Industry experts foresee continue growth in the flexible packaging industry, fueled by two developments: increasing consumer demands for convenient packages, and an industry push for sustainable, shelf-ready product designs, according to the Flexible Packaging Market Assessment produced by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.

Three experts from around the industry weigh in on the latest trends, technologies and practices that brands can leverage to effectively tackle multiplying stock keeping units (SKUs) and bolster efficiency, sustainability, security and brand experience through customization and personalization.

When making the choice between premade pouches and form-fill-seal, OEMs should consider factors like run speed, changeovers and flexibility of package sizes handled, according to the 2019 Flexible Packaging Assessment by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.

PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, established the Packaging & Processing Women’s Leadership Network (PPWLN) to recruit, retain and advance women’s careers in packaging and processing.

The packaging machinery market is seeing an uptick in demand for rental machinery. There are three key drivers of this trend: flexibility, cost and return on investment. Continuously evolving consumer demands and the explosion of SKUs means that flexibility is paramount, particularly in the food and beverage markets.

Flexible packaging accounts for 19 percent of the overall packaging market and is expected to grow at a rate of 3.9 percent CAGR by 2023, according to the 2019 Flexible Packaging Marketing Assessment by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.

Smart packaging is developing rapidly. A major factor driving the growth of the smart packaging market is increasing demand for packaging that indicates and maintains product quality throughout the supply chain.

PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2019, co-located with Healthcare Packaging EXPO 2019, is the year's most comprehensive packaging event on the continent. The shows will offer the latest packaging technologies to help manufacturers improve operations and stay competitive.

While the growth in online purchasing drives changes from product design, to package changes, picking, fulfilling and shipping, product protection stands alone as the main issue, according to the E-Commerce: Think Inside the Box report by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.