The global digital printing packaging market is being driven by a growing preference for improved product presentability among a variety of consumer brands. The appearance of a product can have an immediate impact on a buyer; a consumer's first impression of a product can influence their final purchasing decision. With an annual compound growth rate of 14% from 2019 to 2024, the world market for digital print packages is projected to expand.

The global digital printing packaging market is growing due to increasing demand for short-run product printing, variations in SKU (Stock Keeping Unit), and seasonal and one-off promotional packets. In the global market, digital printing helps to reduce overhead costs and increase productivity.

This printing's quality allows for a variety of different impressions without any problems, as well as the versatility of printing exactly the volume needed in the market. One of the major advantages of digital technology in the global market, particularly in Dubai, is the ability to print just-in-time quantities. The global digital printing packaging market is benefiting from increasing demand from various industrial applications such as food and beverage (F&B), cosmetics, and healthcare. The growing availability of various materials such as label packaging, folding cartons, corrugated packaging, and flexible packaging will contribute to the growth of the industry. Increasing demand for sustainable printing and increasing the demand for flexible packaging are the main drivers for this market.

Market Segmentation for Digital Printing Packaging

The global market for this segment is growing due to the wide range of products available and the shorter lifespan of consumer goods. The personal care segment of the global market is growing due to increasing demand for hand care, color cosmetics, face care, hair care, and body care products. Vendors in the digital printing packaging market will benefit from the wide range of products available, which cater to a wide range of customers.

Technology-based market segmentation

·        Electrophotography

·        Inkjet Technology

Package Type Labels Market Segmentation

·        Folding Packaging

·        Corrugated Packaging

·        Packaging that is adaptable

Market Segmentation by End-User Application

·        Food & Beverage

·        Electronics

·        Healthcare

·        Personal Care

·        Others

Geographical Distribution of the Digital Printing Packaging Market

APAC, Europe, North America, Latin America, and MEA are the geographical segments in the global digital printing packaging market. In 2018, APAC held the highest market share, rising at a CAGR of around 12% over the forecast period. In the APAC market, there is a growing demand for innovative food, beverage, and cosmetic product packaging. The APAC region's top income generators are Japan, China, India, the United Arab Emirates (Dubai), and South Korea.

Market Segmentation by Geography

APAC

·        China

·        Japan

·        India

Europe

·        Germany

·        UK

·        France

·        North America

·        US

·        Canada

Latin America

·        Brazil

·        Mexico

·        Argentina

MEA

·        Saudi Arabia

·        UAE (Dubai)

·        South Africa       

In Dubai, how does packaging printing work?

A well-packaged item will immediately appeal to a customer looking for a high-quality item. Packaging, as an extension of the product, must meet a number of requirements in order to maximize its marketing potential: it must have a design that reflects the company's ethos and appeals to the consumer, it must meet logistical requirements such as transportation and size regulations, and it must achieve a certain level of appearance. This is where package printing becomes an important part of the printing process for businesses all over the world looking to attract attention or refresh their brand, spawning a fast-growing industry in its own right.

Making the Switch to Digital

Because of its flexibility, accuracy, usability, and low cost, digital printing is one of the fastest-growing segments in the creative and corporate world today. It provides both large and small companies with the tools they need to package their products successfully. It works by printing a digital image directly onto a variety of media using a large-format and/or high-volume inkjet or laser printer from a device such as a computer, camera, or smartphone. While it has a higher initial cost than conventional printing methods, its accuracy and performance mean that businesses can save money in the long run, as well as time and labor. One of the major benefits of digital printing over lithographic and flexographic printing is that it does not require plates.

The following are some of the advantages of digital printing:

·        Printing of photographs and fine art (excellent quality, freedom to choose paper stock such as matte or glossy finishes, and digital retouching capabilities via photo-editing software)

·        Publishing on a computer (enabling people to produce quality print products from their own home, thanks to the competitive selection of printers and cartridges on the market)

·        Printing and ads with variable data (allowing the mass personalization of printed products)

·        On-demand printing (optimal accessibility and customization).

What Is Offset Printing and How Does It Work?

Images from a computer are transferred to a plate cylinder or blank cylinder through a laser beam that burns the image into the surface, similar to digital printing. When combining this process with lithographic printing, flat image carriers such as planographic carriers that take ink from rollers can be used in conjunction with a non-printing section that forms a "fountain solution" or film that prevents ink from entering the clear areas or "negative space" of the design. In web offset, paper reels are fed into the press and run through in-line sections that print the desired graphic. The product is nearly complete and ready to be assembled into a package after drying by air or ultraviolet light.

Offset printing is a highly productive effort due to its durability and flexibility. Large capacity machines can process up to 15,000 impressions per hour, making offset printing a highly productive endeavour, though this process can be costly depending on the thorough nature of the project involved.

Flexography as an Art Form

Flexo printing is another popular method that employs a flexible relief plate (rubber or plastic) that can accommodate materials ranging from paper and cellophane to plastic, metallic film, and non-porous substrates (usually seen in food packaging). After preparing a digital image, a photochemical or laser engraved plate made of polymers takes the image and prints out the design using various methods (stack type, central impression cylinder, in-line, etc.), followed by finishing, which includes coating, cutting, folding, and binding, depending on the package. Flexographic printing, which uses fast-drying ink and is adaptable and capable of covering large areas of color, is used in the production of a variety of packaging items, including:

·                  Corrugated containers

·                  Folding and beverage cartons

·                  Multiwall and paper sacks

·                  Plastic bags

·                  Disposable cups and containers

·                  Stationary (labels and envelopes)

·                  Adhesive tapes

·                  Food wrappers.

Carbon cutting

The environmental effect of the production is one of the increasingly important factors in the package printing process, which also determines the printing method. More printing techniques involve using solvent-free paper and ink to make the energy used in producing the packaging as efficient as possible, given a considerable effort on large companies and small businesses to minimize carbon footprint. The composition of packaging is increasingly being developed by recycled materials, which are to integrate them as well as improve their energy efficiency.

Having access to the diverse range of processes available will thus fulfill a powerful design function, be cost-effective, robust and sustainable, and the packaging industry may see another technical integration or a fusion of flexo, offset, and digital technology incorporated in the near future, and will in turn become even more open to SMEs.