Future Links August 14th 2014
Here are our daily links with the most important news from the printing industry. Today they feature consumers’ preference for transparent packaging, houses printed in China, 3D printing for faster, more efficient airplane repair, recyclable thin-wall packaging for food and pigment price increases that affect the ink manufacturers in Europe.
Consumers favor transparent packaging
Pretty pictures are not enough – at least when it comes to consumer preferences. Shoppers seem more inclined to buy a product when they can see it through clear packaging. They perceive the product as fresher and healthier, according to market research by General Mills, a U.S. food producer that recently changed the wrappers for its Lärabar fruit and nut bars from opaque to transparent. See-through packaging comes with its own challenges, though, and a lot of research was done to keep the product fresh and appealing in different sales environments.
More at NACS
10 full-size houses printed in China
It has long been suspected that 3D printing has the potential to revolutionize the architecture and construction industries. Now, there is real evidence that houses may come out of a printer in the future. In China, the private company WinSun used quick-drying cement and an oversized printer to build the walls of the buildings layer-by-layer. Earlier this year, a company in Amsterdam built a canal house using a 3D printer. A U.S.-based company is also exploring the potential of 3D printers for its architectural projects.
More at R&D Magazine
Research focuses on easier, faster airplane repair
A new EU-supported project named REPair aims at integrating additive manufacturing into existing repair processes for airplanes. The REPair project is conducted in cooperation with the University of Paderborn and focuses on reducing costs and down-time to get airplanes scheduled for maintenance faster off the ground again.
More at VDMA
Recyclable thin-wall packaging keeps food products fresh
Coveris, one of the largest flexible packaging manufacturers in the world, is venturing into the food industry. The company has developed a recyclable thin wall packaging with premium labeling decoration for cooking sauces in the UK. The packaging is an integral part of the product and cannot be removed. Coveris recently announced a major investment into new machines at its site in Neuwied, Germany, where tea and coffee packaging as well as pouches for the wet food segment are manufactured.
More at Packaging News
Europe’s ink producers are facing pigment price hikes
The prices for organic pigments are increasing, according to industry experts. The price hikes are due to stricter enforcement of environmental regulations, not only in Europe but also in Asia. An in-depth report by Ink World not only looks at the impact of better manufacturing practices in China on prices but also at the effects of the European program REACH that demands that approximately 30,000 substances are registered with their safety profiles by 2018.
More at Ink World