The last two years have put our industry to the ultimate test. Suppliers, converters and brands have navigated the uncharted waters of a global pandemic, supply chain challenges, natural disasters, staffing shortages, among others. Customers also want their products yesterday – at lower prices and with better quality than ever before. The industry has rolled with the punches, remaining flexible in the face of uncertainty.

There is another type of flexibility on the minds of converters, too. As label printers seek new ways to expand their business, flexible packaging has moved to the top of the list. These products are cost-effective, environmentally-friendly, and convenient for our on-the-go lifestyle. While perusing the aisles of any grocery store, shoppers can quickly spot this trend in many forms of food packaging.

The numbers bear this out, as well. According to new market research from MarketsandMarkets, the flexible plastic pouches market size was estimated at $53.7 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $73.5 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 6.5%. Food accounts for the largest market share due to the structure’s pliability and low weight, along with the protection that flexible packaging offers against contaminants. The lightweight nature of these packaging products also coincides perfectly with the boom in e-commerce, making shipping easier and more cost-effective.

“Flexible packaging’s durable material and construction, plus its numerous design opportunities, make it an ideal packaging solution for many food products,” says Renee Schouten, director of marketing for INX International Ink Co. “Not only is it great for product protection, but it also has promotional benefits for a brand. For example, you can offer samples or travel-size versions of products, attach the samples to promotional material or hand them out at events. All those options can expose your brand and product to new customers. The range of possible flexible packaging shapes and sizes is incredibly wide.”

“Flexible packaging has one of the highest growth rates across the printed packaging landscape,” adds Tom Hauenstein, VP of sales at S-One Labels & Packaging.

We take a deep dive into the benefits of flexible packaging in our Food Packaging feature (page 50). Equipment manufacturers, such as Mark Andy, are optimizing their presses to accommodate this application, while substrate providers, like Avery Dennison, have engineered materials to meet increasing demand that grows by the day.

Flexible packaging is further explored in our Sustainability Spotlight (page 48), as S-OneLP was recently honored by TLMI for its sustainable solutions geared toward label and flexible packaging converters. Meanwhile, Inspection Equipment (page 62) and Static Control products (page 68)continue to be designed to ensure defect-free printing.

Converters will continue to position themselves for life after the pandemic, and new applications, such as flexible packaging and shrink sleeves, will gain market share. As we prepare for a slate of industry events in the spring, one of the key topics on trade show floors will be flexibility – both in operations and applications.


Greg Hrinya, Editor
[email protected]