Avery Dennison drives innovation with AD InsightX

AD InsightX was formally launched in May 2024 in Pune. Industry leading packaging designers, recyclers and label industry stakeholders attended the inauguration. 

Avery Dennison embarked on the Make in India journey in 1997. It has operations in Pune, Greater Noida, Kolkata and Bengaluru. The event took place in its Pune facility, which also houses its R&D and Innovation Lab, Converting College and Knowledge Centre, I-Lab, Graphics Lab and now, AD InsightX. 

Avery Dennison created this facility as a way to tap into the fast and continuously evolving brand and consumer preferences led by the Millennials and Gen Zs. Now, more than ever, there is a thriving market to introduce new, innovative functional packaging formats. 

AD InsightX also aims to address the unmet needs and challenges of the fast-growing premium packaging, security and anti-counterfeit products market. Additionally, through this studio, Avery Dennison wants to enable brands and customers to achieve their sustainability goals. With the tagline ‘Unlock your imagination’, AD InsightX has been designed as a facility where customers, brands, ecosystem enablers, industry experts, partners and thought leaders can ideate together and solve some of the biggest challenges in the market. 

‘This facility embodies our commitment to innovation, leadership and collaboration,’ says Saurabh Agarwal, vice president and general manager, Avery Dennison, South Asia. ‘AD InsightX is not just Avery Dennison’s achievement, but it is a thriving opportunity for the industry and partners involved to meet and co-create. Together, we look forward to setting new benchmarks for the industry and contributing to innovative and sustainable advancements.’ 

‘We were lacking a platform to integrate these efforts of industry partners and create something transformative. Today, we aim to establish an inclusive industry platform accessible to all. It is a secure, collaborative space for ideation, prototyping, continuous learning, mutual challenge and heightened expectations. Why now? Because this space is rapidly evolving,’ Agarwal adds. 

The facility has been developed with technical and digital capabilities, including neuromarketing, to enable the shift from reactive to proactive strategies. This will facilitate the rapid creation of minimum viable products and enable swift progression from problem identification to solution generation. 

Visitors can walk into the ‘zen-like’ spaces in AD InsightX and see, touch and feel several ‘live’ and ‘ideated’ concepts across aesthetically curated zones. Another experience will be the journey of how the physical world connects with the digital world. A team of Avery Dennison experts has been trained to lead curated workshops or collaborative sessions. 

Open collaboration is essential, especially for sustainability, as it requires collective effort. This initiative is a good start

Priyanka Singla, director of segment development and head of sustainability, Avery Dennison South Asia, says: ‘We are industry forerunners in pressure-sensitive labels (PSL) and our endeavor is to continuously elevate the humble label into a problem solver. The PSL label has been a catalyst in many industry segments such as food, liquor, pharma, personal care, e-commerce, home care, retail and industrial, where we have partnered with brands to solve their business challenges. From enabling reuse of bottles, to making products counterfeit-proof, helping launch premium products with textured substrates, or co-creating new packaging formats, we have done it all. We remain cognizant of the fast-evolving Indian consumer. Through AD InsightX, we aspire to partner with brands and the packaging ecosystem to offer world-class packaging experiences.’ 

AD InsightX  

Visitors were invited to tour AD InsightX, which is divided into four zones – sustainability, functional labels, premiumization and brand protection. 

Avery Dennison’s sustainability zones highlight innovative products focusing on sustainable sourcing and practices like reducing, reusing and recycling. Visitors witnessed live demonstrations of the company’s new wash-off labels, enabling liquor brands to reuse glass packaging. Linerless labels were also demonstrated as sustainable products. 

The functional labels zone highlights products designed to enhance usability and convenience. Attendees viewed examples such as hanging labels, wraparound labels with micro-perforations for multi-unit packs, layered labels for additional information and resealable labels for food applications. 

The premiumization zone demonstrates how brands can distinguish themselves by creating labels that enhance the visual and sensory experience of their products. Visitors discovered how textures and special effects on labels can elevate brand impressions. 

The zone includes a testing shelf that simulates a supermarket experience, complete with an eyeball tracker. This device monitors the eye movements of ‘consumers’ standing in front of the shelf, providing valuable data on which designs or packaging styles capture attention.  

The data enables brands to analyze consumers’ subconscious gaze. By placing various designs on the shelf, valuable insights are generated to help brands determine which design attracts the most attention. This product is currently in development and aims to empower brands to make more informed decisions about their packaging. 

Brand protection zone features anti-tampering and anti-counterfeiting products. For example, attendees witnessed multiple anti-counterfeiting technologies, including film that shows ‘OK’ when shone a light on, otherwise invisible to the naked eye. 

AD InsightX includes Esko’s 3D visualizer, a virtual reality packaging software helping brands assess their design’s visual impact in a simulated supermarket environment. The software permits the customization of supermarket layouts and offers multiple lighting options. It also replicates special effects, materials and finishes on labels, including glossy or matte textures. 

The setup includes a screen, on which decision-makers can view digital and physical prototypes, along with database analysis to craft distinctive packaging designs. 

Attendees also visited I-Lab, an intelligent laboratory, where Avery Dennison showcased multiple applications of RFID inlays, including supply chain, warehouse and retail applications. 

I think this is a great initiative from Avery Dennison. It brings valuable insights and ideas from people with diverse backgrounds

Ashwini Deshpande, co-founder Elephant Design, says: ‘I believe that when we consider innovation, technology, or substrates in the print and packaging industry, it must ultimately benefit the end consumers. And it must benefit the Earth that we want to last for a long time. I saw a lot of innovations today that are going to do just that. I believe we all come with the small pieces of jigsaw puzzle, and together we can make the big picture. And that’s the story of Elephant Design as well. And I think that’s what I saw today. And I’m very excited about the future possibilities.’ 

Rajay Rasaikar, founder of Trash Co, comments: ‘It is important for a company to spearhead collaborative events. Currently, everyone works in isolation within their own facilities. Open collaboration is essential, especially for sustainability, as it requires collective effort. This initiative is a good start. Moving forward, it will encourage more collaboration and serve as a platform for sharing ideas and launching new projects.’ 

Hardik Walia, co-founder and head of R&D at Lucro Plastecycle, adds: ‘I think this is a great initiative from Avery Dennison. It brings valuable insights and ideas from people with diverse backgrounds. For example, we don’t always understand designers’ perspectives, and designers may not know what recyclers consider important. Bringing everyone together on one platform is a fantastic step. More initiatives like this are needed to create meaningful products.’ 

Harveer Sahni, chairman Weldon Celloplast, summarizes the event: ‘I have visited many global plants, and this one is way ahead. There is a need to bring more stakeholders and educate and inform on what a fantastic facility we have here. A very informative and satisfying visit. Kudos to Avery Dennison team for handling this visit well.’ 

The day ended with curated sessions on topics such as sustainability, brand protection and premiumization. L&L attended the sustainability session with representatives from the packaging recycling industry. 

Participants discussed the current issues the industry is facing, such as difficulty in removing adhesive, multi-layer packaging and matrix recycling.