tem, the digital printing model provides inline finishing," he
says. "That allows a label printer or narrow-format printer to
become more of a lean manufacturer of labels. There may be
several steps with a narrow or flexo web press, but with digital
you eliminate a lot of those steps. And instead of having multiple operators, all you need is one operator."
Inline modules let providers start with the print station, add a
laser die-cutter, then a lamination or varnish module, and finally a slitter or turret rewind. "At the end of the print run you have
the exact number of labels needed, ready to ship," Emery says.
Packaging prototypes present an excellent opportunity for you to offer your new
services to marketing companies large and small.
loped edges. That opens markets that include packaging, labels,
mailings, greeting cards, and rounded corner business cards.
"A printed sheet is not complete today without it being converted into a finished product," Corwin says. "Who out there is
not looking for new opportunities?"
Speaking of Labels
As the market trends toward shorter runs and more variable
on-demand printing, digital technology allows the small-tomedium-sized printer to garner more business, says Stephen
Emery, vice president of the Jetrion and ink business for EFI.
"Even among medium- to high-volume printers, with our sys-
Getting Started
Experts seem to agree that package printing should be seen
not as a market unto itself, but rather as part of a larger picture.
As Tu says, "Package prototyping is becoming increasingly
important to the marketing mix and should be viewed in that
context. Packaging buyers want to see actual samples before
production. Product launch teams need pre-production packages for photo shoots, focus groups, and presentations. The
ability to create highly realistic packaging samples gives brands
a distinct competitive advantage."
As for getting started, Hecht says it's best to lean on relationships, hardware, expertise, knowledge, and attention to detail
and quality. "That's what's going to get you into the market and
allow you to do well," he says. ◗◗
James Burn Lhermite
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18
QUICK PRINTING / December 2013
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