The one-day virtual conference, which is free to attend, will showcase how businesses can adopt connected packaging to create engaging customer experiences, gather valuable first-party data and drive increased sales. Attendees will gain insights into the evolving landscape and discover new strategies to enhance their brand’s competitiveness in our digital world.

The Global Connected Packaging Summit 2024 will feature discussions and presentations from Ivan Gonzalez, CEO at online recycling platform Recycl3r, Thomas Vollmuth, head of brand owner management at developer of print technologies Koenig and Bauer, Gavin Ger, CEO and founder at Australian technology company Laava, and Mohamed Bassyouny, business development manager at packaging solutions supplier SIG.

Other speakers include Steve Wardle, senior manager for design operations and process at sustainable food company Kellanova, Rachel Sheldon, sustainability and innovation manager UK & IRE at sustainable plastic packaging specialist Greiner Packaging, Gregor Murray, from brand advisors Digital Commerce Global, Alice Rackley, CEO at QR code company Polytag and Katie Livesley, managing partner for digital display at customer growth agency Dentsu UK.

The speakers will share insights and expertise on key topics including QR codes, NFC, RFID, AR, AI, sustainability, reuse, innovative packaging approaches and how to effectively implement connected packaging. With more speakers to be announced in the next few weeks, attendees will also have the opportunity to network with a diverse range of industry professionals.

Last year’s event saw over 400 attendees including brands such as SIG, Kelloggs, Amazon, Tetra Pak, Danone and The PackHub. Attendees this year include Tetra Pak, Nestle, SIG, Laava, Recycl3r, Amazon and Greiner Packaging among others.

According to research from creative technology studio and conference organiser Appetite Creative in its third annual connected packaging survey released earlier this year there has been sustained interest in connected packaging over the last 12 months, with 82% of those surveyed stating they have used connected packaging, slightly more than the 81% that said so in the survey released in 2023, and considerably more than the 54% that stated this in 2022.

The conference will be presented by Jenny Stanley, managing director at Appetite Creative, who will seek to help attendees explore the value connected packaging can deliver across meaningful, unique and personalised customer engagement.

Ms Stanley commented, ‘We’re pleased to once again host the Global Connected Packaging Summit, and to welcome a wide range of experts to share their invaluable perspectives on the future of connected packaging and its impact on consumer engagement and brand experiences.

‘Our recent research shows the perceived value of data collection through connected packaging rising, especially in the context of the imminent demise of third-party cookie data. I’m looking forward to uncovering new ways brands can tap into this evolving technology.’

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A sister company to Full Circle Events & Exhibitions, Psycho Peacock is based in Salford, Greater Manchester and provides a service from design to installation for graphics in exhibitions, events, retail, museums, construction and visitor attractions. The investments are expected to provide up to six times the previous capacity, with the output from the previous four machines produced by the already installed and profiled P5 350.

Steve Comar, Psycho Peacock’s managing director, commented, ‘This investment gives us the scope and resources to fully deliver on our goals for both graphics and print, across our key sectors, live events, exhibitions and retail for the next three years. We can be assured due to the Durst technology, incredible quality and output metrics, that we can stand by our commitment to continually drive innovation which underpins our values and clients’ needs.’

The Tex iSub production printer is said to have opened up new business opportunities with dye sublimation for Psycho Peacock. The company said the investment in ‘cutting-edge machinery epitomising speed, quality and efficiency’ will ‘revolutionise output.’

Andrew McIntyre, general manager at Psycho Peacock, added, ‘The big thing with the Durst is that it provides the highest print quality, massive extra capacity and flexibility. Dye-sub also enables us to produce sustainable products, using fully recyclable materials, which means waste never goes to landfill. This opens up new business possibilities in a year when we are already beating our own ambitious sales targets.’

‘Delighted’ with Psycho Peacock’s investment into Durst’s technology, Peter Bray, UK and Ireland managing director of Durst Group, said, ‘Offering complete solutions from pixel to output, we continue to lead by innovation and look forward to continuing to help the team fully deliver on their goals. Our technology will help them further with their sustainability goals, commitment to excellence, streamlining logistics and moving towards greater automation.’

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3 Sixty serves the retail, visual merchandising, exhibition, event and commercial interiors sectors. Managing director Richard Inkin said, ‘The P5 350 HS gives us huge versatility due to the hybrid capabilities as well as the high speed and quality levels it can achieve. Its handling of some of the more unique materials we use was also a big tick in the box.

‘The incredible performance levels mean we can now work more efficiently throughout the business, as print is only one element of many in getting a job out of the door. Having more time now to cut, collate and pack the jobs has given us more flexibility in the way we work. The P5 speed levels mean that we will not need to run anywhere near the high speeds it can achieve and still increase our capacity by more than 30% without the extra costs that we would think we would have incurred. Print is about manufacturing a high quality product from start to finish, not just how quickly you can print it.

‘The flexibility of the machine allows us now to go after more business across all sectors we work in – retail, events and the exhibitions sectors to name a few. We know that our clients will see the benefits of our investments which have only been possible with their support of both our customers and our suppliers. Durst was brilliant, along with Compass Business Finance, in putting the deal in place and therefore helping us to focus and drive forward. 2024 has exciting opportunities for everyone but also if we are all honest, a degree of uncertainty, so investment in the right type of equipment is key. We are sure we have made the right decision.’

Mr Inkin also explained that the business aims to make ‘significant’ investments ever two or three years, in order to have up-to-date technology and to maximise environmental performance with regards to inks, material developments and reducing power consumption.

‘Having looked at the offerings available through partners we already have and other manufacturers, we decided to go with Durst because of the technology in the machine and we were confident in continuing a strong and long-term relationship,’ he concluded.

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Bulldog Display owner Brian Prosser stated, ‘People pay silly money for this kind of machine when they don’t need to.

‘It uses the latest generation Ricoh Gen6 Print Heads, which is the key component, and the engineering is equal to anything else on the market – there was no contest!

‘Plus, this is the third machine we have bought from RSR, they have always looked after us and been a great company to deal with.’

Print Finisher Tyler Hill said, ‘This is a machine which will do pretty much everything for us.

‘Typically, this means adhesive rolls such as greyback or high tack, plus all kinds of boards up to around 80mm thick, with the option of running acrylics, glass, even wood.’

The new Gibson machine replaced a roll-fed Refretonic 3.2m Eco Solvent Printer. The addition of a flatbed production capability was a key reason for the investment, but not the most significant as Mr Hill stated, ‘Running UV inks has been a revelation.

‘Previously we would print and then laminate, but now we have cut the lamination stage out altogether, which saves a great deal of time and expense.

‘It’s not just reduced print and drying time, there’s a better-quality matt finish to our work, plus it’s more durable and scratch resistant.’

During busy periods, the new Gibson Hybrid can produce up to 24 sqm/hr as Mr Hill explained, ‘The vacuum bed keeps everything precisely flat and rolls continuously like a treadmill.

‘There are lots of details I like, it’s self-lubricating, unlike our old machine, and it comes with an Onyx Rip which offers a lot of control.

‘There are lots of clever design features to make my job easier.’

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The show, which will run from 10am to 4pm, will highlight some state-of-the-art print and packaging ideas involving Vivid Laminating Technologies Ltd, XMPie (now part of CareAR) and Xerox.

Highlights of the event include: Xerox’s latest advances in inkjet technology, its ‘beyond CMYK’ digital toner presses featuring metallics, pink, clear and white ink, XMPie software and data solutions, the latest FreeFlow Core workflow automation solutions, plus Vivid’s laminating and foiling technologies.

Sample applications to be demonstrated include the production of digitally-printed scratchcards.

To register click here.

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The event, sponsored by Canon, takes place on 28 September at the Mail Rail Museum in London and will be hosted by Sky Sports presenter Hayley McQueen. The special guest of the night is former Olympic silver medallist, Gail Emms MBE.

The SMP is also reminding mail producers not to leave it too late to enter with the deadline of 31 August just round the corner.

Mailing houses and printers are invited to enter. Business size is irrelevant and the judges will be looking for how mail producers have made a difference to a client’s mailing or a campaign. The size of the client is also immaterial – only the performance of the mailing will be taken into consideration, according to the SMP.

The awards are open to all SMP members, and businesses that are not members can sign up for free to submit an entry, which is also free. Entries can cover business mail, advertising mail, door drop or partially-addressed mailings and can be B2B or B2C focused.

SMP chairman Lucy Swanston said, ‘These awards, which we are delighted Canon is sponsoring this year, specifically look to celebrate and showcase exceptional work across our industry. Unlike other awards, what we want to see specifically is what the mail producers did that made the difference to a client’s mailing or campaign.’

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EPS’s omni-channel marketing software MarketDirect Cross Media, featured by UK distributor Transeo Media, will allow artwork to be personalised for printing by ASL Group on its stand via a Ricoh cut-sheet toner press, with files supplied and managed by an EFI Fiery Controller. Paper and board stocks supplied by Antalis will be used, with cutting and creasing carried out on Morgana equipment.Pre-registrations will be available from 1 September and the complete workflow will be showcased at The Print Show.

John Morley, global channel director, EPS, stated, ‘Partnerships are key to success and working closely with these fantastic industry brands has been pivotal to the success this project. Although similar has been done in the past, nothing like this has been attempted live at a show. From a full pre-event personalised targeted marketing campaign, web-2-pack order acquisition, personalised print then finished into a beautiful gift for lucky Print Show visitors. We are excited to show what our technology can do, especially when integrated into an industry ecosystem and collaboration with excellent industry partners.’

Digital Printer’s preview of the The Print Show is available online here.

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The new position will see Mr Taylor, who has worked at KNP for three years, join the leadership team to help drive new client relationships and expand the business.

Managing director Dave Gibbons said, ‘I’ve been putting a structure in place that better positions KNP to meet the needs of our customers not only now but in the future. This role is pivotal in that structure and Graham was the ideal person. The industry experience and print knowledge he has, together with his natural leadership skills made him the obvious choice.’

Mr Taylor added, ‘To say I’m excited is an understatement. KNP’s goal of being the juncture between print, data and mail is one I’ve bought into, and in my new role I’m excited to deliver on that goal.

‘‘My new position gives me the remit to build on KNP’s profile whilst continuing to energise our sales force in communicating what is a compelling offering, and open doors to new clients. To be honest, the retention of clients, and the long-lasting relationships we have, never fails to amaze me. It’s this foundation that cements our standing and will help open those doors.

‘I’m at a company where everyone motivates each other, and the work ethic is simply inspiring. So I’m excited to harness the strong team already in place to marry the sales force together, improve the customer experience, increase productivity and drive the business to new heights. Very exciting times ahead indeed.’

The UK-based business, which prints brochures, leaflets, direct mail, large format, PoS, signage and event branding, has recently reinforced its commitment to sustainability by launching its ‘eco-promise’ and its new virtual print portal, Imperium.

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The company will host the event at its exhibition space in Clerkenwell Road, London, from 14 – 22 July 2022. The workshops will provide coders, artists and anyone else who is curious an opportunity to explore a new software which fuses software coding with art.

The workshops will be run by graphic designer and educator Oswin Tickler, who pioneered the HP Spark printing technology. His software is the culmination of a creative experiment that explored how coding and algorithms can be visualised other than as strings of letters and numbers, in graphical designs, from maps and constellations to landscapes.

Participants at the free workshops will be able to take away a copy of their creation, printed by print partner FE Burman on a selection of HP Indigo-certified papers from Fedrigoni.

Ian Braithwaite, commercial manager at Fedrigoni, said, ‘These workshops provide a space for creatives to experiment with a new and innovative medium and understand further the strong interplay between the paper materials and printing processes used to produce unique and striking art.

‘Thanks to our vast collection of HP Indigo-certified products, choosing a high-quality, creative paper for your digitally printed projects has never been easier.’

Workshops are by appointment only on 15, 18 and 22 July, with morning or afternoon sessions.

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The purchase comes as a consequence of a buoyant order book for 2022 that includes firm commitments from retailers, supermarkets and a number of large sporting events. To cope with the volume and turnaround required, Hollywood Monster needed to replace one of its older 5m printers, a Vutek GS5000r that had been in service for a decade.

‘The GS5000r has output millions of pounds worth of work, so it’s definitely earned its keep but it’s too slow now,’ explained CEO Simon McKenzie. Launched at the beginning of 2021, the Q5r was chosen for its ‘industrial’ printing capacity. ‘We’ve ordered this printer purely for quality high volume output. We’ve not added any extras like eight colours or white inks because our HS125 Pros and 5r cover this. We just wanted a 5m printer to reliably keep pumping out high quality print,’ said Mr McKenzie.

‘Like the HS125 Pro and the h5, the Q5r really pushes performance. Compared to the generation of GS machines before, it’s like chalk and cheese. We’re buying the new printer for nearly the same price as we did the old GS but this is more robust, more finely tuned, performs to another level. The price just doesn’t reflect this, it’s very affordable,’ he added.

The purchase coincides with Hollywood Monster’s 30th anniversary and was bought without a demonstration. ‘We’re buying total quality, a highly engineered product with a good return on investment that we have maximum faith in,’ noted Mr McKenzie.

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