Progress in Packaging series: Mapping BOBST’s progress against the latest industry trends

24 February 2022

Progress in Packaging series: Mapping BOBST's progress against the latest industry trends

Trends in production and logistics technologies

In 2021, FACHPACK - the leading trade fair and vital guide for the European packaging industry - published its Trendradar 2021 report. The report outlines the current hot topics and trends in the packaging industry and picks out the ones that will be transformative for the industry over the next three to five years. At BOBST, we agree with the assessment of these trends and have some very relevant developments that will help the packaging industry to stay ahead of them.

In total, the report includes 21 trends across the following four categories:

1. Packaging materials
2. Packaging design
3. Functionalized packaging
4. Production and logistics technologies

In the first three articles in the series, we looked at the trends in packaging materials, packaging design and functionalized packaging. In this fourth and final article, we will look at the key trends in production and logistics technologies and some of the ways that BOBST is pioneering progress in this area.

Progress in production and logistics technologies
There is only one key trend highlighted by the FACHPACK report in this area, but it is a significant one: the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine networking (Internet of Things (IoT) in production.

This trend is at the heart of BOBST's vision to shape the future of the packaging world. The BOBST vision is shaping a new reality where connectivity, digitalization, automation and sustainability are the cornerstones of packaging production.

The report highlights that the application of AI in many areas will lead to a significant increase in efficiency. We believe it goes even further - that the combination of AI and IoT will enable converters to optimize their entire production floor.

From the conventional, analog and unconnected production floors of the past, we are moving towards the digitalization of the packaging industry, with AI and IoT at its core. It is happening in steps across the industry. Many converters now at least have in place some element of automation of simple processes on a machine level and process planning on production management level, but perhaps with humans still controlling, starting and stopping the automation.

The next steps are machine learning - based on human actions and thinking patterns the machine "learns" how to act and optimize, with humans only getting involved if the machine asks for help - and then full AI, where the machine is capable of solving problems itself, with the interaction of humans rarely needed. In a world where most converters are facing a great increase in the number of short runs and a greater challenge in finding skilled personnel, the appeal of AI-driven automation increases even further.

Artificial intelligence makes quality control a reality
The FACHPACK report highlights that one specific use case is particularly well suited to AI: quality control. In contrast to conventional spot checks, states the report, AI can be used to extend quality control to 100 per cent of the goods produced. With AI, countless individual defect patterns and anomalies can be reliably detected.

At BOBT, we agree. We have recently launched oneINSPECTION, an integrated and evolving set of quality control solutions, which moves quality control into the digital age. It delivers a range of equipment and solutions that leverage digital intelligence, software and cloud-based platforms to meet the needs of brand owners and converters, making zero-fault packaging a reality in the labels, flexible packaging, folding carton and corrugated board industries.

These solutions are highly digital, automated, and completely reliable, inline and offline, offering peace of mind for converters and brand owners alike.

How it impacts the bottom line
The FACHPACK report cites Amazon as an example of a major corporation that has embedded AI to make its packaging processes more sustainable. With its box sizing algorithm, Amazon has reduced shipping damage by 24 percent and at the same time lowered shipping costs by 5 percent.

BOBST Connect - an open architecture cloud-based platform - is BOBST's solution to help converters and brand owners to enhance efficiency, accuracy, performance and ultimately, profitability. oneINSPECTION is a core component of BOBST Connect.

BOBST Connect is the facilitator for achieving a digitalized, automated, and connected production workflow, acting as a link between BOBST production equipment and the digital eco-system (including third-party software).

In the future, utilizing AI / IoT via solutions like BOBST Connect, Brand Owners, converters, toolmakers, packers, and retailers will all be part of a seamless supply chain, accessing data across the entire workflow. All the machines and tooling will "talk" to each other, seamlessly transmitting data through a cloud-based platform orchestrating the entire production process with quality control systems.

This is the future of packaging - but all the components are available today, ready for converters and Brand Owners to grab a hugely competitive advantage in the short term and be ready for whatever their customers need in the long term.

Thank you for reading our series on the FACHPACK report. If you'd like to read any of the previous editions, please check them out below:

Article 1: Trends in packaging materials
Article 2: Trends in packaging design
Article 3: Trends in functionalized packaging

Bobst Mex SA, Switzerland