Digital Printing on Short Run Packaging Materials

Global markets and challenges for manufacturing firms

Global markets often pose a challenge to manufacturing firms that attempt to introduce new products due to the extent of diversity across the consumer market and competition from already established firms. Additionally, the global marketplace also poses the challenge of first movers with the manufacturing firms controlling a sizeable market segment. As a way of ensuring that manufacturing firms satisfy the consumer needs, there is a need to conduct research regarding how the market needs among the populations over time. According to Osterwalder et al., (2015), manufacturing companies can only enhance value creation by undertaking to understand consumer needs across the new marketplace. As such, it is essential for firms to undertake tests for their products before rolling them out into the market as a way of realizing their potential for success in the new markets. In addition, firms can often undertake to improve their network relationships with existing firms as a way of gaining entry into the new markets.

Packaging and marketing in international markets

The shipping of products into the international markets necessitates packaging which involves processing the product and coordinating the process that enhances their transport and sale. The packaging enhances the enclosure of products in casings that prevent it from damage due to the externalities during the transportation periods. Nonetheless, the packaging can also be used as a means of marketing the product in enhancing positive reception across the marketplace thereby increasing their sales volume (Dumasi, Dhurup & Mafini, 2014). The production of products for the short run in new markets necessitates designs that would positively impact on the consumer’s memory to remember the product through the packaging design and prints. Additionally, the product design and print should offer an eye-catching scenario for the customers as a marketing strategy in the international markets (Dumasi, Dhurup & Mafini, 2014). The packaging should also be easy to unwrap for the consumers for the product’s accessibility. As such, the shipping of the products from China to the United States for products in the short run would require the use of digital printing approach to realize the prints in the short-run.

Advantages of digital printing for packaging

The digital printing is a technique that involves the attraction of ink on a clear surface for printing (Spinellis, 2012). Usually, digital printing utilizes the photo imaging plate (PIP) that enhances the transfer of the electrical charges from the design computer systems. With the imaging plate on the printing surface, the image is printed on the piece thereby enhancing the packaging design and outlook. The digital printing technique on the short run would provide numerous advantages to the manufacturing firm as it gears towards venturing into the new markets (Spinellis, 2012). First, the technique provides an opportunity to enhance the packaging materials faster within a short period of time. Since it would be essential to determine the reception of the product in the new markets, pursuing a cost-effective technique would increase the benefits through enhancing value within a short period (Dumasi, Dhurup & Mafini, 2014). The digital method of printing on the packages can be undertaken promptly thereby enhancing value creation for the products.

Enhancing packaging designs through digital printing

Moreover, the digital printing technology can produce several versions of the design on the packages thereby providing the management with varied options before shipping the package. Through the multivariate color approach of printing the package designs, the digital technique has the potential to provide different color designs for the particular product. As such, the manufacturing firm has a chance of deriving value from the packaging as a marketing technique in the new markets abroad. Elsewhere, the technique can be enhanced on universal platforms and substrates such as paper, metallic substances and plastic materials (Dumasi, Dhurup & Mafini, 2014). The manufacturing firm can take advantage of digital printing in ensuring that the package is enriched with the appropriate content that would go along in increasing their competitive position in the new markets. Besides, the digital printing as a short run method for producing packaging materials provides high-quality products for the displays within the packaging materials further increasing the potential to appeal to prospective customers within the marketplace.

Flexography for large-scale printing

Furthermore, the manufacturing firms can enhance easy edits before printing the packaging materials in situations where they feel it would be critical to attracting customers given their preferences. On the other hand, digital technology has a faster turnaround period (Akhtar, Ahmed, Jafar, Rizwan & Nawaz, 2016). The quick turnaround period provides the rationale for utilizing the printing approach as it offers the firm a chance to enhance its productivity for the new markets. The packaging approaches through the short runs are influenced by the professional desire for quality outputs. As such, a major rationale for utilizing the technique would involve the desire to improve the product’s image despite the existence of other established brands across the diverse American market.

Economies of scale with flexography printing

In addition, when the manufacturing firm realizes an increase in the production for its products, it would be essential to change to the flexography as a printing method for a large number of units. The flexography printing technique is crucial in the printing of non-porous surfaces such as those of packages (Spinellis, 2012). Utilizing the flexography for printing would increase not only enhance the packaging material to appeal to the consumers but would also go along in improving the design qualities on the packaging appearance. The flexography technique uses a presser that pushes the print message on the packaging materials while maintaining the quality of the packages. Firms attempt to decrease their cost of production by ensuring that they maximize on the use of the available resources within the firm (Akhtar et al., 2016). Through the use of flexography, the manufacturing firm can realize economies of scale as the printing approach reduces the cost of production the packaging labels as the production volume increases. Despite the fast production, flexography maintains the quality of production. Thus, the manufacturing firm can save on the cost of production that would ensure that they channel the resources for producing additional units.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the designs of packaging materials for products play an integral role in determining the likeability of a product. It is essential for the company to undertake test run programs on the product to determine its viability in the new markets in the United States through short run productions. The approach would go along in increasing their perception regarding the commodity. Besides, utilizing the short-run production approach would increase the potential for the company to reduce their cost of production across the manufacturing industry. The use of different methods for the printing during the short-run supply and increased supply would provide the economic benefit and value to the manufacturing company in China as it gears towards introducing its products to the global American market. Therefore, advancing cost-effective printing methods for packaging products would ensure that the company focuses on other aspects of marketing in enhancing competitive advantage.

References

Akhtar, N., Ahmed, I., Jafar, H. Y., Rizwan, A., & Nawaz, J. M. (2016). The impact of packaging, price and brand awareness on brand loyalty: A reseller perspective in the mobile sector of Pakistan. International Review of Management and Business Research, 5(3), 790-807.

Dumasi, T., Dhurup, M., & Mafini, C. (2014). The impact of packaging, price and brand awareness on brand loyalty: Evidence from the paint retailing industry. Professional Accountant, 14(1), 1-9.

Osterwalder, A., Pigneur, Y., Bernarda, G., & Smith, A. (2014). Value proposition design: How to create products and services customers want. Journal of Business Models, (3)1, pp. 81-92.

Spinellis, D., (2012). Cross-Media Service Delivery. Springer Science Publishers.