Packaging Innovations in London last week drew an eclectic crowd, ranging from brands, designers and converters looking at an equally eclectic range of exhibitors.
It had begun as a show with limited stand space and as a networking and ideas event and this remains, but with a Zund cutting table, a handful of Vivid laminators, a Roland DG inkjet printer and demonstrations of Chili and IC3D software by Workflowz, technology was also on display.
The luxury packaging side of the event, which had started as an adjunct to Packaging Innovations while resident at the Business Design Centre, now covers almost 50% of the space in Olympia. This had attracted companies providing beautiful carrier bags, display packaging for the top end of the drinks and cosmetics market with foiling prominent. Perhaps MGI and Scodix had missed a trick by not displaying the effects that their technologies can achieve.
Instead Vivid fielded a stream of inquiries from those interested in the impact of digital foiling possible on its Matrix laminators and in the new Boss glitter films. Some visitors wanted to buy the machines, others wanted to contact printers able to offer the service.
Wimbledon printer Curtis Packaging had tapped into this with a collection of samples demonstrating different finishing effects supported by a pack of cards showing of the differences between foiling, coating varnishing and so on. Each is ranked according to cost, environmental impact, wow factor and durability and serves as a quick guide for designers. “They always want everything, but then find out some of the costs which leads to a rethink. This can help them make informed decisions at the start of the process,” says a spokesman.
ThinkTank, a consultancy which helps brands connect with suitable carton printers and suppliers, had a display that included work with Novalia on interactive packaging using printed electronics and samples using laser engraved embossing dies used to stunning effect on a perfume carton.
The event also featured a number of seminar presentations, including a theatre for US company The Dieline for its first stride across the Atlantic. In the keynote on the opening day, Mark Pawsey MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Packaging Manufacturing Group, declared that “packaging in the UK does not get the credit it deserves”. It generates a turnover of £11 billion and employs 85,000 – almost identical to the statistics for the UK printing industry.
Another speaker, Anne Dunne, Harrod’s head of food technology and development, described trends in luxury packaging and how the store splits its customers into six identifiable groups. She continued: “In terms of trends we’re seeing more of a craft feel, for instance letter press being used in the wine and spirits field. There’s also a move towards keepsake items, packaging that blends into the home and so can be kept.
“There are some interesting trends around size – with smaller sizes coming through in some categories. For instance, vinaigrettes, chutneys, condiments – people want smaller sizes to reflect how they use the products. Similarly, in the beauty industry, with people travelling more and trying a greater variety of creams rather than sticking to one product, so smaller sizes are in demand.”
This was evident around the show and in the way that substrate providers (Iggesund, James Cropper, GF Smith, Denmaur and Antalis were among those present) had come up with new materials suitable for high impact short run packaging.
The requirement for short runs is also driving interest in creating mock ups, something that Revolution, a Roland DG user from the midlands, was demonstrating with a Roland printer and small plotting table.
Zund had a rather larger cutting table, albeit one of the smallest in its range and designed for creating samples. “It is our first time here,” says area sales manager Nick Reed. “The machine we have is for prototyping or short run packaging requirements which has become a big area for us.”
For those who want to produce short run packaging, Zund is a strong option on finishing. The Zund Cut Centre and simple to follow interface make it feasible for those with little experience to make the correct designs regarding the tools to use on materials needing processing.
At the other end of the packaging process Workflowz attracted a steady flow of those interested in the 3D modelling capabilities of the IC3D software and the online design facilities of Chili Publish. The Belgian company’s CEO Kevin Goeminne was on hand. The show he explained was about striking the one or two connections that might lead to substantial business later.
This was very much on the mind of Mirri, which as another first time exhibitor, aimed to get its products in front of designers who might specify the material on a future project. In short it was about sowing the seeds and making the connections rather than a market place where buying and sales activity was underway.
Packaging Innovations always draws a more design-led crowd than the event at the NEC earlier in the year. This year was no exception with substantial growth for the Luxury Packaging side of the exhibition.
