Printing tech transforms packaging as personalization and automation proliferate

Consumers are increasingly seeking personalized packaging experiences and environmentally sustainable printing solutions. As printing technologies can transform product packaging and redefine how consumers interact with brands, companies are looking into the potential of digital printing, emphasizing on greater customization and automation.

We speak to industry experts at Ranpak and Smart Cups about how printing technology can enable mass customization and on-demand production while reducing waste.

Bryan Boatner, global managing director of automation at Ranpak, tells Packaging Insights: “When it comes to box customization, barriers have increased complexity and inventory must be prepared and stored for each application.”

Ranpak’s Print’it! in-line printing provides full-color customization on packaging within an automated system, allowing a single line to support multiple lid designs. 

“Moving forward, branding opportunities like this will likely call for more synergy and communication between operators and corporate marketing, which should open up a lot of untapped opportunities for creativity.” 

Functional performance

Chris Kanik, CEO and founder of Smart Cups, notes that in packaging, there is a continued move toward personalization, faster prototyping, and on-demand production. “The opportunity lies in digitization enabling mass customization and reducing the need for secondary packaging.”

Smart Cups uses printing technology in a novel and functional way (Image credit: Smart Cups).Kanik suggests that printing technology holds the potential to reduce waste and unlock new opportunities. “In Smart Cups’ case, we eliminate the need for bottles entirely, providing a more sustainable alternative to traditional packaging.”

Smart Cups Mart Cups uses printing technology to print accurate doses of pet supplements directly onto recyclable pet bowls. “Our patented platform enables the precise deposition of active and flavor ingredients directly onto surfaces through a specialized printing process.”

“Our printed delivery platform allows for controlled, mess-free, and pre-measured supplementation. As we enter the pet wellness space, we see a massive opportunity to reduce waste, improve dosing accuracy, and streamline logistics,” he adds. 

“Long term, this could significantly reduce plastic waste in the supplement and nutrition categories while ensuring pets receive consistent and high-quality nutrition through a convenient, eco-conscious format.”

E-commerce strategies

The e-commerce industry moves at a rapid pace, pushing packaging providers to stay agile and flexible in their offerings to meet customer needs and stay ahead of the competition.

For fulfillment operations in e-commerce and third-party logistics providers, Boatner says Ranpak’s Print’it! provides “unparalleled opportunities,” as it allows for a single automation line equipped with height reduction to also support on-demand printing.

“Custom designs associated with a package license plate can be printed after the box is right-sized and sealed, adjusting to the different heights. This means that complex business environments where branding is important have a new tool to build customer connection without increasing complexity.”

Boatner highlights how the ability to print custom designs on boxes can foster deeper consumer connections. 

“Some strong use cases include personalized or limited time offers, birthday greetings, or custom messages on gift orders. Building customer loyalty through personalization can increase purchase frequency, shareability on social platforms, and even customer advocacy — all of which improve the bottom line.”Ranpak’s Print’it! can support separate branding for individual packages on a single line (Image credit: Ranpak).

Driving the future

Boatner and Kanik share a vision for the future of printing technology that centers on greater personalization and automation. 

“Our automation solutions are built for scalability, with the idea that our customers have an easy entry point into a world of automation that can grow with them as their business increases,” shares Boatner.

“Like other packaging features, the ability to print and add personalization to box lids will allow early adopters to stand out, but eventually, for industries such as e-commerce, it will become increasingly expected.”

Kanik highlights the broader impact that printing technology can have on sustainability. “Our future lies in leveraging our platform to enable sustainable, scalable, and cost-effective delivery of active ingredients, without the need for liquids or excess packaging.”

“Smart Cups is focused on expanding our platform across multiple verticals — from human nutrition to pharmaceuticals and now into pet wellness. We’re actively automating production, growing our B2B pipeline, and raising capital to meet the increasing demand for our technology,” he says.