle the rest,” Hayes said.

APCO CEO Chris Foley followed this

and solution expert Ben Testa of MCC Label and Michael Davis, retail account director of GS1. Dossor has guided the audience through an interesting case study of the Hungry Jack’s integrated Uno campaign.

of the FTA, gave an update on the latest developments in the European packaging market, followed by an insight into the main drivers of the Japanese packaging market presented by Koki Noritake, of Noritake Japan.

Ball & Doggett took on the sixth session of this year’s technical forum. Leigh Hooper, general manager and Zaidee Jackson, national business development manager, presented their guidance on streamlining and delighting customers simultaneously. Hooper spoke about supply chain, global trends, and innovation, while Jackson drew the pathway to a more sustainable future. The last session of the event focused on trends and sustainability. Doug Canon of DIC Australia explained the importance of sustainable inks. An Italian guest at the event, Chiara Prati of Prati Italy, gave the audience a preview of the latest trends in digital embellishment. This session was closed by Peter Woods, zone business director at Bobst Southeast Asia, who shared the newest press developments, which will determine the future of packaging.

presentation by giving delegates an update on sustainability and what to expect in 2023. According to Foley, this year will focus on sustainability and packaging.

“Recycling rates for plastic in packaging were lagging well behind the 70 per cent target set for 2025. Plastic usage is increasing. Resetting community confidence in recycling in light of the REDcycle collapse will be a major challenge for the industry,” Foley said.

Gavin Rittmeyer, US-based vice president of sales and marketing at Martin Automatic, spoke about the perfect marriage of business practice and social responsibilities with a particular focus on waste reduction and production automation leading to profitable sustainability.

Managing director of MPS Systems Asia Pacific Tim Klappe explained after a 1,000 sqm job length, a narrow web press with UV treatment becomes more economical than a digital press.

He also emphasised the myriad of finishing options. Klappe also touched on intelligent manufacturing and MPS-made AI-based connectivity software, which benchmarks machine performance with over 100 other machines on the market, offering easily actionable operational and performance improvements.

The third session of the day, entitled “Reshaping the world – blurring the lines of digital and physical”, featured Michael Dossor, group general manager and Paul Rushton of Result Group, labels innovation

The last session of the day, led by HP Industrial A/NZ country manager Craig Walmsley, took the audience for a virtual tour of the ePac operation in Melbourne, followed by a fascinating presentation of the remote assistance program trialled by HP.

During the session, a service engineer, who joined the audience in the room,

Celebrating excellence

The annual FPLMA print awards represent a centre of excellence for the packaging industry in Australia. It highlights what can be achieved by dedicated and passionate people who take pride in their work, striving to achieve the highest print quality using various technologies.

established a connection with a converter in Singapore and, using Microsoft Hololens 2 glasses, helped to troubleshoot an issue with the printing press.

On the second day of the event, the attendees were welcomed with a muchneeded session by a mental health speaker from The Wellbeing Effect, Kim Huckerby, who spoke about the effect of burning out at work and how to manage the stress associated with daily operations and effectiveness pressures.

The international guests took to the stage to discuss how Australia is placed to row with onshore automated solutions. Sante Conselvan, president of the European arm

Each year, the Gala Dinner is the final event of FPLMA’s Technical Conference and has become one of the most critical events in the printing industry professionals’ calendars.

This edition, organised in the luxurious Crown Melbourne complex, attracted over 300 guests from 85 businesses.

Once again, FPLMA announced the winner of the 2023 Apprentice of the Year Award.

The competition is targeted at final-year college apprentices nominated by their tutors. Candidates must demonstrate they are competent to the standard they have been trained to, with high academic levels and a keen interest in printing processes.

During a virtual support session, an HP engineer connected to a printer in Singapore to troubleshoot an issue live

The annual gala dinner was the time to celebrate the industry talent and the best labels and packaging produced in the region

Paul Plunkett from Dandenong Southbased packaging specialist Pakaflex won this recognition out of seven nominees. The award was presented by Matilda Milligan, named The Apprentice of the Year in 2021, who works as a prepress supervisor at Fildes Group. Damien Williams, production manager from Pemara, received the Merit award, while Amcor’s Matt Ormond was awarded Hall of Fame.

Two stars of the awards evening were MCC and Amcor, taking home the majority of labels and packaging awards in flexo and digital print categories. Out of MCC’s 13 recognitions were an Innovation Award for Urban Rum Distillers Brix Rum Label, Best in Show Label for Bundaberg Campfire Rum and Best in Show Heathcote Estate Primal Shiraz label in the digital print category.

The Amcor team was called to the stage six times and, along with winning many gold and silver awards, also received Best in Show for flexo-printed Cadbury Dairy Milk Marvellous Creations packaging.

Andrew Kohn, James Print, RollsPack, Ultra Labes QLD, Visy Post Print, and Wedderburn NSW also collected labels and packaging awards.

Full list of 2023 FPLMA Award winners

AMCOR:

• Best in Show – Flexo – Repro: KirkCadbury Dairy Milk Marvellous Creations

• Gold – Flexo – narrow web – surface print film – Repro: Kirk – Libra Girl

• Silver – Flexo – narrow web – reverse print film – Repro: Kirk – Mission Low

Gi Wraps

• Gold – Flexo – wide web – surface print film – Repro: Kirk – Smarties

Family Size

• Silver – Flexo – wide web – surface print film – Repro: Kirk – Twisties Cheese

• Gold – Flexo – wide web – reverse print film – Repro: Kirk – Cadbury Dairy Milk Marvellous Creations

ANDREW KOHN:

• Gold – Flexo – wide web – surface print film – Repro: Brandpack –

Farmwood Chicken Breast T-Rex Bites

• Silver – Flexo – wide web – reverse print film – Repro: Brandpack

– Stonebake Pizza Bases

JAMES PRINT:

• Gold – Offset – Labels (Wine and Spirits) – Repro: James Print

– Mon Cinq Pinot Grigio

• Silver – Offset - Labels (Wine & Spirits) - Repro: James Print –

Adelaide Hills Pinot Grigio

MCC:

• Innovation Award for Label

– Urban Rum Distillers Brix Rum

• Best in Show – Label – Repro: MCC - Bundaberg Campfire Rum

• Best in Show – Digital – Repro:

MCC - Heathcote Estate Primal Shiraz

• Gold – Flexo – Labels (Line and Tone)

– Repro: MCC – Rock Paper Scissors

• Gold – Flexo – Labels (Line and Process) – Repro: MCC – iON

Advanced Stain Removal

• Gold – Offset – Labels (Linework)

– Repro: MCC – Long Rays Tonic Pacific

• Silver – Offset – Labels (Linework)

– Repro: MCC – Long Rays Tonic Citrus

• Silver – Offset – Labels (Color

Process) – Repro – MCC – Wild Nectar

Organic Honey

• Gold – Combination – Label – Repro:

MCC – Bundaberg Campfire Rum

• Silver – Combination – Label – Repro:

MCC – Brookvale Union Ginger Beer

• Silver – Combination - Folding

Cartons – Repro: MCC – Allkinds

Confetti Cake Batter Body Scrub

• Gold – Label – Digital (Wine and Spirits) - Repro: MCC – Heathcote

Estate Primal Shiraz

• Silver – Label – Digital (Wine and Spirits) - Repro: MCC – ALTD Spirits Green Grocer

ROLLSPACK:

• Gold – Flexo – narrow web

– reverse print film – Repro: Kirk

– Rocky Road Chef’s Gourmet

Premium Popcorn

• Gold – Gravure – flexible packaging

– Repro: Rollspack – Kettle Lemon

Myrtle & Roast Chicken Potato Chips

• Innovation Award – Flexo

ULTRA LABELS QLD:

• Gold – Label – Digital (All labels except wine and spirits)

– Repro: Ultra Labels - ARMD Drip

Fat Burner

• Gold – Label – Digital (Flexible packaging) – Repro: Ultra Labels

– Queensland Rainforest Substrate

• Silver – Labels – Digital (Flexible packaging) – Repro: Ultra Labels

– Wilder Berries Powder

VISY POST PRINT:

• Gold - Flexo – corrugated – Repro: Kirk

– Bombay Sapphire Gin & Tonic box

• Silver – Flexo – corrugated – Repro: Kirk – Bombay Presse Citrus Collins box

WEDDERBURN NSW:

• Silver – Flexo – Labels (Line and Process) – Repro: IDG NSW

– Lovebites

MCC was the star of the evening, scooping 13 awards

Circular economies and sustainable packaging high on the AIP agenda

Under the theme of ‘2025 and beyond’, the AIP 2023 Australasian Packaging Conference focused on the key trends impacting the local packaging industry

By Conal O’Neill in Melbourne

The 2023 Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) Australasian Packaging Conference was recently held at the Crown Promenade in Melbourne under the theme of ‘2025 and beyond’.

The conference had a strong focus on sustainability, circular economic principles, and the environmental impact of packaging technology, particularly in relation to the food and beverage and pharmaceutical industries.

Digitalisation and extended producer responsibility

The first keynote session featured presentations from AIP executive director and World Packaging Organisation vice-

president of sustainability and save food Nerida Kelton, World Packaging Organisation president Professor Pierre Pienaar and Procter & Gamble technical director Gian De Belder.

Kelton highlighted the importance of viewing sustainability in the packaging industry through the lens of food waste, saying that the two issues were inextricably linked.

Addressing the challenges of sustainability “with a scientific balanced argument about packaging waste, sustainable packaging and food waste” is key to understanding and addressing environmental issues in the packaging and the food and beverage sectors, Kelton noted.

Professor Pienaar opened the conference with an address focussed on the potential of extended producer responsibility (EPR), saying that it is “the way of the future” and that “a producer (taking) responsibility for that which they are producing” is “the solution to our issues”.

While commenting on food waste issues, Pienaar also noted that $14 billion worth of pharmaceuticals are destroyed globally each year because of packaging and supply chain issues.

De Belder gave a pre-recorded address discussing his work in research and development of intelligent packaging systems for the Holy Grail 2.0 initiative. Using digital watermarks to enable

Planet Ark’s Rebecca Gilling, Australian Beverages Council’s Geoff Parker, National Retail Association’s Greg Griffith and APCO’s Chris Foley

efficient sorting of recycling material, Holy Grail 2.0 aims to eliminate plastic waste.

“A transformational change of the waste industry (through digitalisation) is truly required,” De Belder said, adding that the “relatively high cost” of introducing digital watermarks could be offset by introducing them at the same time as other artwork change initiatives.

Circular economies as the way of the future

Session two saw keynote addresses from some of the big players in the industry. Mars Food Australia general manager Bill Heague, Woolworths Food Company head of packaging Bryan McKay and Nestlé Australia head of packaging Karunia Adhiputra all spoke about the need for circular economies for environmental and financial reasons as well as consumer demand for more sustainable practices in the packaging industry.

Heague spoke of the need for “circular solutions” and also tied the issue of packaging waste to food waste, noting that 7.6 million tonnes of food are wasted each year in Australia, and that reducing food waste “actually improved the economic returns that we’re getting”.

Describing the move towards sustainable and circular economic practices as “inevitable”, Heague also emphasised that producers such as Mars Food “will not compromise on quality”.

Speaking of the drivers behind the push to sustainability in the packaging industry, McKay noted that while governments, consumers and “the planet” were all

demanding recyclable packaging, it would all mean nothing unless that packaging was reused into packaging again, and the framework to enable this is vital. Adhiputra also spoke of the importance of using recycled content back into packaging and of Nestlé’s “paperisation” of its chocolate packaging. Nestlé is looking at “long-term solutions for a circular economy” from a “waste hierarchy perspective”, Adhiputra said.

This approach put the focus on reduction of packaging, with Adhiputra explaining that the company used on-label messaging to explain to consumers that while the packaging size of a particular product may decrease, the contents remained the same.

Plastic as a sustainable material

A panel discussion comprised of Planet Ark CEO Rebecca Gilling, Australian Beverages Council CEO Geoff Parker, National Retail Association CEO Greg Griffith and Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) CEO Chris Foley delved further into the topic of circularity.

Gilling spoke out against the “increasing demonisation of plastics”, noting that plastic packaging is often a safer option for food products, and the recyclability and reuse of plastic materials was key to creating complex circular systems that used, and reused the most appropriate materials for products.

Griffith and Foley both spoke of the role of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and the concerns of the sector in the cost implications of implementing circular economic changes.

They said while bigger retailers had the structure to plan changes and absorb costs for a longer-term payoff, SMEs were not in a position to do this, but they played an important role in implementing change and educating consumers.

Speaking to the cost benefits of reuse, Foley also claimed that the “payback was there, both environmental and financial” for retailers who made the effort to implement reuse systems in their businesses, citing Kmart’s reuse of between 300 and 400 million coat hangers per year.

The panel also spoke in depth about the “patchwork quilt” of container deposit schemes in Australia, with Parker noting that addressing the disharmony in the different schemes in different states was one of the roles of the Australian Beverage Council. Parker also said that Europe was looking to Australia for guidance on this particular issue.

Foley told the audience that “change is coming and now is the time to start taking responsibility”.

A focus on food waste

Keynote session four of the 2023 AIP Conference was opened with a video address from Dr Liz Goodwin, director of food loss and waste for the World Resources Institute (WRI).

Goodwin spoke in depth about global food waste issues, stating that “a third of all food produced globally by weight is lost always between farm and fork”, amounting to approximately a trillion dollars of loss through the food supply chain.

Pact Group’s Andrew Smith, AIP’s Ralph Moyle, Asahi’s Kirsten Sturzaker, Coca Cola Europacific Partners’ Sarah Cook and Cleanaway’s Andrej Rakow

Goodwin noted that the solutions, such as improved packaging, are known, but that a “whole of systems” approach was needed to effectively address the massive scale of global food loss, as well as the eight per cent of total global greenhouse gas emissions caused by food loss.

Brianna Casey, CEO of Foodbank Australia spoke to Australian food security issues, noting that the Australian food system produces enough food to “feed the population three times over” and that there is often “no economic imperative” for producers to donate food and that it can be “easier and probably cheaper to dump it than to donate it”.

Because of transport and other costs along the supply chain, food that is unsaleable due to issues such as damaged packaging ends up in landfill rather than feeding people.

Once again, commenting on the inextricable links between food waste and packaging design, Coles Group general manager of sustainability Brooke Donnelly offered some insights from the perspective of the big retailers.

Donnelly said we “cannot feed the [eight billion people] on the planet effectively without plastic packaging” and also spoke to the company’s impact potential due to its “massive supply chain” and influence across “suppliers… government, community [groups] and NGOs”.

According to Donnelly, the Coles Group aimed to be champions of “sustainable plastic packaging” and its focus was on

not only the redesign of the packaging of its Coles brand product range by “removing non-recyclable components” but also “redesigning the way customers engage with a product”.

Donnelly explained that offering incentives such as even “perceived small financial benefits” could alter consumer behaviour.

Women in packaging

A panel discussion on day two of the conference put the spotlight on women in the packaging industry. Three packaging professionals were given the opportunity to share their stories as immigrant women working in packaging design.

Production Packaging Innovation

structural packaging designer Azadeh Yousefi, Sustainability for Kids founder Anhely Millán and Mondelēz International packaging technologist Maria Becerril Roman all spoke of the barriers they have faced as women in packaging and as immigrants in Australia.

While optimistic about the prospects of developing a more sustainable culture around packaging and consumer attitudes towards recycling, Millán stated that “if we don’t act now, the future will look terrible”. The key to finding and implementing solutions was collaboration between not only industry, government and academia, but primary and secondary schools as well, Millán said.

Yousefi was also optimistic but said that collaboration, education and incentives were “not enough” and that consumers

needed to develop a better understanding of why sustainability was important. Great progress had been made, Roman said, through initiatives such as the Australasian Recycling Label Program (ARL) and even the controversial REDCycle soft plastics program in terms of educating consumers, but more needs to be done.

Circular economy and design

Circular economy and design was the topic for a panel discussion moderated by Planet Ark head of circular economy development Nicole Garofano. The panel featured input from Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence director John Gertsakis, Planet Ark chief sustainability advisor Paul Klymenko and Nextek Asia Pacific project manager Kelvin Davies.

Garofano encouraged the audience to place a “higher value on materials” and to think of circular economies as “far more than recycling”. The “ladder of circularity”, Garofano said placed a relatively low importance on recycling, and the highest value on refusal of unnecessary packaging or non-essential products.

The panel also discussed the importance of product stewardship as a tool for implementing circular economies, with Klymenko commenting that it was in producers’ best interests to “take the leadership” in the area and avoid inevitable “mandatory systems” that may be less favourable to business interests.

Garofano added that making progress was dependent on “brand owners coming together”, saying “together we can do this

Planet Ark’s Nicole Garofano, Planet Ark’s Paul Klymenko, Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence’s John Gertsakis and Nextek Asia Pacific’s Kelvin Davies

better… and it doesn’t have to start with a formal stewardship scheme implemented by government”.

Gertsakis agreed, adding that “enthusiastic collaboration rather than reluctant participation” and having “senior people involved from the outset” was important to expediting decision making processes around implementing stewardship schemes and delivering “genuine brand responsibility”.

Speaking to the reluctance of some brand owners to embrace circular economic principles, Garofano also said “people think that the circular economy… is another thing we’ve got to add on to (sustainability targets), but it’s actually a really important tool to achieve (these goals)”.

Garofano and Klymenko also encouraged brand owners to utilise the Australian Circular Economy Hub, a Planet Ark initiative, as a “national reference platform for circular economy, knowledge and collaboration in Australia”.

As with many of the speakers at the conference the panel also drew attention to the overarching issue of food waste, with Klymenko commenting that “packaging and plastics is quite a small part of the waste supply chain. One of the biggest contributions anyone… can make is [to discuss and address] food waste... food has so much embodied carbon and energy in it and then for want of planning or forethought, it gets wasted”.

Davies gave some perspective on the technical challenges of developing packaging from recycled polypropylene as well as consumer perceptions. “When you put them past consumers, they can’t pick the difference,” he said.

Circular Plastics Australia and collaboration

The final panel discussion for the conference featured a conversation between the partners in the Circular Plastics Australia initiative. Pact Group sustainability executive general manager Andrew Smith presented on the program and moderated the discussion with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners chief procurement and sustainability officer Sarah Cook, Cleanaway head of M&A Andrej Rakow and Asahi sustainability group head Kirsten Sturzaker.

The conversation focussed on the impact potential of Circular Plastic Australia’s new recycling plant as well as the power of collaborative relationships between competitive brands.

“We are talking about building a new industry,” Smith said, referring to the group’s joint venture and facility in

Albury that will recycle up to 20,000 tons of PET bottles. “You can’t do this on your own. It doesn’t matter what business you’re in. Whether you’re at the big end of town or the small.”

Cook noted that “we absolutely compete in store” but that the opportunity to collaborate provided value for the industry at large and that while the existing infrastructure was “inefficient” as the industry was ambitious about what could be achieved in terms of sustainability goals and business outcomes.

Sturzaker added that while the recycled PET products would come at a cost premium it made long-term commercial sense to invest in “building a local circular economy”.

Providing some perspective from the resource management sector, Rakow commented on the need for “harmonisation” of the materials recovery facilities (MRFs) across the hundreds of LGAs in Australia, and that the efficiency of kerbside collection systems still needed to be addressed.

Brianna Casey, CEO of Foodbank Australia

Sustainability for Kids’ Anhely Millán, Mondelēz International’s Maria Becerril Roman and Production Packaging Innovation’s Azadeh Yousefi

Woolworths Food Company head of packaging Bryan McKay

Mars Food Australia general manager Bill Heague

Nestlé Australia head of packaging Karunia Adhiputra

Research finds Australians want all packaging to be recyclable

Veolia’s latest research reveals that 80 per cent of Australians say the composition of a product’s packaging impacts their purchasing behaviours.

Consumers say they favour items that are recyclable and that they are prepared to pay more for those products, if it means they do not end up in landfill.

The national YouGov survey, commissioned by Veolia, gave insights to consumer purchasing behaviours and their expectations of manufacturers when it comes to end-of-life solutions for packaging products.

The statistics show:

- 80 per cent of Australians say the composition of packaging impacts their purchasing behaviours.

- More than half of the population (62 per cent) say they would be willing to pay more

for everyday consumables if it meant the packaging did not end up in landfill.

- 89 per cent of people think manufacturers should be required to use product packaging that is recyclable.

Veolia CEO Richard Kirkman believes the results endorse the call for a ‘pay as you buy’ strategy where those buying recyclable packaging pay less, putting the power back in consumer hands.

“More than half of the population (64 per cent) say knowing what and how to recycle is confusing, so it’s not surprising they want all packaging to be recyclable – especially at a time when we have to dispose of more packaging than normal,” he said.

Similar to the approach taken for Australia’s container deposit scheme, Kirkman says, the cost of ensuring items can be recycled and recovered is that we work together to change the status quo.

“We all need to act. Manufacturers need to make products that are recyclable, retailers need to label them consistently, local authorities need to harmonise collections, and the waste sector needs to invest in recycling infrastructure. The upside of the pay as you buy approach is that it’s cost neutral – potentially cheaper than what we do now,” he said.

Victoria introduces the next phase of single-use plastic ban

The next phase of Victoria’s ban on single-use plastics has been introduced, with single-use plastic drinking straws, cutlery, plates, drink stirrers, cotton bud sticks and expanded polystyrene food and drink containers now banned from sale and supply in Victoria.

Minister for Environment Ingrid Stitt said this single-use plastics ban is a crucial step to protect Victoria’s rivers, waterways, and oceans from plastic pollution.

“We are taking action to protect Victoria’s environment and reduce pollution by banning single-use plastic items and supporting businesses to switch to reusables instead.”

The ban builds on the state government’s ban on plastic shopping bags in 2019, and a $515 million investment to transform the state’s waste and recycling system and divert 80 per cent of waste from landfill by 2030.

Last year, the government invested $1 million towards new technology that will turn hard-to-recycle materials like cartons and coffee cups into sustainable building products.

As part of this transformation, Victoria will move to a standardised four-stream bin system – supporting households to easily sort their waste and recycling to reduce landfill – and have access to a container deposit scheme which will maximise the return of used drink cans, bottles and cartons for recycling.

Since the ban was announced in February 2021, the state government has delivered $595,000 in grants to 15 pilot sites including catering businesses, universities and aged care facilities to help replace their singleuse items with reusable alternatives.

The Reuse Pilots Fund aims to prevent more than 5 million single-use plastic

items ending up in landfills or as litter each year.

The government has worked with organisations like the National Retail Association to help thousands of retail and hospitality businesses prepare for the change, with more than 6,500 visits to metro and regional businesses across the state.

Recyclability high on Australians’ agenda

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Inside the box

It’s time to rethink boxed packaging for wine – the underdog in the wine industry

“Cask wine was a victim of its own success. It was never invented for cheap wines, but because it ended up being lower cost than a bottle per unit to package, it automatically attracted a lot of cheap wines,” Barrett said.

Imrie and Barrett teamed up with Kelly O’Loghlen, Jesse Gerner and Andrew Fisk to change the narrative of boxed wine with the launch of Hey Tomorrow in 2020. The brand partnered with established wineries including Lethbridge, Syrahmi and Ben Haines to produce a range of boxed red, white and Rosé wines and prove they were just as good as their glass bottle counterparts.

Despite the public image of boxed wine, Hey Tomorrow believes it’s the way forward when it comes to packaging.

“There’s a lot of different aspects from the sustainability side of things. For example, a lot of glass in Australia doesn’t get recycled at all — you only get about 60 to 70 per cent conversion depending on the machinery. I think people have this image [that glass recycles well], especially in Australia, because it was the first thing people started to recycle,” Barrett said.

The production process is relatively no frills, with the team travelling to wineries in a van equipped with a filling machine. The bags, or wine bladders, are filled to the point of having almost no oxygen before they are sealed and sent back to the warehouse for distribution.

Glass bottles have been the vessel of choice for wine for decades. Either closed with cork or screwcap, bottles have been the go-to packaging for winemakers to showcase their most prized drops. The humble boxed wine sits on the other side of the scale. Affectionately known to most as goon, boxed wine has long held a reputation of being mass-produced and of low-quality.

But the format is having a revival thanks to its eco-centric nature. Boxed wine brand Hey Tomorrow, along with wineries Gonzo Vino and Koerner Wine, spoke about

changing perceptions and why boxed products are a sustainable choice for venues and consumers alike.

During a WSET course on wine packaging, Sacha Imrie turned to her partner Shane Barrett and said, “I just can’t believe more people aren’t doing this”.

The ‘this’ she was referring to was using ‘bag and box’ to package wines. Bag and box, boxed or cask wine was invented in South Australia and is largely thought of as a low-quality, bulk product rather than a fine, collector wine.

Hey Tomorrow’s packaging is made from 75 per cent cardboard and 25 per cent plastic, with the cardboard able to be fully recycled through household bins. The wine bladder and tap can be sent back to Hey Tomorrow for free where it is disposed of responsibly by pyrolytic waste company Renergi. The business has also partnered with Scholle IPN to log the carbon footprint of the products, noting a seven to eight times reduction in CO2 emissions throughout the lifecycle compared to glass.

“We can easily fit 1,000L of wine in a bag and box onto one pallet, but if we were to fill 1,000L into bottles, you would never fit it onto one pallet because the bottles take up more room. A lot of carbon savings come from the logistics of moving the products around,” Barrett said.

Marcus Radny started his alternative packaged wine brand Gonzo Vino Wines in 2018 after questioning the purpose of glass

Despite the public image of boxed wine, Hey Tomorrow believes it’s the way forward when it comes to packaging

bottles for ready-to-drink wines, saying “It’s just an incredible waste of carbon, energy, shipping and space. There are very few wines on the planet that actually benefit from being in a bottle. What’s the point if it’s just going to get drunk within three or four months of its life?”

Radny sells boxed wines to an array of venues — even those that don’t sell large volumes of wine.

“Places where wine might not be the main drawcard don’t want to compromise with cheap options that they might have to tip down the sink at the end of the week. So, they buy my wine in casks and get a highquality product without worrying about it being wasted because they’ve got an eightor nine-week window to sell it,” he said.

The bag and box design doesn’t allow oxygen into the wine bladder when pouring, which means the wine lasts longer as it does not oxidise. Boxed wines can last several weeks once they have been opened, preventing unnecessary waste. Hey Tomorrow’s wines last for 30 days once a box has been opened, which is longer than wines in bottle.

“We’ve been doing larger 5L bags for venues and it’s really good for smaller restaurants because you don’t need the infrastructure for kegs,” Barrett said.

Koerner Wine in South Australia’s Clare Valley has also turned to bag and box, launching the Brothers in a Box collection in 2022. Co-owner and winemaker Jono Koerner said the idea came about after discussions about lowering the winery’s carbon footprint were had along with the realisation that younger styles of wine don’t need to be stored in bottle and aged.

“These are wines that are ready to go and drink straight away — it’s not about

cellaring. We thought the option to put them in box would be great as there’s no difference whatsoever,” he said.

Brothers in a Box has experienced success in venues since launching last year.

“We’ve had some great restaurants pouring out of a box, but some are a little hesitant,” Koerner said, adding that the impact of the way the wine appears on the menu is important.

“Some venues put sustainably packaged Riesling instead of putting boxed wine. It’s the little things that can get people to give it a go,” he said.

While winemakers agree that there are sustainability and logistical benefits, there is still a hurdle to overcome — the public’s perception of boxed wine.

“It’s an uphill battle when it comes to people’s perception of value and quality inside the boxes. 3L boxes are the equivalent of four bottles, so you’re essentially buying four bottles for $60 that last for eight weeks once you open them,” Radny said.

Koerner said acceptance will come about with education and time, adding “It’s going to be a great thing — it’s just getting over the idea of boxed wine as being bad. As soon as we get over that, you’re going to see a lot more of it”.

Bag and box have come a long way since inception, and winemakers are more than ready to usher in a new chapter for the category. The modern consumer is open to education, and is aware of the importance of making sustainable decisions when it comes to their purchases. The ascension of boxed wine from a producer and venue perspective is more than proof there’s a bright future ahead for the category.

Koerner Wine in South Australia’s Clare Valley has also turned to bag and box, launching the Brothers in a Box collection in 2022

Boxed products are a sustainable choice for venues and consumers alike

Boxed wines can last several weeks once they have been opened, preventing unnecessary waste.

Wrap it up!

The latest packaging design trends are shaping up to be a playful, bright and fun bunch, according to 99designs by Vista

Mascot variations

Traditionally, mascots remained more or less the same; they wore the same clothes and had a consistent disposition. All that’s changing, as brands are adding variation to their mascot’s appearance between product types and flavours, with new clothes, movements or attitudes.

Cartoon charm

There’s always been a special charm to cartoons. Something about the cute aesthetics and the wacky situations they can be drawn in gives cartoons a fun, fantasy feeling, reminiscent of childhood. Putting those cartoons on your packaging not only brings that charm front and centre, but it can also strengthen a brand’s personality.

Wrap-around patterns

Wrap-around patterns use eye-pleasing and seamless wide lines to generate curiosity and encourage people to pick up the product. These visual elements go beyond design that’s only for the front of the packaging, favouring a desire for freedom and going against the norm.

Ecstatic colours

Flashier, brighter colours get attention. It’s as simple as that. That’s why in 2023, ecstatic colours are trending in packaging design. Ecstatic colours set aside formality, and are a smart move for getting your packaging noticed.

Mascot variations that tie products together designed by Mila Katagarova for Tiny Bear Distillery’s spirits

Cartoon charm from  Hotel Tango Distillery

Wrap-around patterns designed by Scriba_1995

Ecstatic colours designed by BenTō

The ’70s vintage style never goes completely out of fashion—it just hibernates for a few years. And in the pandemic aftermath, the warm colour schemes and comforting, wavy imagery of the ’70s are making an understandable comeback in packaging design trends.

Tactile texture

As brands look for ways to make their packaging stand out, they’re discovering the advantages of tactile textures. We’re seeing a rise in techniques that add texture to packaging like embossing and debossing (where the packaging is raised or depressed), diecuts (creating artistic holes in the packaging) and foil printing (using reflective metal on packaging).

Tactile

These eclectic styles are an expression of many conflicting responses to a significant period in modern history. While some brands are communicating a desire to move forward and create dramatic change by any means necessary, others seek comfort and refuge in styles from the past. What ties them together, however, is an undercurrent of escapism, and a subtle optimism about our resilience and collective capacity for positive change – and small businesses are perfectly positioned to tap into this within communities around the world.

Illustrated ingredients in punchy palettes

Reflecting the greater cultural appreciation of transparency, especially when it comes to what we put in our bodies, one of our favourite packaging design trends of 2023 is decorating packaging with ingredients that are illustrated in a bright and fun style. Not only does it get the attention of people who want to know the ingredients in the product, but it can also differentiate which flavour or variation a particular product is.

All labels designed by 99designs by Vista’s community of professional freelance designers. For more design trends to inspire your business, head to 99designs.com.

Patrick Llewellyn, 99designs

by

Vista CEO

texture for Shadow Creek designed by  art_veritas

‘70s vintage designed by Giocovision

’70s vintage

Illustrated ingredients in punchy palettes for Mr. Sez designed by Nadya Nadya

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