Page 20 - PWM2023_January

NEWS NEW YEAR SPECIAL

Sustainability to be the norm: Mahal

HP Indigo’s head of L&P allows them to save on who can keep their produc-
marketing Eli Mahal is energy costs. We are hearing tion local and save on expen-
expecting printers to imple- many of our customers, espe- sive shipping costs. We are
ment more ways to save on cially those in Europe, report also seeing an ever-predomi-
energy costs, and says many on significant energy price nant balancing act between
customers are already hikes, starting this winter. supply vs. demand, particu-
investing a lot in these Many customers are already larly in the labels and pack-
efforts. investing a lot in their efforts aging market, which is set to
Eli Mahal says: “As we to decrease energy costs, continue into next year. If
move into 2023, we expect including switching from UV you look back at 2021,
sustainability to be more lamps to UV LED, installing brands and converters were
than just a ‘nice to have’, solar panels, and of course occupied with filling the
rather, it will become the HP Indigo’s head of L&P marketing Eli Mahal realising the energy-saving shelves to overcome supply
norm and printers will advantages of moving from chain issues and meet
embed sustainability at the from, right through to the ment in mind, not only are flexo to digital print. demand however today,
top of their agenda. As organ- print technology they use, they manufactured carbon “Lastly, and as referenced demand is receding and
isations accelerate their sus- the waste they generate, and neutral, they also offer above, a trend we’ve seen there are growing concerns
tainability initiatives, the ability of the printed reduced production waste post-Covid, is the supply of about the economy slowing
converters must be looking at product to meet circular and energy efficiency, sup- goods becoming less trust- down. We therefore antici-
their business and workflow packaging standards. port eco-certified materials worthy, especially coupled pate that mindsets will begin
processes holistically, to Converters that invest in HP and meet circular packaging with rising costs of freight. to change, and converters
ensure that they’re delivering Indigo digital print technol- and food packaging regula- Production therefore has will become more preoccu-
end-to-end solutions with a ogy will remain in a strong tions. shifted from Asian markets pied with making sure that
lower environmental impact. market position when it “We also expect to see which had strict lockdowns, shelves are empty again. We
That includes everything comes to sustainability. All printers be proactive to the back to US and European are finding that more and
from the materials they offer HP digital presses are ongoing energy crisis and markets, which is benefiting more brands are rethinking
and where they source them designed with the environ- implement solutions that converters in these regions, their marketing tactics.”

Printers will seek to invest more in automation in 2023: Miles

Ryan Miles, managing extremely high energy cost tion commitments and
director of Heidelberg UK, increases, despite the short- brand owners’ changing
says that those who can mas- term government support. needs. Those who are able to
ter the challenges presented We therefore expect to see master these challenges will
in 2023 will prosper and be increased consolidation in
the successful printers of the the commercial segment. prosper and be the successful
future. Ryan Miles says: “We and sustainable printers of
have seen an increased “This leads to more ‘indus- the future and therein lies
demand for solutions that trialisation effect’ meaning the opportunity for them.
include automation and pro- printers will seek to invest Suppliers must ensure that
cess improvement. more in automation and pro- we can package our various
“For commercial printers cess driven solutions that
there’s been a new normal Ryan Miles, managing director of Heidelberg UK enable higher efficiencies. expertise, experiences and
set in the post-Covid era printers there are changes in market. “For packaging printers product/solution portfolios
which has seen in general demand led mainly by sus- “On top of the existing the demand for automation into models that our custom-
lower demand for print vol- tainability topics. And overall inflationary effects and get- and leaner production will ers can access in the simplest
umes and higher demand for the supply chain realignment ting to grips with lower vol- continue as they look to inte- ways. Suppliers have an
print jobs to be completed in and the shift to operating in ume demands that will both grate the various sustainabil- important role to play in sup-
a more efficient way there- an inflationary driven market continue in 2023, printers porting printers through
fore driving the need for has affected all printing com- ity demands brought about
automation. For packaging panies and suppliers to the also have to deal with by legislation, carbon reduc- these multiple challenges.”

20 PrintWeek MENA January 2023 www.printweekmena.com