The Webinar enlightens print fraternity on enhancing brand appeal and business growth by the two powerful tools – Value Addition and Smart Packaging.
As hundreds of participants joined in for the second in the series of Masterclasses planned, we saw thoughtful insights on how Value Addition is more than adding one or two processes to existing print job. We were thrilled at the prospects of going smart in providing packaging solutions to the world. It’s all in the mind. Let’s explore.
“Everything around us including Businesses are transforming in such a way that unless we keep ourselves abreast of what’s the latest that is happening; unless we keep evolving; unless we keep reinventing ourselves; and unless we keep pace with the current times, we will be left behind,” says Mr. Satish Malhotra – President All India Federation of Master Printers (AIFMP), introducing the topic of the day.
Mr. Manoj Mehta – two time past President of AIFMP and Chairman of MCOP, adds, “Value Addition and Smart Packaging are two powerful tools for enhancing brand appeal and business growth.” He portrays Packaging as something about experience, intelligence and innovation rather than being just a means of product protection. “There are endless ways – like tactile finishes to QR Codes to NFC etc. – to add Smart Tech to Add Value to our Packaging and make it Stand Out,” he underlines.
The magnetic presentation on Value Additions and Smart Packaging was delivered by Mr. Amit Shah, Managing Director, Spectrum Scans, a leading entrepreneur and one of the successful businessmen in our industry globally. “His journey and insights are to inspire to equip you with practical ideas to boost your profitability. Let’s absorb, adept and aim together,” initiates Mr. Manoj Mehta.
The Webinar was sponsored by Technova and PRESSIdeas provided the platform. With Mr. Jacob George from PRESSIdeas actively assisting the conduct of the event, handling the backend. Tushar Dhote of Print-Packaging.com ably contributed his part with communication coordination amongst the print fraternity.
Sparking the opening curiosity, Mr.Jacob George, intriguingly pitches, “Value Addition for Whom, Why and What?
Mr. Amit Shah starts with the title: Prints That Sell – The Power of Value Addition and Smart Packaging
What’s Value Addition?
With his distinctive style Mr. Amit Shah starts by enquiring about our general perception about Value Addition:
- Is it a buzzword that leads us to follow it and catch up with the fashion and the most trendy thing out there?
- Or, is it a monster that scares the hell out of us as to what to do, how to handle it and what IF…?
- Or, is it our true partner that helps us out in creating better products and better opportunities in our current and future business?
“When we generally get a job, many of us just study the requirements of the client and try to give the most competitive price for the job. A few of us who know about Value Addition would go beyond and suggest one or two additional processes to enhance the final product. But the real difference is when someone from us breaks the shackles and develops an altogether new sample incorporating multiple Value-Addition features to the job,” elaborates Mr. Amit Shah.
What’s important here, according to Mr. Amit Shah, is: Are we creating need-based supply for our clients OR are we creating the need to supply?
“This is what makes all the difference and turns a Packaging Provider from a vendor to a partner and solution provider,” he emphasizes.
Today, a true solution provider is one, whose Value Addition improves brand identity; allows higher pricing by creating premium appeal; brings forth more customer satisfaction; rewards memorable unboxing experiences; and establishes competitive differentiation. There are innumerable ways to carry this out ranging from foiling to embossing, spot UV, gloss, die cutting, speciality paper, texture, lamination, inside printing, magnetic & ribbons, pop-ups, variable data printing, eco-friendly, scented, transparent and hand tags etc. One just has to think out of the box, stresses Mr. Amit Shah as he shows a beautifully crafted Pop-up birthday greeting card which gets appreciated by one and all present at the MCOP Webinar.
How to choose the right Value Addition?
Well, there is no magical formula developed for this yet. But, we still have a few proven check points to build our ideas around. For example, we can start by recognizing the product type and price point – is it for luxury market or mass production? Then we can understand our target customer, say, whether he is a trend savvy person, a minimalist guy or eco-conscious or someone with other specific preferences.
“There are many explorable areas like product, price, market, budget, shelf visibility options, budget, scalability, biodegradability, sustainability and upcycling etc. Apart from these tangible Value Additions, we can have many imaginative intangible Value Addition offerings for our clients,” spurs Mr. Amit Shah.
Why Value Addition in Packaging?
Packaging industry has been the Sunshine industry of recent times and is sure to shine more. As volumes increase, more and more players add up to a growing segment, and the pressures of competition are bound to grow. Value Addition and making your Packaging solutions Smarter can make growth a permanent thing of your business. It isn’t that packaging that stood out just sold at greater margins, instead there are model examples out there that show packaging has written success stories for brands. Mr. Amit Shah takes forward the point by citing some of his favourite examples of innovative packaging ideas that led up to the concerned brand’s success and making a difference for it.
‘Luxury is about the experience starting from packaging’ is well depicted in the famous luxury Ayurveda brand Forest Essentials. Just go through the brand and see for yourself how the packaging idea makes for a significant part of the brand’s value.
Phool is another brand which is a perfect example of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). It took along the idea of social responsibility by incorporating, recycling, waste-management, women empowerment and upcycling into the brand. The packaging is part of the success story. You can confirm by having a look at the packaging and see for yourself how ‘it’ can transform businesses that can carry ‘traditional’ to modern global brands just by thinking out of the box. Another example of Upcycling was by Mr. Mehul Shah who conceptualized a wonderful business idea by upcycling used tents procured from the Army and converting them to bags. Apart from the upcycling part, the army tent material provided durability that’s unmatched.
Another example Mr. Amit shared was of the leading brand Apple for whom their Packaging is as important as their products.
The audience at MCOP Webinar was highly impressed by the corrugated train called Spectrum Express built by Spectrum Scans – a model made 85% from corrugated.
Types of Smart Packaging
Similarly, Value Addition through Smart Packaging is possible by incorporation of various technological advancements available in the market. Here we have Active Packaging like oxygen absorbing packs. Then Intelligent Packaging which employs QR Codes; Amul is the largest user of Intelligent Packaging. There is also Sustainable Smart Packaging like edible packaging. Then there is Packaging with Sensors. Example of this type of Smart Packaging is temperature sensitive labels for fast food delivery and pharmaceutical usage.
In real world examples of brands writing their own success stories with Smart Packaging, we have Coca Cola producing millions of personalized bottles with names. Then there was a Smart medicine bottle that has an alarm to alert patients on dosage.
Conclusion
Print and Packaging are at a crossroads of innovation and responsibility. Innovation means thinking out of the box while responsibility includes biodegradable, upcycling and recycling like things. We have to keep reimagining packaging to shape better, smarter and greener future. It is possible – the future is in Smart and Sustainable.
Packaging is silent ambassador of your brand and when it is aligned with your Value Addition, it speaks volumes. Offer a customer a slightly costlier solution with Value Addition rather than giving him a cheaper solution just to save money. This is the first step to start thinking out of the box.
Vote of Thanks by Mehul Shah: “More than the presentation, I like the connect Mr. Amit has. He keeps the audience engrossed and involved in the entire presentation. The ease with which we understand his presentations is a unique thing we always wait for. Audience surely takes home a lot of insights from his presentations.”
Next MCOP Webinar is on 31st May, 2025 and will be held from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm. Mr. Parmeshwar Patidhar will present ‘Print Smarter, Not Harder. AI at Work on Every Print’.
Register Free at: https://bit.ly/MCOPWebinar-May
“MCOP Webinar series is one of the most beautiful ideas conceptualized by AIFMP led by Manoj Mehta. Be the part of the next Webinar and help the Federation to help You,” emphasised Mehul Shah, Co-Chairman of the Committee.
PRESSIdeas is the official media partner of the upcoming China Print 2025. The English language Visitor Guide is available for the Indian visitors to the show. The special attraction from PRESSIdeas during the show will be the visit to Landa installation for about twenty printers from our region. Apart from providing all necessary assistance to the Indian visitors in travel, visa, stay etc. PRESSIdeas will be taking interested visitors to a tour to a very big Printing Press of China along with the Landa installation visit on the 16th of May. Let’s meet for this wonderful knowledge sharing opportunity and have some knowledge exchange moments at the dinner afterwards.
