Orora Beverage has launched a first-to-market high-speed digital printing solution, Helio by Orora, positioned as a gamechanger for customisation of can design and decoration, and enabling fast speed to market for new products and promotions.
To deliver the technology to the Oceania primary packaging market, Orora has signed an agreement to team with Israel-based global provider, Velox-digital, to supply new direct-to-shape digital printing solutions, a first for this region. In terms of the agreement, Orora will purchase Velox-digital printing machines, inks and consumables.
The first digital printer will be installed at Orora’s can production facility in Dandenong, Victoria where Orora currently decorates cans with traditional high-speed offset decoration processes.
Chris Smith, general manager Orora Beverage Cans, tells PKN the analogue printing technology will be complemented by the digital print capability, which brings the benefits of quick turnaround from design to delivery, with the lead time required of printing plates eliminated.
Smith says the Velox technology will provide greater operational flexibility, catering to smaller minimum quantities and reduced inventory overproduction. He is quick to point out that the technology's application is not limited to short runs. For instance, its ability to deliver infinite randomisation in sequence enables large-scale promotional activations.
The introduction of Helio adds to the company’s significant investment in cans capacity expansion – in June this year Orora completed construction of an $80m multi-size can line at the Dandenong site.
The new line, which increases production capacity by around 10 per cent and allows for the manufacture of varying can sizes and formats, combined with the high-speed Helio digital print capability, strengthens significantly Orora’s position to meet the surging growth in demand for beverage cans.
Smith says, “This digital decoration solution will complement and capitalise on the investment at Dandenong, signifying a step change to our leadership in can decoration. We already have in-house expertise in innovation and pre-press decoration, this technology will enhance our decoration centre of excellence at this site.
“We have been assessing the development of direct-to-shape digital decoration technology for cans for some time,” he adds.
“Velox has proven capability and holds numerous patents for this technology. Orora has worked with Velox to review trial materials and inspect machines at its site in Israel.”
The new line will be installed in June next year and running by Q3 2024. Smith said Orora is launching Helio now because it's already engaging in conversations with brand owners as they plan summer campaigns for next year.
“Our role in primary packaging is to help our brand owners engage the shopper at the point of purchase. Helio and the Velox solution will transform our ability to do this for our customer’s brands,” he said. “Once commissioned, what this means for our customers is that wait time will be significantly reduced in delivering a specific can size or label design for activities such as promotions, new products and limited-edition retail events. With no label set-up required and near-immediate supply, shorter, faster minimum runs can be accommodated, providing greater flexibility in product and campaign planning.”
Commenting on growth in the aluminium cans market, Smith said, “We are seeing the demand for aluminium cans continue to grow, with particularly exciting developments across a number of categories including craft beer, soft drinks, RTDs and seltzers. Cans are a terrific sustainable, packaging option, convenient for many occasions and most importantly, produced from aluminium containing recycled content, with the can itself being infinitely recyclable.”
Investment in the can production capacity has been ongoing. Apart from the new Dandenong line, a $30m project to expand can ends capacity at Ballarat was completed in March 2023, and a new $85M can line at Revesby, NSW, is underway and expected to come online by Q1 2025.
Smith said, “We know that can graphic design and decoration is a critical tool for engaging consumers – with strong in-house can decoration capability, the Helio solution enabled by high-speed, direct-to-shape digital printing, adds even greater value to Orora’s service offering for its customers.”
