In recent years, an increasing number of packaging manufacturers and brand managers are investing in the development of sophisticated packaging that makes a product stand out from its competitors and reflects its market value and branding at the point of sale. This has led to the rise in demand for packaging materials of improved quality, latest technology, high quality printing solutions as well as diverse finishing work. The successful application of various finishing techniques (such as gloss, embossing, foil stamping, laminations and coating) to packaging is the real value addition to the packaging and has helped to capture consumer attention through visual appeal.
Amongst various packaging substrates, paperboard packaging is preferred by several finishers as it offers a versatile platform for finishers to create special effects with clay coatings, barrier coatings, ultraviolet coatings, laminations, embossing, debossing, foil stamping, pearlescence, metalizing, fluorescent inks and holograms. Moreover, various attributes of paperboard like its receptive surfaces that are ideally suited for vivid inks and coatings, strong construction that accepts attention-grabbing embossing without cracks or breaks, polished finish that melds with foils and holograms for vibrancy and depth allow finishers to effectively craft different processes. Today, a combination of various finishing techniques is widely used for secondary packaging of cosmetics, luxurious goods, food products (like chocolates, bakery products & sweets) and alcoholic beverages.
The global finishing industry for packaging is largely fragmented and unorganised. Although there are some large as well as small scale companies worldwide which have expertise in different package finishing technologies, their congregation does not fall under the classification of a sector as a whole. One of the possible reasons can be that many packaging companies perform finishing processes along with their routine packaging activities. As a result, these companies are accounted as part of packaging companies and not as finishing companies. However, given the rising global demand for finishing techniques for packaging application, the number of finishing companies is likely to increase in the near future.
Use of Finishing Processes in the Packaging Industry
Foil stamping
Foil stamping - the only finishing process capable of applying a non-tarnishing metallic foil print to paper as well as plastic and paperboard - provides elegant and exciting visual effects to product packaging. Foil stamping is generally used to enhance logos, lettering in product names or slogans which help to grab consumer's attention.
In addition to the traditional silver and gold foil stamping, nowadays foils are available in matte and gloss finishes, in a wide range of colours and patterns including holographic, geometric, wood grain, brushed metal, rainbow, pearlescent, and imitation leather. This has considerably helped in giving the packages a variety of finishing touches. Further, the reproduction of graphics such as logos, polished metal, or highlighted spot areas requiring a high quality reflective image can be successfully achieved by using foil films rather than metallic inks that provide a subdued appearance. As a result, finishers are finding it increasingly valuable to use foil stamping to decorate packages.
Moreover, the ability to provide security to the packaged goods from tampering and counterfeiting has helped foil stamping process to be used increasingly by converters. Foil stamped tamper-evident labels have already been introduced in the market. These labels tear apart when touched and can not be replaced on the package. Apart from this, holograms are globally used as anti-counterfeiting tools. It is a two or three-dimensional image developed photographically with the use of lasers (as the light source) and special optics to create the graphics or photo images. The image is then transferred to special foil film ready to be stamped onto a selected material. The dynamic effects created by holograms are difficult to duplicate, thus making duplication of packaging difficult.
Embossing
Embossing is the process often employed by packaging manufacturers to convey a high quality textural contrast to the packaging design in relation to the surrounding area of the stock. Thus, most tangible of all enhancements, embossing lends distinction and depth to paperboard packaging. In fact, it is the process used to create a three-dimensional design on paper, leather and other ductile materials (like copper and aluminium).
The three-dimensional design is achieved by applying heat and pressure on a metal die and a matching counter die. When the substrate is pressed between the heated die and the counter die, the desired image is pressed into it, creating the raised image. Most types of paper and boards can be embossed and there are no restrictions on size. When the same process creates an indented image, it is called debossing.
There are also certain special applications within embossing which can further emphasise its effect. For instance, Gloss Emboss - where clear transparent foil is combined with embossing resulting in a high gloss embossed image. On the other hand, in Textured Emboss, textured effects such as pebble, wood-grain and raindrops are used to give a tactile quality to the package.
Today, embossing is often used to create logos or accents surrounding logos, borders or highlights surrounding images and elegant accents for distinctive symbols, images, graphics, etc to highlight packages. Manufacturers tend to apply embossing techniques to the packaging as embossed images are not only visually appealing but also make the products so attractive that the customer wants to reach out and touch them. Further, embossing when combined with foil stamping is known as combination stamping. It is impressive and rich in appearance, and is often used in expensive packaging for premium products.
In recent years, the leading packaging manufacturers have used embossing techniques to enhance aesthetic values of their packaging. In this regard, Ball Packaging Europe can be a case in point. The company has used the embossing technique to give their product 'Bavaria 8.6. Red' (a beer can) an unmistakable appearance. It has used the technology in an innovative way which makes the area immediately surrounding the design detail much flatter. The company has also applied a transparent varnish to the can which accentuates the embossing. Further, the light ref lexes generated on the embossed surfaces clearly define the three-dimensional nature of the design. The application of embossing technology has been successful in conveying elegance and quality for the company's 'Bavaria 8.6. Red' brand.
Lamination
Lamination is yet another finishing technique which is used in the packaging world for a variety of purposes. Lamination adds lustre or gloss to a printed product while providing stability to the packaging sheet. It also makes the package waterproof and tamperproof. Moreover, cartons made of paper and paperboard can be used for storing liquid food items such as milk, juice, etc by fabricating paperboard with laminates foil and polyethylene.
Further, by laminating films, aluminium foil or polymer coatings with paperboard, moisture or oxygen barrier can be enhanced or aroma barriers can be added/created. Also, it provides barriers to harsh chemicals, carbon dioxide, and other product degraders. As a result, in case of flexible packaging, laminates have largely been successful in replacing single material structures.
Coating and finishing
Presently, coating is used by many packaging manufacturers to enhance the appearance of folding cartons as it helps in bringing about specific surface properties, including gloss level (high, satin or matte), rub resistance, chemical resistance, and barrier properties. On store shelves, the glossy appearance provided by coating techniques not only attracts consumers but also protects the package from scuffs, fingerprints and excessive handling.
Nowadays, majority of folding cartons are coated with either a water-based or ultraviolet (UV) cured coating. Cured or dried through ultraviolet rays, UV coatings are endowed with a high quality clear finish with exceptional gloss, abrasion resistance and chemical resistance. In fact, UV coatings are largely preferred by packaging manufacturers for their gloss and chemical resistance. Besides, film over wraps that detract from colour images can be eliminated entirely by adding a UV coating and a top closure to the paperboard package. Further, because of high gloss look that the UV coating provides, it is often referred to as liquid lamination. UV coatings are also available in matte or surface receptive (low slip) finishes. However, they are very expensive and difficult to use than water-based coatings that are used to provide a quick-drying, protective seal.
Gloss is the property that has been strongly influenced by the coating. Higher gloss is often preferred for greater customer appeal as gloss is often associated with a "premium product." In recent years, packaging manufacturers have introduced various high-gloss paper coatings which add attention-grabbing shine for a high-quality look. Concurrently, paperboard boxes are coloured and coated with a deluxe high gloss varnish finish for a sophisticated high end look. In line with this trend, Glama Pak, a leading packaging company in Australia has created a finish process called Glama Glaze which creates stunning effects on packaging. Glama Glaze offers five colour print plus brilliant gloss highlights with locked in, mark free colour in a single process which enhances the look of the product greatly.
Further, the growing demand for packaging that provides protection against light, grease and humidity as well as nurtures stability, stiffness and sealability of the packaging has resulted in rising application of extrusion coating process. Extrusion coating is a process to coat an additional layer of polyethylene onto an existing rollstock of paper, foil or film. The combination of polyethylene with other materials such as paper, cardboard or aluminium foil makes the package water resistant. The extruded layer can also be used as an adhesive to bring two other materials together. While extrusion coating is conventionally used in paperboard, paper and flexible packaging, there is a rising demand from fastest growing markets which include high barrier products such as stand-up pouches and pharmaceutical packaging.
Today, extrusion coating process is primarily used for packaging of commodities ranging from milk, juice, wine, meat, cheese, pet food, frozen food, pharmaceutical products to detergent cartons.
Tetra Pak, the global leader in food processing and packaging solutions, has used extrusion technology to develop some of its products such as aseptic processing liquid food packaging. In order to make the cartons fully airtight, plastic and aluminium coated paperboards are combined with an aseptic filling system (the system, used to fill product that has been kept in ultra high temperature into sterilised packaging materials and to seal them in a closed filling machine).
In addition to the above mentioned finishing techniques, finishers have also experimented with a number of inks to add that extra sparkle to the design. While, pearlescent and metallic inks render a sophisticated effect that communicates quality, fluorescent inks provide a visual jolt and energy level which is difficult to achieve with conventional inks. Fluorescent inks' semi-transparent nature permits overprinting and achieving different colour mixtures. The pigments in fluorescent inks transform the energy from invisible ultraviolet light into visible light. This helps in emitting an intensely bright colour which can be up to three times as bright as that found in normal inks. Fluorescents can only be used on white paperboard and offer the most impact when contrasted with darker colours. And because fluorescent pigments are not fade resistant, they are best used on packaging which will have a shorter shelf life.
Way Forward
In view of the rising demand for premium product packaging and strong growth of retail sector, the demand for finishing techniques is expected to increase substantially in the near future. Further, according to Pira International, the Global Packaging Industry valued at US$ 564 bn in 2007 is forecast to increase to US$ 667 bn by 2012. Since packaging creates derived demand for finishing techniques, the robust growth in the global packaging industry is expected to spur demand for various finishing techniques. In line with this, the global paints and coatings market, which also includes coatings for packages, is forecast (according to Datamonitor) to grow to US$ 105.7 bn by 2011 from US$ 91 bn in 2006. On the other hand, given the stringent recycling requirements for packaged products, demand for metalized laminates may witness some moderation in future.
- Onboard, ITC Limited