Blog based on the recent PPM article by Anton Pretorius – “Finishing First”. Please see below for link.
Endless finishing possibilities
If you’re a packaging converter, embellishment and finishing should be the first thing you think about. Brands and creative agencies are very aware of the role and impact of premium packaging when it comes to differentiating their products.
Being able to take advantage of this growing demand means investing in world-class finishing solutions that can be integrated into modern digital printshops. Kemtek partner Scodix is the industry leader here, as exemplified by the new Scodix Ultra 6000.
The Scodix Ultra 6000
This finishing unit delivers UV inkjet quality on substrates up to B1 sheet size, despite its relatively compact footprint. The digitisation of finishing means that multiple effects can be added in a single pass, including spot varnish, cast and cure, flat foiling, variable foiling, braille, and embossing.
Digital finishing represents a significant value-add for customers, and with the Scodix Ultra 6000’s unparalleled efficiency, more finishing jobs can be completed per shift, leading to improved margins and profitability.
Imagination is the only limit
Converters can now effectively challenge creative agencies to think freely when it comes to designing packaging for luxury brands. With the full gamut of Scodix effects available, the finishing possibilities are limitless.
With options including foil, glitter and crystal, unique packaging can be created in ways that will surprise and delight consumers – and drive purchases. While finishing technology has obvious applications in the high-end market, it can also play a role in making products (and the overall retail experience) more inclusive. The Scodix Ultra 6000 supports braille printing, meaning people with sight issues can still identify and learn about products on shelf.
On a functional level, the ability to incorporate security finishes and accommodate multiple SKUs helps protect product integrity and brand equity, as well as enabling mass customisation. These factors are aligned with consumer trends regarding trust in the authenticity of brands, and wanting to be different.
The sustainability challenge
Finishing often involves the addition of other elements, which can pose recyclability challenges as it makes each piece of packaging a composite of multiple materials. However, advances in technology – such as thinner PET carrier sheets and cold transfer finishing – are addressing this issue, as they involve less waste material during the finishing application process, and result in multimedia packaging that can be conventionally recycled.
The advantages of finishing
These sustainability improvements have effectively closed the circle for modern finishing units, as exemplified by the Scodix Ultra 6000. The visual and tactile impact of embellished packaging, combined with the efficiencies and agility of digital printing technology and the reduced ecological footprint of the latest materials, adds up to an unbeatable combination.
A great deal of advertising is targeted at convincing consumers to switch between brands. The use of embellishing technology makes this much more likely at the point of sale, as it underscores brand differentiation efforts elsewhere in the marketing cycle.
The advent of the Scodix Ultra 6000 UV inkjet digital finishing unit offers exciting extensions to the creative and quality potential of existing finishing solutions, as well as offering converters the opportunity to both reduce costs and increase revenue by completing more jobs in the same time.
In short, the Scodix Ultra 6000 could just be the ‘silver bullet’ that South Africa’s packaging converters have been waiting for. This is the start of the true finishing revolution.
To learn more about Scodix finishing and embellishing solutions from Kemtek, contact Wendy McLoughlin on +27 (0)82 417 7188 or by email at wendyl@kemtek.co.za, or visit https://kemtek.co.za/prod_brand/hp/
Gain more insights from Anton Pretorius here: PPM – February 2023 Magazine – Packaging And Print Media (packagingmag.co.za)
