Brand Owners Discuss Digital Printing's Impact on Their Companies

The printing and packaging industry event calendar offers several opportunities throughout the year for converters and suppliers to connect, network and discuss business issues. However, it’s rare to see brand owners getting into the mix, sharing their perspective on how digital printing could help their businesses and learning about the latest technology available to them.

At the recent Digital Packaging Summit, held Oct. 23-25 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., representatives from three brand owning companies took part in a panel discussion on their experiences with digital printing and their insight into the impacts it could have on their companies overall.

One of the panelists represented a company that has already implemented digital in creative ways. Patrick Poitevin, senior associate principal scientist for Mondelēz International, which oversees brands such as Oreo, Chips Ahoy!, Ritz, Wheat Thins and many others, explained that his company has used digital printing for its variability and customizability. But, he said that in many instances, digital printing can also provide a boost to supply chain logistics.

While Mondelēz is a giant in the food market, the panel also provided some perspective from a multinational collection of brands in the health, beauty and personal care markets. Ray Mass, printing technology manager in global design and packaging for Colgate Palmolive, shared some of his insights into how digital printing could benefit his company. He explained that Colgate Palmolive is not currently using much digital printing, but he foresees multiple areas where digital could provide benefits in the future.

Calvin Osterberg, director of purchasing for Rochester Midland Corp., represented a different type of company than Poitevin and Mass. As a manufacturer of specialty chemicals, Osterberg explained Rochester Midland's product line does not consist of consumer products. But digital package printing — particularly in corrugated — has been beneficial in lowering internal costs.