70 | 2023 Predictions2023 PREDICTIONSWhat’s in store for the year ahead? Industry experts have their sayproducts that contain recycled content as well as ones designed Mat Burton, global sales director, A B Graphic to enable recycling. International Despite a turbulent and challenging 2022, the label market As more brands continue to seek visibility across their supply has maintained its resourcefulness and fexibility by continuing chain, RFID technology adoption will offer exciting possibilities at to grow and innovate. 2023 will undoubtedly be another every step of the value chain across industries. Avery Dennison is challenging year, with macro-economic factors affecting global also embracing digital tools to deliver reliable data, simple tools, markets, supply chains and the labor market. From an ABG personalized information and easy-to-access support to provide perspective, we have witnessed a massive rise in automation, an unmatched customer experience.which is set to continue into 2023. This means that there will be Patrick Graber, strategic marketing manager for more ABG machines being sold with connectivity (ABG Connect labels, Bobstworkfow products) to enhance effciencies.The major overall industry trends include workforce shortages, Paola Iannone, vice president of marketing and reduction of run length, high demand for just-in-time production, communications, All4Labelsstrong focus on waste reduction (electricity, material and time) 2022 has been a year of renewed turbulence and challenges on and, therefore, high demand for automated and digitalized the global economic and political landscape. However, a strong solutions in fexo and digital. 2022 marked a strong recovery boost driven by technology, digitalization and innovation allowed in labels, but it is now likely to slow down due to the current the segment to reach good performance and results. To keep political and economic situations around the world. Another on growing and evolving, some main trends must be under the trend is the need for converters to have different technologies spotlight in the upcoming year. First, sustainability will certainly on the production foor to increase product offerings and continue to be central to business and internal operations. As a optimize production. key player in the global economic market, we should care about We are seeing an increase in companies moving away from both market’s needs as well as about our planet. For this reason, offine towards online ordering technologies for labels and our driving force is to keep on investing in sustainable solutions packaging. Data-driven and automation are becoming more and for the packaging industry, delivering continuous technological more important every day to counter the lack of manpower and innovation, developing new materials and applications aimed at skilled workforce and to reduce costs and waste. In this regard, facilitating the recycling process, and at enhancing the circular we see many developments around technologies that reduce economy. To meet these ambitious goals, we strongly believe the impact of the operator on the quality of the fnal output. in the power of the network, and we establish continuous We expect to see a signifcant increase in end-to-end production collaboration with institutions, associations, universities and lines, covering the whole process from the pdf to the fnal label other companies. in one line. Another core trend for the upcoming year is the digitalization Looking forward, we are very proud of the success of the Bobst of packaging, aimed at encouraging consumer interaction and Digital Master series, as well as the strong demand for our highly providing more customized buying experiences. We expect an automated inline fexo Master M6, using Bobst V-Flower and increase in the use of QR Codes and smart solutions to promote oneECG printing technologies. Our customers keep investing in and facilitate direct communication and interaction between conventional printing equipment and, at the same time, adopting brands and their consumers. These technologies provide the digital inkjet solutions to increase their product offerings and to opportunity to share additional information, create unique meet brand owner requirements. experiences through gamifcation, provide access to dedicated 2023 could be a challenging year across all industries, given online platforms, and customizable experiences according to the social environment. However, we are confdent that most all needs. of our customers will continue to invest, even if at a slower pace, because of the expected decline in print volumes in certain sectors. The Covid-19 pandemic proved that labels and packaging Jeroen Diderich, senior vice president and general are more resilient than other sectors.manager for label and graphic materials for North America, Avery DennisonMike Barry, key account and OEM manager, Domino After two years of pandemic-fueled disruption, a host of new North Americachallenges arose in 2022 — paper shortages, rising infation, the war in Ukraine and more — leading us to rethink once again how The label industry is heading towards digital printing. For we work and plan. As we look to 2023, we expect to see a more many years it was looked upon as a ‘nice to have,’ but it has challenging macroeconomic environment. We are taking this truly evolved into a ‘need to have’ for label converters to be time to prepare for this economic uncertainty while focusing competitive, to maintain and grow their business. Certainly, on three main priorities - improving the customer experience, the proliferation of SKUs that has evolved has highlighted the prioritizing our sustainability journey and advancing the adoption benefts of digital printing, but in addition, brand owners want of intelligent labels. what digital printing provides, such as color consistency and We believe that sustainability will play an increasingly repeatability from label to label, personalization and variable important role both in business practices and in consumers’ data printing, shorter lead times and quicker turn-around value equation next year. In the US, we continue to see more times / just-in-time delivery, reduced inventory. Regarding regulations being introduced along with retailers and brands technology, certainly, 1,200 dpi is gaining attention. The best-ft looking to measure their carbon footprint. It will be increasingly technology depends on a label converter’s book of business and important for the industry to continue to drive circularity with the markets they serve. For example, 1,200 dpi provides benefts labelsandlabeling.com