The market for personal care and hygiene products is enormous and continues to grow. Today, it represents a $188 billion industry that will grow to $230 billion (7% annual growth rate) by 2022 according to Grand View Research (July 2018). The growth in the market segment, which includes everything from baby diapers to adult and feminine hygiene products, is partly due to the growing share of over 60s in the world's population. In 2016, for example, this group accounted for 15.2% of the total US population.
To meet the increasing and changing consumer demand for more differentiated and personalized products (age, weight, gender) while meeting consumer protection requirements, brand companies are launching new sub-brands of innovative absorbent materials.
Changing consumer demand and growth in the market segment have led to demands for more creative freedom and manufacturing flexibility in design, production and time-to-market. Converters (often among the brands that create and sell these products) are therefore looking for more reliable and productive digital printing systems.
So far, cost-effective print production with or without small to medium batch sizes or editions of body hygiene products has been a challenge. Traditionally, print production in this category has suffered from weaknesses in start-up and availability when using traditional drop-on-demand inkjet printing systems. This means that the following market requirements and growth opportunities cannot be met:
- Profitable printing of small to medium batch sizes
- Customization
- Faster product launch
- versioning
- print-on-demand
- prototypes
- market tests
- Seasonal promotions
With Kodak inkjet printing solutions, printers and converters can expand their production capabilities, improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact to meet today's market needs. This, in turn, gives brand owners and marketers the freedom to create versioned content without being restricted by volume or quality concerns. In addition, brand owners can bring new ideas to market quickly and cost-effectively, ensuring consistency across substrates and designs.
Why Inkjet from Kodak?
Kodak inkjet solutions today offer the same speed, quality and cost benefits as flexo. This applies to both digital hybrid printing using KODAK PROSPER impression systems and stand-alone printing solutions using the UTECO Sapphire EVO press.
KODAK PROSPER Inks and Rinse/Fresh Solutions
At the heart of these printing solutions are KODAK water-based inks with nanoparticle pigments that provide a wider color gamut that matches or exceeds the color gamut of traditional printing processes. This results in better print quality and consistency and greater success in reproducing brand colors with a four-color ink set. In addition, Kodak's water-based inks are environmentally friendly and have been tested in the market for consumer safety.
Partner Solutions
Kodak is working with other manufacturers to further expand its state-of-the-art inkjet solutions for the personal hygiene market. Among these partners is UTECO, which manufactures printing machines for printing on "breathable" films used as nappy skins, nappy tabs and other personal hygiene products. Other partners develop solutions for nonwoven materials and other body hygiene products for inline integration into existing production lines.
Whether companies decide to integrate KODAK PROSPER imprint systems into their existing production lines to integrate digital printing capabilities or install a complete digital press, they can successfully meet these new market demands and generate greater growth potential for themselves.
