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Business Development Advisory Announces New Study

The continued segmentation of this market and the emergence of new opportunities make it critical for industry suppliers to better understand how this market will evolve in the future. The graphic corrugated segment is one of the most dynamic packaging segments within the North American packaging market. In general, graphic corrugated packaging is distinguished by a white-top surface on the outer ply of the corrugated material that facilitates much higher quality printing. There are many different aspects to the market that will have a significant impact on its future development, says BDA president Frank Perkowski. Changes in retail formats, consumer shopping behavior, product merchandising tactics, print technologies, internet purchasing habits, and the continued outsourcing of manufacturing to low cost regions will all affect this packaging segment in different ways. Suppliers to the market must therefore understand how these dynamics will affect the overall demand for graphic corrugated materials and particular preferences within this overall category. Despite the above average growth and relatively high value of these corrugated materials, there is currently a lack of reliable market information relating to this segment. Associations do not break out shipment information along these lines and the use of the different corrugated substrates is fragmented across different applications such as retail displays, primary product packaging, and shipping containers. In addition, the performance requirements of these materials have continued to change at the same time that printing, coating, and paper technologies have evolved to provide new performance attributes and capabilities. There are now more technological options available to suppliers of these materials but changing customer requirements make it difficult for suppliers to make the right marketing and procurement decisions, notes Perkowski. This study will provide the market with the information that is needed to make better short and long-term planning decisions which will in turn result in increased profitability. The data-rich, in-depth study is scheduled for completion in March, 2005. Subscribers can take advantage of a 15% pre-publication discount if they sign up before February 1.