Here are 5 ways to reduce the cost of flexible packaging without sacrificing the quality of your packaging:
1. Buying in Bulk:
- Buying in bulk quantities can give a significant reduction in prices. As the economics in production for bulk quantities are lesser as compared to short runs. Manufacturing costs are saved in terms of press set up overheads, wastages etc. Always take quotes for larger quantities to compare pricing and decide the most favorable purchase point.
- Quality Implication: No compromise on quality as the materials are the same, just purchased in larger quantities.
2. Optimize Material Thickness:
- Re-working on the material thickness can reduce significant cost. Opt of an optimum thickness level keeping in mind the stability and barrier properties of the packaging material.
- Quality Implication: No compromise on the quality as the barrier and stability will remain same on reducing the thickness to an appropriate level.
3. Simplify Design:
- Cost Savings: Simplifying designs and using colours that are cost competitive can require less ink and will significantly reduce cost mainly for large run orders..
- Quality Implication: A clean and simple design can still be visually appealing and effective in branding.
4. Reduce Wastages:
- Cost Savings: Find ways to minimise the production losses during packaging and storage. Better filling machines or investing in automatic FFS machine can significantly reduce labour costs.
- Quality Implication: Implementing precise production techniques ensures quality is not affected by waste reduction.
5. Optimize Packaging Size:
- Cost Savings: Rework on the packaging size and reduce the size to avoid any extra space in the packaging. This can give a significant reduction in packaging cost. However, please note it is recommended to have 15-20% extra space in the packaging
- Quality Implication: Properly sized packaging can still protect and showcase the product effectively.
Comparison Table:
|
Feature |
Digital Pouch Printing |
Gravure Printed Pouches |
Example |
|
Lead Time |
⏱️ Fast Setup: No plates/cylinders required, meaning quicker setup times and faster turnarounds. |
⏳ Longer Setup: Involves creating cylinders for each color, which can be time-consuming. |
A boutique coffee brand used digital printing to produce 2000 custom printed pouches for a seasonal blend within 8 days lead time, capitalizing on a niche market opportunity. |
|
Cost for Small Runs |
💵 Cost-Effective: Ideal for short runs as there are no cylinder-making costs. Good option for prototypes or limited-edition packaging. |
💸 Higher Costs: More expensive for short runs due to the high cost of cylinder production. But larger runs are much cheaper as compared to digitally printed pouches. |
A major snack company produced over 1 million chips pouches using gravure printing, benefiting from economies of scale with a unit cost reduction of approximately 60%. |
|
Print Quality |
🌟 High Quality: Offers sharp images and a wide color gamut. Although very high-quality, some argue it's slightly less than gravure. |
🏆 Exceptional Quality: Known for its supreme print quality, depth, and vibrant colors. Ideal for high-detail designs. Gravure can achieve metallic colours. |
Luxury cosmetic brands often choose gravure for their packaging to ensure ultra-fine details and metallic vibrant colors that appeal to high-end consumers. |
|
Design Change Flexibility |
🔀 Highly Flexible: Easily adjusts to design changes, making it perfect for dynamic markets where designs change frequently. |
🔧 Less Flexible: Design changes require new cylinders, making it less adaptable to frequent changes. |
A startup regularly tweaks its packaging graphics based on customer feedback and seasonal promotions, utilizing digital printing for its flexibility. |
|
Color Consistency |
🎨 Consistent: Good for shorter runs; however, color consistency can vary over very large volumes. |
🎨 Highly Consistent: Excellent for long runs where color consistency is critical across thousands of impressions. |
A popular coffee brand maintains exact color consistency across millions of bags globally using gravure printing. |
|
Material Suitability and Spot Gloss Effects |
📦 Broad Compatibility: Works well with a wide range of substrates but excels on fewer types compared to gravure. Does not have the option for spot gloss or matte coating. |
📦 Versatile Material Handling: Can print on almost any substrate, including very thin and sensitive materials, thanks to its robustness. Option for spot gloss and matte is possible. |
A pet food brand is using gravure printed pouch because the cat image on the pouch is a spot gloss and rest of the pouch in matte.. |
Conclusion:
By implementing the above strategies, you can achieve significant cost savings while maintaining the same quality of your flexible packaging. Contact us for any suggestions by our packaging expert to reduce packaging costs.
