After the epidemic, the recovery of the manufacturing industry has accelerated, and the era of major reform is coming. In this process, digitalization, intellectualization and sustainability are the major trends affecting and creating this era, as well as the only way to transform and upgrade the manufacturing industry. For the plastic printing industry, this trend is more significant.
According to the latest research report "The Future of Global Printing by 2026", "The Future of Green Printing by 2026" and "The Future of Packaged Digital Printing by 2026" by Smithers Peel Institute, the global printing market will grow to US $834.2 billion in 2026.
One of the emerging trends in the industry is the search for greener and more sustainable printing processes, with the market for packaging and label digital printing set to reach $35.88 billion by 2026. The pandemic is having an impact on people's consumption, with 75% of US consumers experimenting with sustainable consumption. This shift, along with the changing preferences of Gen Z consumers, is also pushing brands to be more environmentally friendly and sustainable.
Most importantly, greenwashing no longer works because of new regulations created in response to global consumer concerns. Capital allocation is starting to focus on sustainability and related performance, and this trend will continue to intensify in the future.
Reduce waste packaging environmental pollution, improve material recycling, reduce carbon footprint. As a result, it is expected that the industry's understanding of sustainability will become increasingly comprehensive and balanced.
Paper and board are often considered circular economy materials because they are easy to recycle, but as the life cycle becomes more complex, green printing is not just about using recycled or recyclable paper, but involves all stages of the supply chain.
Currently, the printing process increases carbon emissions by using fossil fuel energy to run equipment, transport raw materials and finished products, and support the entire process. The manufacture and release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in paper and plastic substrates, inks, cleaning solutions, etc., all contribute to carbon emissions. The main alternative to solvent-based inks is water-based inks, many of which have been released in the past two years. But the carbon footprint of water-based ink is as much about how it is handled, stored and cleaned as it is about what's in it. Therefore, to carry out more work in waterless ink or other technological innovation.
The growing sustainability trend is also prompting brands to adjust their products and sales practices to stay competitive. Many brands have begun to respond to changing consumer needs through alliances with national or international industry groups.
Digitisation is another great opportunity in the next few years. Digitization can help manufacturers realize intelligent manufacturing and improve the degree of automation and intelligence in production. Through digital technology, manufacturers can implement smart devices and intelligent controls, reduce human intervention and errors, and improve production efficiency and quality. Digitization can also realize the interconnection in the intelligent manufacturing process. Through the Internet of Things and cloud computing, seamless connection and information sharing in the manufacturing process can be realized, and the efficiency and controllability of the entire production process can be improved.
"Ready to ship" packaging may become necessary for brands to manage costs and sustainability pressures. We have seen e-commerce giants and countries like China quickly adopt standards to expand the use of such packaging, which will eventually eliminate much of the need for secondary packaging.
From the perspective of enterprise structure, manufacturers should consider two aspects of change. First, companies will increasingly focus on growth drivers and spin off non-core businesses into new separate entities. On the other side is digital empowerment, which is reflected in customer engagement, internal workflow, supply chain, manufacturing automation and decision improvement. The packaging industry is still in the early stages of digitisation, but digitisation is expected to become a clear development priority and an important value creation tool, especially in the current context of raw material market volatility and rising protectionist policies, which can enhance supply chain transparency and drive sourcing excellence.
