2014 global resource for label and packaging industry

Read about China, India, Latin America and opportunities in package printing. These features are followed by a compilation of the most recent World Label Association award winners. Readers will also find an index of global industry suppliers.

View the Labels & Labeling Yearbook 2014 here.

Together the content delivers key messages. Communication channels have changed dramatically, and continue to evolve. Consumers increasingly have instant access to information. This is changing our purchasing habits, which requires brand owners to adapt quickly to shifting consumer demands. E-commerce sites and product delivery giant Amazon are re-molding the ‘retail’ landscape.

The label industry, converters and suppliers, must align themselves to service and cater to new trends and unanticipated whims, thereby helping their customers earn the approval from buyers through dollars.

Many social channels are mature now, with new users joining by the minute. Millions around the world actively use Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn. Still, new entrants – Vine, Instagram, SnapChat and Pinterest – disrupt the status quo.

Business leaders everywhere are forced to continually reinvent the wheel to capture new orders while meeting valuable existing customers’ requirements. Brands introduce new products and exclusive lines frequently across markets, meaning more designs faster. In a world where buyers can easily access comparable data on products, unique offerings in special packaging decorated with special edition labels allow retailers to differentiate. This may even drive traffic from online to in-store where consumers can be further tantalized.

The supply chain has tightened its processes at all levels in order to compete, and label and printed packaging industry suppliers have introduced advanced technologies, which empower converters to respond accordingly, keeping profit margins up and efficiencies high.

Brand managers and retailers are increasingly using advanced tools to streamline supply chain operations to reduce errors and waste, increase speed-to-market, quickly design traffic from online to in-store where consumers can be further tantalized.

CPGs are scrambling to find support from suppliers who best understand the importance of packaging and brand engagement both on and offline – and specifically converters who understand the technical requirements to make interaction successful, whether using variable printed data codes, multi-layer peel and reveal constructions or cutting-edge digital profile software like Evrythng.

Customers continue to require consultation about new offerings and process improvement options that can enhance their brand image. Quality graphics, performance, cost, speed-to-delivery, flexibility, substrate variability, technical expertise, proximity, sustainability and workflow remain at the core of successful label production.

At this point, the environment should be taken into account across operations and at every business level as strategies are outlined and decisions are made. Instant access to product and service reviews is driving transparency in the supply chain. Extended producer responsibility is growing. Will savvy shoppers recommend you and your business?

Sustainability is an area where the label industry continues to innovate, and indeed, Labelexpo Europe 2013 demonstrated advancements from each supplier category. Awareness of your company’s environmental footprint is imperative.

New values and old traditions must meet in the middle. The next generation is eager to take this global business to the next level – with stability.

I hope the Labels & Labeling Yearbook 2014 will highlight opportunities for you and your teams to improve and grow your business. Our Labels & Labeling team certainly enjoys engaging with you at key international events, and we hope to see more of you actively operating in the digital world. We wish you all great health and prosperity moving into this next year.