Future of Print: Goodbye QR Codes, I barely knew ya

Odds are you have seen the square shaped, funkier, hipper, cousin of the barcode — the QR Code. Quick Response codes are finally making a splash in the US market this year. Scan the codes with your smartphone to get a coupon, find information, locate a phone number, watch a movie, or whatever else mobile […]

Starbucks Challenges Paper Cup Waste via Sustanability Design Contest

Starbucks Challenges Paper Cup Waste via Sustanability Design Contest. Yesterday the winner of The Betacup Challenge, a Starbucks-sponsored design contest held to tackle the overwhelming amount of coffee cup waste accrued each year, was declared. The winning entry (see below), which was chosen by a jury of designers, engineers and entrepreneurs out of a pool of […]

37% of Retail Products Sold in Sustainable Packaging by 2015

In 2010, 27% of products at major US retailers are estimated to have sustainable packaging. By 2015, this figure is projected to reach 37%, according to the latest issue of EL Insights. “Sustainable packaging” has been regarded as pleonastic because packaging by definition should be functional, efficient, and cost- effective. Only recently, escalating environmental pressures […]

Redesigning the Coffee Cup

58 billion paper cups are thrown away – and are not recycled – every year. In a contest hosted by Jovoto, and partly sponsored by Starbucks and Core77, the Betacup project has the goal to find the best ideas to eliminate paper cup consumption. What could be a more sustainable alternative? This entry, by Miller Creative, solves […]

Pack Expo/GMA Conference speakers announced

The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) has named the General Session speakers for the inaugural Manufacturing Excellence Conference (Nov. 1–2, 2010), collocated with PACK EXPO International this fall (McCormick Place, Chicago; Oct. 31–Nov.3); PMMI owns and operates the PACK EXPO family of trade shows. PMMI President & CEO Charles D. Yuska notes that PACK EXPO, with […]

More Wineries Adopting QR Codes

Last year I wrote about the Portuguese wineries that have adopted QR codes on their wine labels. Recently, I have noticed more wineries adopting this cool new technology. A quick refresher on QR codes for the uninitiated. QR codes are a very useful tool for pointing people to more information about your product. This is […]

Soccer fans may get a kick out of new beer can

From at-home dispensing systems to high-definition images printed directly on the can, beer packaging is beginning to flex its innovative muscle. South African Breweries Ltd. (SAB), SABMiller plc’s subsidiary in South Africa, is adding yet another twist. To commemorate the upcoming FIFA World Cup soccer tournament, SAB is rolling out a new can with a […]

Customer Opportunities Expand with First-ever White Ink for Digital Sheet-fed Presses

HP today announced the availability of HP ElectroInk White for the new HP Indigo 7500 Digital Press, expanding the press’ capabilities, market and business potential. This follows the positive early reception of HP ElectroInk White for commercial and packaging applications on HP Indigo press 5000 and 5500 models following its worldwide launch three months ago. […]

Five benefits of kit packaging

Kitting is a growing service of contract packagers. Kits help retailers meet retailers’ needs for continual product refreshing and alternative unit-of-sale packages. Kitting has been a below-the-radar service of contract packagers, but now it is gaining steam. Walk down the aisles of any department store or home improvement center and you’ll see kit packs in […]

Kodak Changes Print Forever at Ipex 2010

BIRMINGHAM, UK, May 18 — Kodak innovation unveiled at Ipex 2010 helps customers capitalize on the unprecedented forces of change within the worlds of printing, packaging, publishing, and marketing. “Today, we introduced six new revolutionary products, most notably the KODAK PROSPER 5000XL Press, that will change print forever and accelerate the transformation of the graphic […]

Komori hosts sustainable packaging conference

Rolling Meadows, IL – More than 40 commercial print companies were represented at the recent “411 on Sustainable Packaging” Conference held by Komori America Corporation, a premier manufacturer of sheetfed and web offset printing presses. The event took place on May 5th and 6th in Chicago at the Schaumburg Marriott and Komori’s North American Headquarters. […]

Modernizing the Pantone Matching System

With the release of PANTONE PLUS, Pantone has taken an important step to modernize the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM (PMS), which has been a color communication standard for half a century. When Pantone introduced the Goe system in 2007, many wondered whether this was an attempt to replace PMS. According to Ron Potesky, that was not […]