The packaging industry serves numerous different sectors, whether it is food, beverage or medical, to name a few. Packaging is also the first impression a customer gets of a product, and can determine whether the consumer buys the product or not.  Gary Stockenstroom, product manager for Fujifilm Graphic Communication South Africa, said the integration of digital inkjet printbars into existing printing lines is the most exciting development in packaging. ‘The ink being jetted is water-based and has a minimal environmental impact, and this includes the flexible packaging application. It’s more [...]

The Africa Print Expo kicks off in September. Be sure to register so that you don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn, connect and discover new solutions that can elevate your business. Attending the exhibition is also a great way to connect and network with other professionals. See live product demonstrations, and get a feel for how these can benefit your business, at the expo, taking place from 13-15 September at the Gallagher Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa. Exhibitors will be on hand to answer questions and provide [...]

According to Brendan Menapace, writing for Printing Impressions, ‘promotional products are applicable to many different situations and buying verticals, making them a natural complement to traditional print offerings.’ ‘For print service providers that haven’t considered adding promotional hard goods or apparel to their product line, now is a good time to start. It’s a way to create new revenue streams for business without leaving money on the table.’ ‘By attending industry trade shows and educational events, one can get a greater sense of what products are available and how [...]

According to Sonia Correia, Integer\Hotspot’s Lead Strategist, product packaging has evolved from being so much more than just a product container to a powerful strategy for marketing the product and the brand. In fact, as many as seven in ten consumers agree that packaging design influences their purchasing decision. ‘Packaging is often the first interaction that shoppers have with a product. It is tactile and intimate. It tells a story, sets the tone, and provides a tangible experience for consumers. It showcases a brand and its unique identity. Shoppers will [...]

In the inaugural episode of The Switch podcast series, Timothy Thomas, Country Manager at Epson South Africa, and Samantha Choles, Communications Specialist at the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA) share their thoughts, as well as industry-based evidence, to bust the prevailing myths surrounding print and the manufacture and use of paper. The world of print has received its fair share of criticism and predictions about its future in the past two decades, brought on mainly by the digitisation of industries and the disruption this has caused to [...]

According to a new survey commissioned by Two Sides North America and conducted by global research firm Toluna, print media saw significant disruption during the coronavirus pandemic as many people moved online for news and information. However, consumers’ preference for receiving and reading print on paper has rebounded over the past two years. ‘Some observers predicted that people who switched from paper to digital media during the pandemic would never return, but this has not been the case,’ said Two Sides North America President Kathi Rowzie. ‘Across every category [...]

According to Laurel Brunner of the Verdigris Project, the ISO 16759 document outlines requirements for calculating the carbon footprint of a print run and it was published in 2013. Since then it has done well with printers bold enough to take the plunge. And now, when it comes to services that implement the standard, ISO 16759 is becoming flavour of the month. Advanced UK is a Xerox owned company which provides Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) and carbon footprinting services to business communities, including the print sector. The company has [...]