For the global label printing industry, the increasing focus of consumers and governments on sustainability is a call to action. With every aspect of the printing supply chain now under scrutiny, from the biodegradability of substrates to the VOC content of inks and the energy efficiency of printing presses, an up-to-date sustainability strategy is an essential part of future proofing your business. In this article, we’ll look at how sustainability can be achieved effectively in the print sector without compromising quality, cost control, or efficiency.
Why sustainability is essential for print businesses
Consumer brands and printing businesses are often in the spotlight for their environmental impact. This stems from the high energy costs associated with many production processes, as well as prevalent wasteful practices in packaging disposal, and the carbon footprint of producing traditional printing materials. Achieving greater sustainability is, therefore, a multipronged approach for most label supply chains. Some of the main strategies include:
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Designing for recyclability: many labels now feature an ‘eco-conscious’ design that makes it easier for consumers to separate labels from products to aid recycling, and avoid multi-material labels that could make substrates nonrecyclable.
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Investing in energy efficient printing presses: reducing the energy consumption of your printing assets makes sound financial sense as well as benefitting the environment. Upgrading to more energy-efficient machinery could deliver a good ROI in energy savings without impacting your production line throughput. For example, when considering a new Pressor upgrading older UV equipment, why not look at the latest LED drying option? Not only reducing VOC emissions , but also reducing running costs with a less energy hungry press.
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Minimising substrate waste: there are various areas in which waste can be reduced or eliminated in the label printing process, and many of these have been addressed by recent technology innovations. Basically, only produce what you need, avoid overruns and holding large stock quantities for call off. Digital and hybrid printing technologies, for instance, avoid the need for over production , try to separate plate making and elaborate setups, which reduces the time and energy associated with print management. At the same time, lean inventory management processes mean that businesses only order the substrates, inks, and consumables that are required for each print run, avoiding the costs associated with overstocking. Precision Servo machinery, advance software, and recalibration tools all contribute to less energy and fewer resources being wasted during production.
How our label printing technology supports greater sustainability
There are several ways that our modern digital label printing machinery can support your sustainability initiatives, including:
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Planned Production: advance planning to ensure ALL orders can be produced on the specified time & day. There is nothing more wasteful than a press ready to go only to find an element of production is missing , be that Inks, Plates or even substrates.
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Multi-substrate compatibility: our presses work with a variety of eco-friendly materials, including FSC-certified paper and biodegradable film, are recycled substrates a possible option to win business?
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Automation: the goal of automated print technology is to reduce setup time and material waste. From precise ink delivery mechanisms to automated alignment systems, our Flexo & digital label presses help you conserve resources and make each run more sustainable and cost-effective.
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Personalised sustainability support: we can help you rethink your production strategy, providing tailored insights on how you can integrate eco-friendly technologies into your business model and production goals.
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Hybrid printing solutions: our digital label presses combine the best features of flexographic and digital printing, helping control energy and carbon emissions on both large-scale and small batch print runs, plus Variable data and Personalisation.
Find out more
To find out more about sustainability and how it could impact your print operation this year, please contact the experts at Focus Label today by clicking here, or by calling 01949 836 223.
Image source: Canva
