That was the message it presented last week to 700 customers from around the world attending its Special Effects Inforum at its Wiesloch factory.

The growing importance of branding as firms seek to differentiate increasingly similar products on the shelf will make packaging and the way it is printed more important.

It also highlighted that packaging includes two markets pressure-sensitive labels and monofoils that are growing at double or higher rates than the print industry average, making them particularly attractive.

Packaging alone must make the customer make a decision in 15-20 seconds, said Friddin Leis, vice president sheetfed business development packaging and label solutions.

As well as being attractive, printed packaging will also need to incorporate security devices.

There will be an increasing trend to copy brands and share their success, he said. It will be our industrys role to police this with special features for brand protection.

These needs will not, however, be at any price.

As attractive as a label is, it must be available quickly, cost effectively and integrated into product filling, Leis said.

The show included the first demonstration of the Speedmaster 102 Duo, the worlds first combination sheetfed flexo and litho press running flexo before offset.

Heidelberg claimed the ability to lay down opaque white metallics or sizes using flexo prior to printing offset would reduce materials costs, fit problems and makeready times.

The combined process also reduces inventory and turnaround times. There are two beta sites, one in Germany and the other in the Ukraine.

Story by Barney Cox

Pictured: Duo first demonstration