About 115 converting and packaging professionals were on hand last month for the Digital Printing for Packaging conference we co-sponsored with Pira Intl. at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare. I'd have to say that all went away with a better perspective on the current state and potential benefits of this technology for their products and businesses.

In one sense, no one will be safe from digital printing as it will have an impact on every aspect of the supply chain. Robb Clarke, assistant professor with the School of Packaging at Michigan State University, pointed out how end users' need for speed to market and production efficiencies demand special considerations. "Chief among these is the ability to provide the correct label or package at the optimal time and place, each and every time," he says. "This can be accomplished with digital printing."

Highlighting the conference were the viewpoints of three packaging buyers. Susan McNeely, associate engineering consultant with Eli Lilly Co., explained why the technology is a good fit for pharmaceutical makers. Among the incentives: quick turnaround is especially attractive in an industry under pressure to launch products; frequent changes make low packaging inventories popular; and safety changes for drugs often must be made very quickly.

"Digital printing," she says, "has the potential to completely change the way pharmaceutical companies think about obtaining packaging materials for launches and for small-volume markets."

Measuring results were offered by Albert Elboudwarej, worldwide packaging manager for the Life-Scan division of Johnson & Johnson. Its in-house Digital Graphics Print System reportedly provides up to 50 percent cost savings while being twice as fast as traditional methods. Graphic imagery, trademarks and color management improved.

Henry Dante, senior staff engineer for Philip Morris, described his company's development of a real-time, online system for digital printing. "Seamless integration with the manufacturing process is a prerequisite for success," he warns. "The technology has to fit the existing infrastructure, and have no or minimal impact on the process flow."

Philip Morris' prototype printing unit is a modular system that integrates with the packaging machinery. A 2.3-in. ink-jet print width of 330-dpi resolution imaging is run at 300 carton blanks/min. "Customer-driven solutions will achieve success," he says. "Their involvement in the early stages of a digital-printing system design is a must."

Along with perspectives from converters living the day-to-day realities of digital printing, the conference also touched on current and future markets, and the finishing of digitally-printed materials. Look for more on this unique event in next month's issue.

Congratulations to our art director Vicky Bellisario! On June 12, Vicky was honored with a Gold Midwest Regional Award for Graphic Excellence from the American Society of Business Press Editors. The category: Publication Redesign for her complete makeover of Converting, which premiered in January 2000. "I could not have done this without a staff that cares so much about what they do," she says.