Direct printing on secondary packaging using high-speed inkjet systems can provide a more sustainable and eco-friendy alternative to traditional adhesive shipping labels for fresh produce shippers and e-commerce retailers that rely on corrugated boxes or bags, says MCS Inc.
MCS, which designs, manufactures, sells and supports high-speed industrial inkjet imaging systems, said in a news release that the technology is already used in the mail manufacturing industry to produce personalized mass mailings in extremely high volumes and that it eliminates the primary barrier to direct printing — namely the ability to print in full color, with variable information at the high speeds required.
Printed adhesive labels are primarily used for variable data such as address, tracking codes, product identification and instructions for use; they can also include logos, brand messaging and other promotional elements. However, MCS said volumes of paper, films, adhesives, printing plates, solvents and chemicals typically left over as byproducts of the label production process can contribute to environmental waste and that most adhesive labels are not recyclable.
A blank canvas for promotion
For fresh produce packers, secondary packaging can play a significant role in marketing and branding strategies, particularly for gift packages, MCS said. In addition to safeguarding primary packaging, it provides an opportunity for companies to showcase their brand identity, logos, slogans and promotional messages.
While that can apply to traditional adhesive labels used on corrugated boxes and bags, there are efforts in the industry to reduce the environmental impact along the entire supply chain, the release said.
MCS said it has conducted tests on packaging equipment at its facility to explore the idea of incorporating advertising messaging in process color directly on the packaging.
“We are already getting quite a few inquiries from logistics and fulfillment companies asking about images that can be printed directly on boxes and bags,” said David Loos, president for MCS.
Direct printing of corrugated
Corrugated board is produced by combining various papers together in the form of paper layers. These layers are called liners and fluting (the fluting being formed to create a specific profile). The liners can be preprinted with standard messaging before it is glued to the medium, which is a cost-effective method for high-volume production, the release said.
After the corrugated board is converted to boxes, “high-speed, direct-to-packaging inkjet printers could then be used in defined locations on the box to deliver customized promotional messages such as a special offer, or an announcement about a new store opening in a region,” Loos said.
Direct printing of custom bags
Loos said MCS was approached last year for a solution that would print trackable variable bar codes directly on shipping bags. Many larger bag suppliers invest in high-tech manufacturing equipment to offer cutting-edge bag solutions, including modern bag designs in many shapes, variations and types of substrates, the release said. The bags are used by e-commerce sites for shipping and by online retailers that offer home delivery services.
For high-speed printing, roll-feed flexographic printers are used, and the paper rolls are then cut into sheets at approximately the same speed, according to the release. The company said that the concern was whether direct-to-bag printing systems could keep up. The average inkjet printer operates at a speed of 105-500 feet per minute, however, MCS says it has printers that can reach speeds of up to 1,000 feet per minute.
“We print on a wide web at very high speeds, and there are very few [direct-print inkjet] machines that can run at a thousand feet per minute and print the high-quality tracking codes at that speed,” Loos said.
Although the bag is printed on a flexographic printer, space is available on the press to add an inkjet printer for direct printing of tracking codes and “just about anything else you can think of,” according to Loos.
“Instead of a label going on that affects the cost and affects the recyclability of the product, we can now digitally print that unique code directly on the bag using the MCS printer,” Loos said. “We can print anything the customer wants, including notifications about store openings in their area, special offers, links to sales or other sites or other promotional messages.”
Loos thinks that direct printing to bags or boxes will have many applications for fresh produce packers in the future if the primary barrier — speed — is no longer an issue.
“I think there is a very good potential to offer printing directly packaging, not just for QR or bar codes, but for promotional statements,” Loos said. “The e-commerce retailer or home delivery service can really choose exactly how they want to use it.”
