Global Packaging Growth and the Evolution of Complete Corrugated Box Printing Lines

Industry insight: the path of global packaging and corrugated box printing equipment

The worldwide packaging sector was valued at USD 417 billion in 2002 and climbed to USD 563.8 billion by 2009, equal to a 4.4% CAGR. Paper packaging rose from USD 152 billion, or 36% of the total, in 2002 to USD 216 billion, or 38%, in 2009. Corrugated boxes alone represented USD 80 billion in 2002—more than half of the paper packaging market—making them one of the most widely applied packaging products.

Corrugated paper can be traced to UK records in 1856. Over 150 years, it has remained a major material for packaging containers, sustaining long-term use and rapid growth. China's corrugated box packaging began later: the technology entered the country in 1920, and in 1954 the Ministry of Commerce issued a nationwide promotion document. A complete and rational industrial system gradually took shape.

Statistics from the World Packaging Organization point to steady expansion in global packaging. The industry's total value was USD 417 billion in 2002 and USD 563.8 billion in 2009, a 4.4% CAGR. Over the same period, paper packaging grew from USD 152 billion to USD 216 billion, with its share rising from 36% to 38%. Corrugated boxes were valued at USD 80 billion in 2002, over half of the paper packaging market, and have become a broadly used packaging category.

China's packaging industry advanced rapidly. Through 2009, its total output value maintained average annual growth of more than 18%. Among the 42 major sectors of China's national economy, packaging moved from 41st place in the early 1980s to 14th. Corrugated box packaging also sustained a relatively fast growth rate.

Complete corrugated box printing equipment has grown with the corrugated box packaging industry. Its technical path moved from early letterpress (relief), offset (planographic) and water-washable rubber-plate printing toward today's flexographic water-based ink printing. Flexographic water-based ink presses have been used for corrugated paper printing abroad for many years; because China's corrugated box packaging sector started later, such complete lines have roughly 20 years of application history in the country.

After evolving into water-based inline paper-feeding printing, slotting, die-cutting and folder-gluing lines, the equipment is marked by high running speeds, automatic or semi-automatic feeding, direct printing on corrugated board, fast-drying water-based inks, and one-to-six-color output in a single pass, lifting production efficiency. It links printing, slitting, creasing, gluing and other operations into one continuous process, cutting labor needs and intensity. Water-based inks allow rollers to be washed with tap water, making operation convenient and pollution-free. This was a leap in carton printing technology.

Today's new-generation water-based inline paper-feeding slotting, printing, die-cutting and folder-gluing production lines include fully automatic computer-controlled high-speed multi-color printing, slotting and die-cutting machines, along with giant ultra-large fully automatic platen die-cutting machines. The bottom-printing machine uses computer control, leading-edge feeding, and vacuum-assist printing transfer, plus a rubber roller and dual-doctor-blade compatible ink doctor system. The slotting section uses a precision linear guide cross-slide system. The die-cutting section applies constant displacement and automatic speed-difference compensation to keep line speed consistent. Keyless connections are used throughout the drive and conveying linkages for long-term transmission accuracy.

Source: China Packaging Network (pack.cn). Original article: http://news.pack.cn/show-362111.html