Recently, Fuji Xerox New Zealand hosted Paperstock – The iGen 5 Short Run Digital Packaging Festival, which included the local launch of the Packaging and Processing Innovation and Design Awards.
In conjunction with the Packaging Council of New Zealand (PAC.NZ), the company welcomed print and packaging professionals to its Auckland Airport premises. Evoking the 1960’s flower power Woodstock three-day festival, Fuji Xerox used its solutions to produce a range of products including a folding carton VW Combi van, booklets, identity tags, and t-shirts with a modified nuclear disarmament symbol proclaiming ‘Power to the Printer’ and ‘Make short run digital packaging not War.’
Guests had an opportunity to see a raft of digital solutions for packaging and printing available from Fuji Xerox and to hear from acclaimed Australian packaging designer Michael Grima. Specialists from Esko, Steve Davis; IQ, Adrian Fleming; and XMPie, Enda Kavanagh, guided guests through the short-run digital packaging workflow and processes.
Speaking at the event, PAC.NZ vice president Murray Parrish, thanked Fuji Xerox for its support and spoke about PAC.NZ’s place in the industry. Parrish, the Oji Fibre representative on the PAC.NZ board, said, “Our membership includes packaging manufacturers and recyclers who understand that packaging serves a useful purpose with minimal harm. We maintain connections with other organisations like the Food and Grocery Council, PrintNZ, and the Paper Forum.
“Our views are listened to in Wellington. Of course being listened to is not always the same as being liked but someone has to have the common sense view out there. For example, we have strong views on the co-mingling of recyclables, which Auckland Council prides itself on. Those chickens will come home to roost when China is saying it.
“Packaging needs to carry messages to be effective. We accept our members have a duty to innovate and PAC.NZ promotes the work of the people in our industry.”
Executive director of PAC.NZ, Sharon Humphreys, said, “Packaging touches everybody, every day. This places our industry in a privileged position. A package can either make your day or it can make your day miserable. Meeting the requirements for functionality, convenience, shelf-life, and other demands to satisfy consumers requires an industry focused on design and innovation.
“The PIDAs encourage our industry to celebrate itself and the people who work in it. The 2018 PIDAs will take place alongside the 2018 World Star Awards, bringing in winners from over 25 countries to attend the international awards dinner on the Gold Coast.
Keynote speaker Michael Grima spoke about the challenges in designing packaging.
Grima, president of the Australian Institute of Packaging (from March 2015- March 2017) when the PIDAs launched last year, has won numerous awards for packaging design with his company qDesign Enterprises, based in Melbourne.
One of his strongest messages to packaging designers concerned regard for the end user. He said, “Our core focus is the structural design and the key element in the design. We cover a holistic approach but the key point is that with every project, the starting point is the consumer.
“The thinking is critical across the area of packaging. Understand why. Why do you need something? Know the reason you engage in a particular product. We look to engage that functional requirement and also that emotional pull toward a particular brand.”
He sees massive opportunity in the PIDAs. He said, “PIDA is a great entry to packaging awards. It is the only award that will qualify you to win a World Star Award.”
Entries have opened for the awards and they close on February 23. The awards presentation takes place at the Marriott Hotel in Surfers Paradise on May 2.
Fuji Xerox demonstrated a range of digital solutions including its cut sheet production models; wide format solutions; 3D printers; and finishing options.
The company’s iGen 5 took centre stage in the digital production room. The flagship press has a range of innovations such as higher levels of automation and intelligence; reduced set-up time and waste pages; improved image quality, reduced labour investment; and faster turnaround times.
Significantly for packaging, a thick-stock capability extends its stock handling up to 610micron or 24point board as a stiff substrate for folding cartons or signage. It offers five colour printing including orange blue green and white spot colours and inline UV, aqueous and spot varnishing.
Specific features include the automated colour quality suite, a colour maintenance tool; an in-line spectrophotometer; auto density control; auto carrier dispense; 660mm maximum sheet size; matte dry ink; a 2400×2400 imaging path; and object-oriented half-toning.
