InfoTrends’ recently published report, Color Digital Label and Packaging Market Forecast: 2013-2018, forecasts the markets for all major color digital printing technologies used to print packaging applications. Previous versions of this annual report focused on production level color digital presses and on wide format printers used to print labels, folding cartons, and flexible packaging. This year’s forecast includes two new, emerging color digital print categories, namely corrugated packaging print systems and direct-to-shape print systems for printing bottles, cans, and other shaped packaging. All of these technologies, from label presses to bottle printers, are growing because brand owners worldwide need to target ever smaller market segments to be competitive. In turn they need the timely, economic printing of short runs that digital printing can often provide more readily than analog printing can.

“There are three megatrends among brand owners that support the growth of color digital printing for packaging,” says Bob Leahey, associate director of InfoTrends’ Color Digital Label and Packaging Service. “One is the brand owners’ focus on target marketing; another is their intense focus on lean manufacturing. Together these influences have caused brand owners to order packaging and labels more frequently and in smaller amounts.” For converters of labels and packaging, he said, these trends will continue to mean increasing numbers of short run print jobs, which color digital presses can print more efficiently than conventional presses. The third megatrend, Leahey said, is sustainability, which he described as less influential, but still favoring digital printing over analog methods, mainly because digital printing cuts waste.

InfoTrends’ Color Digital Label and Packaging Market Forecast: 2013-2018 estimates and forecasts the regional and world markets for color digital presses and printers based on electrophotographic (EP) and inkjet print technologies for the years 2013 through 2018. The forecast is cut by EP and inkjet mid-range, high-end and hybrid categories for placements, installed base, total press sales value, consumables value, and value of print. It estimates the consumption and value of print in terms of all the label and packaging applications that are its focus.

This report is available immediately for purchase. For more information, visit InfoTrends’ online store.