As the barriers that once kept print service providers (PSPs) confined to their own lanes continue to fall, the label and packaging segments of the industry stand out as ideal growth opportunities. For commercial printers in particular, ongoing digitization of formerly reliable print applications has exacerbated the need to expand into segments with stable demand and long-term viability. The latest reporting from PRINTING United Alliance and its research division, Alliance Insights, reveals that PSPs are not only exploring the packaging world but are also actively moving into the segment and increasing their profitability.
Advancements in digital printing and finishing technology are largely responsible for the increased accessibility of label and packaging production. But for those seeking to embrace convergence and enter these segments, simply investing in equipment is not enough. Success in packaging necessitates a well-thought-out workflow, a sales and prospect pipeline, and an education on the myriad external factors shaping the industry’s future.
For example, Spectrum Packaging Corp., which was founded as a commercial printing company in 1997 in Orlando, FL, gradually made the transition over more than a decade. Though it is now a successful folding carton printing company, its president, Mark Mills, says switching to packaging presented a steep learning curve.
“We did a lot of research, talked to a lot of people,” Mills said during the Packaging Forum at the 2025 PRINTING United Expo. “We joined an association of other packaging companies, and they were all really helpful. We asked them, ‘What did you buy? Why did you buy it?’ … And so we asked a lot of questions to a lot of people — and then take a lot of notes, visit plants, watch it run.”
Packaging as a Supplementary Segment
According to the latest data from Alliance Insights, examples like Spectrum Packaging, in which a commercial printer makes a wholesale shift into packaging, may be an exception. In fact, in its latest State of the Industry Report, which launched in May and is sponsored by Canon U.S.A., Alliance Insights reports that 35% of State of the Industry survey participants print labels or packaging as a secondary segment.
Read this full article on PRINTING Impressions, a publication of Printing United Alliance, ASI’s strategic partner.
