Packaging is an industry, which was there, is there and will be there in future as well. With the market becoming more and more consumer centric, great emphasis is laid on packaging. Along with product packaging, shifting from one place to other also needs proper packaging of products so that they are not damaged and destroyed in transit.
Whatever be the need of packaging, it is true that without the right kinds of packaging materials, the job will not be done in the right manner.
Evolution in the packaging industry
Like other industries, the packaging industry is also evolving and changing with time. And it is facing challenges from various sectors. For instance, technological inventions are making a deep impact on this industry.
It depends whether these changes will be accepted or not keeping in mind the expenses involved and the end results. Sustainability is a major factor that plays a pivotal role in the packaging industry.
Right from packing a toothbrush to packing an iPhone, strong feelings can be evoked via packaging. This can bring in positive responses as well as negative responses.
Product packaging came much later. Before that packing was mainly intended to secure products from breakage and other kinds of damages during transit. But gradually with product packaging, it started to create brand identity and build brand reputation. It has been seen in different survey reports that poor packaging has ended the life of a product while good packaging has taken it to new levels altogether.
Hence the power of packaging cannot be undermined in any manner.
Sustainable packaging gaining prominence
It is quite interesting to see that almost every sector of the economy is integrally related to packaging. Right from diapers to herbs to spices to nuclear reactors, everything comes to us in the form of packaging of some kind or the other. The packaging industry is estimated to reach almost $1 trillion by 2020.
The main brad segments in packaging include cardboard and paper, glass, plastic of different qualities and cans. Every packaging company now emphasizes on using recyclable and sustainable materials for packaging making them eco-friendly. Wastes are also reduced greatly by this system.
Cardboard, paper, glass and metallic cans can be easily recycled. Problems start with plastic packaging. Emphasis is being laid on use of eco-friendly plastics, which keep minimal residual and can be recycled.
Impact of technological innovations and applications
While sustainable packaging is showing a great step forward in the packaging industry, implementation of several technological innovations are making things little complex.
Use of sensors, digitization and internet of things are having a reverse effect on the packaging industry. Basically a conflict is being seen between technological innovations and sustainability.
Implementing the technology is seeming to be difficult for many suppliers who deal with packaging supplies as the costs involved are very high. But again, 3D packaging is showing to make great impact on product packaging. With digital packaging, customers might be attracted to the products more and this will lead to brand development and brand management.
It is high time that the packaging industry starts thinking out of the box. It is important to implement the changes in such a manner so that it can bring in maximum profits. With efforts from all sectors, it might be possible to take the packaging industry to new heights.
