Circulary

Annually, more than 23.750 km of packaging film are rendered obsolete unusable and destined for landfills. Obsolescence is due to consumer demand fluctuation, changes on legislation and human errors in artwork processing.

Rotoprint Sovrastampa, based in Lainate (Mi, Italy) is the unique European company dedicated exclusively for 40 years to overprint already printed packaging films, recovering and reusing, up to now, 950.000 km of obsolete film by modifying and/or adding graphics and texts. Such secondary and marginal activity becomes now paramount to avoid that 4-5% of total packaging film is wasted to the environment. Rotoprint is also developing the new overprint generation technology, more efficient, using solventless inks, more competitive and environmentally friendly.

Global Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies, main generators of wasted packaging film, are looking for industrial initiatives for a better use of resources, minimise CO2 emissions, keeping costs under control. Rotoprint is expanding its business model from a local Italian enterprise to a European overprint hub network to attend cost-efficiently and timely the most demanding requirement of the FMCG industry.

Overprint has many benefits:

• avoids unnecessary waste by reusing existing packaging. It adds value to obsolete packaging by adding a promotional message and/or modifying graphics or text with the right information on force. Implementing a strong and solid overprint culture and process, any Brand Owner can reduce 5-10% annual packaging usage.
• growing EU Regulations to decrease CO₂ emissions will increase the awareness on overprint’s contribution to the environment. Brand Owners will be able to estimate CO₂ emissions decrease in environmental audits because of applying small amount of ink on existing packaging film instead of reprinting using new film and inks.
• is a cost-efficient solution compared to reprint the entire job. Current overprinting technology saves from 10% at big FCMG companies to 25% at regional corporations. New overprint technology will increase savings to new frame ranging from 25% to 50% which will surely drive decisions in overprint direction.
• is a unique and environment friendly tool to respond to market demand fluctuation, sudden local legislation changes or mistakes on artwork processing.
• can be the unique solution when reprinting a job takes a long lead time because no raw film or special ink is available; or there is printing capacity bottleneck at converter due to seasonal circumstances. Overprint can avoid a production line to be stopped, which is a much more expensive side effect

Rotoprint Sovrastampa is facing two main challenges in the coming years that requires significant financial resources:

• First challenge is implementing a new overprinting technology alternative to rotogravure; This new generation print press using solvent less inks, faster printing speed and low origination cost (plates vs. cylinders) will make overprinting a cost attractive option additional to all environmental drivers.
• Second challenge is organisational. Build a wider and professional Team to implement a European overprint hub network with closer facilities to global FMCG companies to stimulate reusing obsolete packaging film, avoiding unnecessary waste

Other challenges also need to be taken into consideration:

• Most of the time, the preferred action is to reprint the packaging instead of the shipment of an obsolete packaging film resting at the warehouse for an overprinting job;
• In order to implement overprinting process in FMCG companies is necessary to involve procurement and marketing (eventually also operations);
• in order to have a good market acceptance, the overprint needs to be cost-efficient and time saving.

CONTINGENCY-PACK SL (PACKTUM)
Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 630
08007 Barcelona (Spain)
Phone +34 932 702 749
e-mail info@packtum.com

Giovanni Luca Arici / Kim Muntane

+39 02 9371106 / +34 932 702 749

clienti@rotoprint.com / kim.muntane@packtum.com