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A longtime leader in the digital print and inkjet industry, Jean Lloyd is the global Principal Analyst of our Packaging & Labels Division. Jean is a results-driven international business leader who has lived and worked abroad, holding positions on various boards of well-known global technology brands. She was instrumental in introducing new digital technologies into many countries and markets based on her award-winning best practice business model for digital equipment. She has also successfully assisted hundreds of printers and brand owners around the world in their business transformation. Since Keypoint Intelligence’s acquisition of Karstedt Partners, Jean has worked closely with Kevin Karstedt and Jeff Wettersten to deliver accurate and insightful research in the packaging and labels industry.
Sam Keller: The Packaging & Labels Division is working on several reports. Can you break down which reports you’re working on?
Jean Lloyd: Our groundbreaking research is a range called “Global Digital Intelligence”, which consists of:
- An Install and Output Report covering labels, corrugated, folding cartons, and flexible packaging
- A State of the Industry Report covering labels, corrugated, folding cartons, and flexible packaging
- A Brand Adoption Report
SK: What are the relationships between these different segments?
JL: While each of these packaging segments serve a unique purpose, they are all used in the packaging industry to protect or market products. To give you an idea, let’s look at our State of the Industry Reports. These are focused on giving the packaging converter, the folks charged with implementing digital printing solutions into their businesses, peer-driven information and analysis on the state of their segment’s adoption for corrugated, folding carton, flexible packaging, and labels.
What is truly unique about the reports is that they are driven by information supplied by those using digital production solutions and those developing their strategies for dealing with digital in their markets. Data comes from converters to converters—it’s peer to peer. I cannot specify enough that what comes out of these reports is not “talking head” stuff, but accurate information coming from the industry itself.
The reports are generated yearly and will draw attention to how the thought process around implementation and the implementation itself change over a 12-month cycle. In addition, they will focus on how, where, why, and for what digital solutions are being integrated and how it may vary from region to region and segment to segment.
SK: In the context of packaging and labels, what is brand adoption?
JL: In summary, brand adoption includes:
- Global report interviewing brand owners regarding their use/adoption of digital output
- Gaining visibility around access to digital technology
- Understanding where digital presses are used, how the brands use them, and their outlook for future use
- Understanding the footprint of digital implementation by region, allowing for global strategic planning for digital use
- Assessing what significant changes are being made that can affect strategic planning
SK: Can you go a bit more into the audiences that these reports are for? You mentioned packaging converters…is there anyone else who would benefit from them?
JL: So, it is obvious these reports are designed specifically to help the packaging converters in each packaging type. Still, it is also of great value to OEMs and suppliers developing solutions in and around digital printing. Manufacturers of inks and coatings, fibre and film substrate, finishing equipment, prepress and workflow tools—anyone in the packaging supply chain impacted by digital printing directly or indirectly will benefit from this report. Because of how they are researched and developed, the reports are excellent aids for companies developing offensive and defensive digital printing strategies.
On the offensive side:
- Those who have already adopted or are about to adopt the learnings from those who have gone before you can help accelerate the internal path to profitability, cutting months off that timeline.
- For those considering a decision, it can accelerate the process one way or the other, and it can be especially important for those converters that are in the “it's not a matter of if but a matter of when” camp.
On the defensive side:
- Even if digital is not the right path for your company, you will need to develop a plan to address competitors who have it, and this report can help you create these strategies.
To learn more about the State of the Industry reports, click here.
Read some of Jean’s blogs here. Log in to the InfoCenter to view research, reports, and studies from our Packaging & Labels Division. If you’re not a subscriber, contact us for more info by clicking here.
