When browsing store shelves or shopping online, we notice that product packaging has moved far beyond the once-monotonous styles of the past. Instead, unique and eye-catching designs, coupled with exquisite printing effects, have become key factors in capturing consumers' attention. The advancement of new printing technologies has prompted product manufacturers to increasingly focus on leveraging innovative printing methods to enhance their brand value. As a result, many printing companies are now integrating inkjet printing technology into product packaging production, building upon their traditional printing processes.

Handle Short-run Packaging Printing Business

With the development of white ink, silver metallic inks, and specialized printing substrates, packaging printing has begun to open the door to wide-format inkjet printing. Although conventional offset printing still dominates the packaging production landscape, an increasing number of printing companies are actively seeking more cost-effective and efficient methods to transform their traditional printing approaches for handling diverse job requirements. Currently, many packaging printers have already started adopting wide-format inkjet printers for digital proofing of packaging designs and for producing small-batch jobs, effectively addressing the growing demand for short-run packaging printing. As digital printing technology has become widely accepted in the label printing industry, wide-format inkjet printing is now gradually making its way into the packaging sector as well.

Today, several packaging and printing companies have recognized the advantages of inkjet technology in the packaging sector. This is because digital printing enables them to quickly and cost-effectively produce packaging prototypes and samples. Digital packaging technology helps businesses forecast sales in regional markets by allowing them to print small runs of packaging materials, thereby determining whether to proceed with large-scale production using traditional printing methods. Traditional printing methods, however, are clearly too costly for short-run jobs like these. In contrast, inkjet printing offers simplicity, short production cycles, and the flexibility to add or modify printed information at any time—eliminating concerns about delivery deadlines altogether.

New inkjet inks and printing materials

Ink is a crucial component in inkjet printing, as it not only determines the quality of the printed image but also influences the shape of the ink droplets and the overall reliability of the printing system. With the advancement of inkjet inks, wide-format inkjet printing technology has gradually matured. Printing companies can now utilize wide-format solvent-based inkjet printers equipped with white ink and silver metallic ink for packaging prototyping, or leverage these printers alongside laminators and cutting machines to produce short-run labels. Today, solvent-based inkjet printers effectively meet the demands of short-run jobs in this market, enabling cost-efficient and high-performance production of personalized labels and packaging solutions.

The application of wide-format inkjet printing technology in the packaging sector also depends on the emergence of new substrate materials tailored for packaging applications, as a key advantage of inkjet printing lies in its ability to enable printing on specialized media. For instance, solvent-based inkjet printers can be used effectively for printing on flexible, white film packaging materials. Moreover, solvent-based inkjet printers are capable of directly printing onto shrink films, making them ideal for creating packaging prototypes and short-run print jobs. After printing, the film can be carefully removed from its temporary backing, cut to size, and then shrunk into place on the final packaging product.

A wide-format inkjet printer worth investing in

Over the past few years, wide-format inkjet printing has made remarkable strides in the packaging sector and is poised to become an indispensable component of packaging printing in the future. For many printing companies, investing in wide-format inkjet printers represents a valuable step toward embracing digital printing. As short-run jobs shift from traditional printing presses to wide-format inkjet machines, printing enterprises can quickly begin realizing the financial benefits of this investment.

The ease of operation of wide-format inkjet printers also helps reduce labor costs. For instance, a wide-format inkjet printer valued at $25,000 generates part of its profitability by offsetting the reduced labor expenses compared to traditional printing machines. Operators simply need to prepare the necessary files, select the print job on the inkjet printer, and then return after a short while to collect the printed sheets—making the entire process remarkably straightforward.

As more and more printing companies invest in digital printing equipment to complement their traditional printing operations, they are also beginning to familiarize themselves with digital workflows, gain insights into prepress processes, master the use of RIP software, and learn how to print using white ink, metallic inks, as well as specialized substrates. With the growing adoption of wide-format inkjet printing in the packaging sector, printing enterprises that rely solely on conventional printing methods will gradually find themselves at a competitive disadvantage.

Color Accuracy and Personalization

To further expand the application of wide-format inkjet printing technology in the packaging market, it must meet the industry's stringent requirements for color accuracy. The new generation of solvent-based inkjet inks offers up to 10 distinct colors, including optional white ink, silver metallic ink, and light black ink, enabling solvent-based inkjet printers to achieve a wider color gamut than ever before.

Today, nearly all consumer product packaging has evolved into customized, boutique-style offerings. To succeed in this competitive market, wide-format inkjet printers must provide flexible and adaptable solutions. Suppliers need to continuously engage with and support packaging and printing industry users in addressing a range of challenges—such as managing the rising costs associated with high-mix, short-run printing, meeting increasingly precise demands from targeted markets, controlling escalating operational expenses, ensuring reliable printer performance, and maintaining color accuracy. By adopting superior, cost-effective solutions that deliver enhanced profitability, the industry is increasingly recognizing the numerous advantages that wide-format inkjet printers can bring to the table.

Wide-format inkjet printing technology offers packaging printers a new, highly cost-effective option, enabling rapid image and text conversion as well as timely delivery. By reducing inventory levels, this technology also helps companies cut costs significantly. In the near future, wide-format inkjet printing is set to become a mainstream technology adopted by the packaging industry, playing a crucial role in shaping the future of the packaging market!