by Melissa Donovan
Many companies in the flexible packaging industry have heralded digital printing, whether it be adding a printer to their existing business or creating a spin-off of their organization entirely, one with just a digital focus.
Each scenario recognizes digital printing’s on-demand, sustainable production capabilities for flexible packaging.
Above: BDI offers digitally printed flexible packaging—roll stock films, pouches, and bags. The organization recently added two HP Indigo 25K presses to its portfolio.
Leader in Flexible Packaging
Galloway Consolidated Holdings—known as a leader in the flexible packaging industry—is comprised of three sister companies—Bema Incorporated, Elite Extrusion Technology, and Bema Digital Innovations (BDI).
Bema Incorporated, founded in 1959, is equipped with high-speed flexographic presses capable of ten and eight colors, pouch and bag making machines, solvent-less lamination, and slitters. Its technical center looks to improve quality and customer response time by incorporating digital prepress and platemaking from start to finish.
Its sister company Elite Extrusion Technology manufactures polyethylene films for the flexible packaging industry. Made up of a group of experts in the field of co-extruded films, the organization operates three Windmoeller & Hoelscher Optimex blown film lines.
Revenue-Generating Assets
With a rich history in printing and converting, Bema Incorporated keeps pace with technology advancements. In July 2023, recognizing the benefits of digital printing in the flexible packaging space, the company created BDI.
Based in St. Charles, IL, the business works out of a 20,000 square foot space with ten staff members. Services include digital prepress, digital printing, digital print campaign support, and digitally printed flexible packaging—roll stock films, pouches, and bags.
According to Stacey Vassil, marketing manager, BDI, Bema Incorporated chose to create a separate digital printing company to strengthen its integrated printing and converting capabilities.
“Digital printing enables us to expand our print offerings past the unbeatable print quality we already offer. Yes, the print quality from digital printing is excellent. However, we want to offer our customers the opportunity to take digital print to the next level by using it to build brand loyalty and turn a standard pouch into a revenue generating asset,” explains Vassil.
How is this possible? Well for BDI the focus is on customizing promotional packaging. “Packaging can be tailored to fit the theme of a sporting event, a concert, or a political rally. Businesses can ship online orders, offer exclusives in their physical store, and retain loyal customers with packages that deliver brand recognition. Add a name, a photo, a coupon, or a special quick response code, all without compromise to the brand’s identity,” according to a press release published by BDI in February 2024.
Long-Term Investment
Signaling a true commitment to digital printing it recently added two HP Indigo 25K presses to its portfolio. The HP Indigo 25K press, with its 30-inch format, reaches speeds of 101 feet per minute (fpm) in four-color mode and 82 fpm in five-color mode. Using HP Indigo ElectroInks, this press yields a wide expanded gamut. It is available in standard CMYK, with the option to add orange, violet, green, or white.
When deciding which digital press to acquire, BDI considered not only print quality, but the integrated software tools as well. “Of all the current digital print platforms built for flexible packaging; to date, the HP Indigo 25K offers the most complete set of tools. In addition to the print quality being excellent, HP offers a superior set of software tools that our expert digital prepress team use to leverage every advantage the platform can yield, i.e, personalization, customization, serializing, as well as seasonal and targeted campaigning,” shares Vassil.
Custom Promotional Packaging
With the help of its two HP Indigo 25K presses, BDI is well on its way to achieving its goal of capitalizing on the appeal of customizable promotional packaging. Vassil says the company recently held a series of customer seminars that provided positive feedback about their intent.
“Brand managers are craving a way to not only capture attention but capture a customer’s long-term commitment to the brand,” continues Vassil.
Jul2024, DPS Magazine
