Presentation summary of Thomas Reiner keynote address at the SPC Open House
In a far-reaching keynote speech that kept a packed audience at the SPC Open House spellbound for almost an hour, CEO and co-owner Berndt+Partner Group, Thomas Reiner focused on two major packaging industry trends – digitization and sustainability.
Brand owners and retailers determine demand and set requirements for packaging. A fast time to market, low minimum orders to reduce waste and changing consumer behaviour like growing demand for e-commerce solutions are all among the reasons why organisations and brands have to rethink business models.
“Compelling Trends Driving Digital Transformation in Packaging” was the theme of the presentation at the Durst Innovation Center East in Lienz, Austria, given by Mr Reiner, the founder of Berndt + Partner, the packaging and communication consultants with a network of offices across the world.
To underpin a message of the vital importance of sustainability, Mr Reiner used a mixture of graphics and varied fact sources to get his message across. “Converters are in deep waters” was one where he pointed out that whereas 78% of converters recognize sustainability as an opportunity, only 12% have a strategy to address the issue.
Waste has been recognized as a problem that has been escalating since the 1980s, climate change concern has been particularly growing in the 2000s but now the combination of climate and waste is going to cause a massive disruption.
Regardless of where people are in the packaging value chain, there is an unmistakable transition to a circular economy, a subject on everybody’s agenda. Coupled with legislative risk of the Green Deal, converters are going to have to be agile and adaptable to be able to thrive in the unfolding paradigm.
Consumers are taking an active role. Whether it’s renewable, recyclable or biodegradable inputs for production or recovering resources and materials from end-of-life products, brands and retailers are responding with their sustainability strategies.
Mr. Reiner quoted Larry Fink (Chairman and CEO BlackRock) “With the impact of sustainability on investment returns increasing, we believe that sustainable investing is the strongest foundation for client portfolios going forward.”
In his keynote speech, Mr Reiner also covered digital transformation and provided examples of brands and retailers moving towards more sustainable packaging. A move in the right direction is that 70% of US branded companies already design their packaging to be suitable for e-commerce.
Companies and individuals need to close the gap on the fast rate of change in technology advances where the market shifts from supply driven to a demand driven basis.
There is a major disconnect between consumer expectations and industry agility with respect to time to market. Mr Reiner showed a graph where the reality is a 198-day time for new product variant, the CMO perception and aspiration is actually 90 and 30 days respectively, yet the consumer expectation is nearer to one day!
Change is coming! As Mr Reiner concluded with a quote from Albert Einstein:
“The purest form of madness is to leave everything as it is and hope that something will change at the same time.”
By Jeff Jolley, Director of Value Engineering and Design, The Royal Group
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Koenig & Bauer Durst has used its latest SPC Open House to announce a new addition to its product portfolio with the unveiling of the Delta SPC 130 FlexLine Eco+ industrial production press for run lengths from one to millions of square metres. The entry-level, compact model will offer corrugated converters a new route into digital packaging or will enhance their current capabilities.
The Delta SPC 130 FlexLine Eco+ press, using water-based, food-safe, sustainable inks, will offer an impressive price performance ratio for converters with media sizes up to 1.3 metres by 2.8 metres. This new press will be fully upgradeable to the Delta SPC FlexLine Automatic press. Sales start now. Based on its established, market-proven Delta SPC 130 FlexLine Automatic press, the new machine will be addressing converters with volumes of between 4 million and 8 million square metres a year. It also includes a compact drying system.
With more than 60 guests at the SPC Open House at the Durst Innovation Center East in Lienz, Austria, in May, Koenig & Bauer Durst also announced the introduction of Dynamic Nozzle Management (DNM). This tool will significantly reduce the printhead maintenance across its Delta SPC 130 product portfolio, which will be another boost for customers’ productivity.
DNM will become part of the standard package for the Delta SPC 130 portfolio, including the new Eco+ model, and will further reduce the maintenance cycles of the Koenig & Bauer Durst’s industry acclaimed, long-lasting printheads. The tool identifies nozzle clogging and can then be programmed to manage the level of ink being jetted from the head. It ensures that high-quality production is always maintained.
Matthias Krautgasser, Koenig & Bauer Durst’s Delta SPC 130 Product Manager, said: “We have already implemented our automated non-contact cleaning system – DNM will further increase uptime and productivity of our Delta SPC 130 product lineup. DNM is another tool in our parcel of advanced technologies which will give our customers even more confidence in these challenging times. The DNM will be fitted to all new products, including the Delta SPC 130 FlexLine Eco+ model that will be available from next year. It can also be upgraded to existing customer machines.
“Many of the corrugated converters we are in discussion with have run lengths of between 4-8 million sq/m per year, so the new Koenig & Bauer Durst Delta SPC 130 Eco+ will be perfect for them, with the capability to upgrade to the SPC 130 FlexLine Automatic press later.”
Robert Stabler, Managing Director, Koenig & Bauer Durst, said: “Raw material shortages, cost pressures and mitigation strategies continue to be high on the agenda for customers. Coupled with brand owners demanding that new production methods are reliable, compliant and cost effective, we are confident that our complete product portfolio, including the new Eco+ press from Koenig & Bauer Durst, will meet the rapidly changing requirements. It was clear from discussions at our SPC Open House that converters increasingly need to have the capabilities and competencies to mass customize without any compromise on quality, and all at an effective total cost of ownership, which we provide.”
Guest blog by Adam Shafer, Director of Business Development, The Royal Group
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The challenges facing converters in the corrugated board market will come under the spotlight in Koenig & Bauer’s SPC Open House in Lienz, Austria, on 12 May. The drive where brand owner and retailers are dynamically moving towards a circular economy, digital transformation and sustainability will also be among topics under discussion at the live event.
With travel restrictions easing, converters from mainland Europe and further afield will be converging on the Durst Innovation Center East location in the beautiful eastern Tyrol where the keynote address will be given by global packaging expert Thomas Reiner, co-founder and CEO of Berndt & Partner. How brands are thinking and planning for their digital transformation in the current paradigm will be among the insights he will outline to delegates.
Koenig & Bauer Durst will also use the SPC Open House for important announcements, including product updates, as the world continues to move towards digital production. The theme will be ‘Compelling trends driving digital transformation in corrugated packaging’ – and the day-long event will be preceded by an evening dinner and networking event.
Robert Stabler, Managing Director of Koenig & Bauer Durst, said: “With factors such as intense inflationary pressures and acute product shortages, converters like never before are looking to optimize their production by reducing waste and increasing the value of the goods they supply to their clients. Reduced lead times and shorter run lengths, coupled with greater forecast unpredictability, are also among the trends driving the surge towards single pass digital printing that helps converters meet evolving demands of brand owners.
“We are incredibly excited about our SPC Open House on May 12 and look forward to welcoming delegates in person to discuss the new challenges and opportunities for the corrugated packaging market. Please reach out to your local Koenig & Bauer Durst local partners for more details.”
By Robert Stabler, Managing Director, Koenig & Bauer Durst
The old English saying, “Today’s newspaper is tomorrow’s fish and chip paper” has evolved… these days, countless printed products could have once been a newspaper.
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Koenig & Bauer Durst GmbH
Friedrich-Koenig-Str. 4
97080 Würzburg
Germany
Phone: +49 931 909 0
Email: info@koenig-bauer-durst.com
Koenig & Bauer Durst GmbH
Friedrich-Koenig-Str. 4
97080 Würzburg
Germany
Phone: +49 931 909 0
Email: info@koenig-bauer-durst.com