MGX Flexible Packaging Provides New Revenue Opportunities

Anywhere you look on retail shelves, flexible packaging, or flexpack, is emerging as an economical and practical option for prime packaging. According to the Flexible Packaging Association, the total size of the flexible packaging industry was $25.6 billion in 2008 (see article). With the trends that are emerging in digital packaging, there is no reason that the flexpack market will not increase along with digital press use in the coming years.

Flexible packaging presents an opportunity for narrow web digital press users who currently print pressure-sensitive tags and labels to expand their product offerings for additional revenue streams.  Its unique characteristics make it an ideal digital substrate.

There are many reasons why a brand manager would select flexpack for a digital press application:

• Short Runs: Printers can produce small quantities of flexible packages economically, making the design ideal for smaller brands or sample sizes. Short run packaging also allows for mass customization of products tailored to the specific needs of the consumer. Combined with the variable data technology of digital printing, customization can be taken a step further. Digital press users can create unique packaging graphics with different dynamic data such as serial numbers and barcodes for each item printed. With fast on-demand digital printing, printers can produce lower quantities on an as-needed basis, reducing inventory and warehouse space.

• Cost-effective & Greener Packaging: Packaging constructed with flexpack technology can reduce material costs as well as the size and weight of the finished package. Smaller, lighter packages take up less space, reducing warehouse space and transportation costs as a result. In addition, reduction in packaging materials can be economical, cutting material costs. In combination with digital’s profitable short-run advantages, flexible packaging presents itself as an economical choice in today’s market.

• Barrier Construction: Flexible packaging contains layers of materials that create a functional barrier, lending itself to many product applications. Barriers keep contents fresh in food packaging. Barriers are also useful in chemical packaging to keep potentially hazardous material within the package.

• Convenience: Flexpack is the ideal way to produce snack containers or smaller single-use portions. The economical advantages to flexible packaging make it an excellent choice for shorter-life products or convenience items.

Masterpiece Graphix is the one-stop resource for digital flexible packaging materials and information, and can supply all of the substrates you need for your specific application. Digital-ready heat-sealable films, cosmetic web, co-ex, LDPE, BOPP, polyester, and snack web are just a few of the flexpack substrate options that MGX offers. MGX substrates are of the best possible quality, featuring superior printability, excellent ink adhesion and can be customized to your packaging requirements.

Customers continue to purchase MGX materials to produce flexible packaging for candies, bread bags, food items, potato chips, and hazardous materials. With our expertise, MGX can help you select and build a material specifically for your flexpack application. For more information on flexible packaging substrates from Masterpiece Graphix, please contact your MGX sales rep.