Packaging – Market Insights

The demand for packaging has been growing exponentially as the packaging design is the most important approach to draw eyeballs of customers. Besides branding, the packing design of your product can either make or break you in the industry.

According to the report ‘The Future of Global Packaging to 2022’, the demand for packaging will grow steadily at 2.9% to reach $980 billion in 2022. There will be 3% rise in the global packaging sales and growth at an annual rate of 4% by 2018.

In Asia, sales of packaging accounted for 36% of the total wheras North America and Western Europe have shares wher 23% and 22% respectively.

In 2012, Eastern Europe was the fourth largest consumer of packaging with a global share of 6%, closely followed by South and Central America with 5%. The Middle East represents 3% of the global demand for packaging, while Africa and Australia, each have a 2% share.

This market segmentation is expected to change significantly by the end of 2018 as Asia is predicted to represent over 40% of global demand.

Demand for packaging in China, India, Brazil, Russia and other emerging economies are driven by growing urbanization, investment in housing and construction, the development of retail chains and the burgeoning healthcare, and cosmetics sectors.

Packaging & Its importance:

Packaging ensures the protection of the products that are meant to be distributed in the market for the purpose of sale, storage, use etc. Generally, it refers to the process of designing, evaluating, and producing packages. Some of the common packaging products include boxes, cartons, cans, bottles, bags, envelopes, wrappers, and containers.

With the increasing demand for packaging, many companies have started finding ways and techniques to sell their products through better designing and packaging. Attractive, strong packaging designs not only help to protect the products from breakage and damages but they are also helpful in grabbing the attention of the end consumer.

Different Types of Packaging Methods

Different types of packaging methods are:

•     Anti-corrosive Packaging
•     Pharma Packaging
•     Plastics Packaging
•     Flexible Packaging

1) Anti-corrosive Packaging

Anti-corrosion refers to the protection of metal surfaces from corroding in high-risk (corrosive) environments.

Products can be protected against corrosion and avoid the tedious sequences using anti-corrosive packaging. Materials such as VCI bubble film, paper, oil, chips, and bags that are used as a part of anti-corrosive packaging helps to prevent goods from exposing to various climate zones.

Moreover, this packaging can be used in the scenarios such as export of goods over long distances, long-term storage of metal goods, and metals that are sensitive for corrosion. Several companies including VCORR Packsys Pvt. Ltd with product range VCI Oils, Stretch Films, and Bio-Degradable VCI Film etc provide anti-corrosive packaging.

Methods used for Anti-corrosive packaging are:

•    Volatile Corrosion Inhibitors (VCI) Papers and Films
•    Aluminum barrier foil in combination with desiccants
•    Coating methods (oils or liquids)

Anti-corrosive Packaging can be used in the following cases:

•    Exporting/shipping goods by sea or moisture prone environments
•    Storing metallic goods for extended periods of time
•    Manufacturing metal goods sensitive to corrosion
•    Shipping any unassembled parts
•    CKD shipment e.g. of cars
•    Temporarily laying of machines, planes

2) Pharma Packaging

Pharma Packaging, also known as the drug packaging, is the packaging processes used for pharmaceutical operations involving production through distribution channels to the end consumer. The packaging of Pharma products provides containment, drug safety, identity convenience of handling and delivery. The major role of pharmaceutical packaging is to provide life-saving drugs, surgical devices, blood and blood products, nutraceuticals, powders, liquid and dosage forms, solid and semisolid dosage forms. This kind of packaging is involved in dosing, dispensing etc.

Some companies such as Groninger & Co. GmbH with a product range of Syringe Filling Machine, Filling Line Isolators, Filling Pre-Sterilized Containers, and Vial Processing Machines etc provides Pharma packaging.

Methods used for Pharma Packaging are:

Different methods used for Pharma packaging are:

•    Primary Packaging
•    Secondary Packaging
•    Tertiary packaging

We can find Pharma packaging in a wide variety of packages. Some of the common primary packages are:

•    Blister packs
•    Bottles
•    Timed Dosing
•    Counterfeiting

3) Plastics Packaging

Plastics Packaging is used for packaging a variety of items i.e. fragile or non-perishable products. Plastics packaging materials are used to cover the plastic related materials or products. Most Plastics Packaging companies recycle waste or scrap plastic for re-use in their own facilities, and even offer alternatives.

Without packing, these sophisticated goods with low shelf life will be easily affected by climatic conditions and eventually result in their malfunction or destruction. This packaging is done in such a way that no air or dust can sneak in and affect the goods.

Trends in Plastics Packaging are:

   •   Changing consumer habits
   •   Increased urbanization and growing young population
   •   Increased use of home and personal care products
   •   Developments in the field of polymer science
   •   Increased investment in food processing and production in China
   •   Increased preference of plastic pouches, by consumers and retailers

Benefits of Plastics Packaging:

Here are the benefits of choosing plastics packaging:

•    Lightweight
•    Durable
•    Sustainable
•    Cost-effective
•    Versatile

4) Flexible Packaging

Flexible packaging can be made with flexible materials that can be packed, sealed and can retain the freshness of its content. Be it moulding the packages into a variety of shapes or preserving the flavor and safety of food or logistical aspects, all are covered under the flexible packaging.

This is the major benefit that makes flexible packaging the first choice for food packaging. The package can last for a very long time; if it is stored in the right conditions. Flexible packaging is environmentally friendly as it uses less material and less wastages to make it.

Why Flexible Packaging?

Flexible Packaging can be defined as any package whose shape can be readily changed. Choosing the flexible packaging,

•    Adds value and marketability to food and non-food products alike from ensuring food safety and extended shelf life by providing heat seal, barrier protection, ease of use, press-to-seal and high-quality print finishes.
•    This type of packaging produces a fraction of waste during the printing process, overall reducing landfill discards.
•    Improvements in productions processes have reduced water and energy consumption, greenhouse gas and emissions and volatile organic compounds.
•    Finally, lighter-weight flexible packages result in less transportation-related energy and fossil fuel consumption, and environmental pollution.

Choosing these methods will provide the ideal results for your products. Keeping abreast of these packaging methods will give your products a better shelf life and a competitive edge in the market. Many companies are using these methods to create awareness among their customers and help them in increasing their sales. Adopting these packaging methods can draw attention to latest trends to attract the consumers. Innovative packaging designs can also maximize the profitability of the product.