InfoTrends has announced the completion of its market research study titled “The Future of Digital Packaging Workflows.” The report focuses on the global packaging market’s use of software tools to enhance production of all printed packaging. Taking into account all relevant software segments, global sales of workflow software for packaging topped $1 billion worldwide in 2015, and that total is climbing steadily in all regions, according to InfoTrends.

“Brand owners and packaging converters together make the market for workflow software a dynamic one,” says Robert Leahey, associate director at InfoTrends and a senior advisor for the new research. “That’s so because of competition and also because some amazing workflow tools are available today. Suppliers of workflow software for packaging converting offer tools to both converters and brands to make the production of printed packaging faster, more economic and much more flexible.”

InfoTrends surveyed and interviewed over 300 companies worldwide – half converters and half brand owners – about both digital and analog printing and converting, and about digital transformation of packaging management and production. Converters surveyed were split between label, flexible packaging, folding carton and corrugated converters; brand owners were split among food and beverage, pharmaceutical and medical, consumer goods and electronics, and health and beauty segments. In addition, senior staff at InfoTrends, who focus on the workflow software market, profiled key companies and workflow products and also developed a detailed market forecast through 2019 for different types of workflow tools for packaging converting, from digital asset management to production workflow to web-to-print to print controllers and RIPs, and other segments.

“There’s a lot going on in terms of workflow for packaging,” says Leahey, “and a big future for tools that enhance it.” As evidence, he cites the trend among brands in all regions to order packaging more frequently and in smaller amounts, to customize marketing and make operations more efficient, in turn making workflow more challenging.

Digital printing is also a factor, he adds, describing it as well established in label converting and just starting in folding cartons, flexible packaging and corrugated. “Timeliness is a goal for all brands and all converters, and digital printing helps them achieve this, especially when it’s part of an efficient workflow,” explains Leahey.