Equipment Selection for Packaging Production

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Hello everyone,

I work as a graphic designer for a small brand, mainly focused on editorial and print projects, such as packaging and label design. I’ve always been fascinated by the printing world, though I haven’t yet had the chance to delve into the technical aspects or the machinery involved.

Our goal is to become independent in producing our brand’s packaging and, in the future, to offer packaging and printing services to other businesses as well.

After doing some research, I realized there’s an enormous variety of equipment available, and the market is constantly evolving, which makes it challenging to navigate and identify the best solutions for our needs.

Below, I’ve outlined the specifications of our two main packaging products to give a clear picture of our current requirements:

Packaging 1 (Large Envelope)

• Open format: H: 44.3 cm, W: 30.3 cm
• Closed format: H: 20.6 cm, W: 26.6 cm
• Scoring: on all sides
• Double-sided tape: two strips on the side flaps and one on the top flap
• Opening: perforated tear strip on the back
• Paper: up to 300g
• Printing: digital, in color

Packaging 2 (Small Envelope)

• Open format: H: 32.3 cm, W: 18.3 cm
• Closed format: H: 14.6 cm, W: 14.6 cm
• Scoring: on all sides
• Double-sided tape: two strips on the side flaps and one on the top flap
• Opening: perforated tear strip on the back
• Paper: up to 300g
• Printing: digital, in color

Currently, we rely on a print shop to produce this packaging, with orders ranging from 20 to 1000 pieces per design. This is our largest expense at the moment. Here’s an example of our orders for October:

October Orders

First Order

• 20 pieces LARGE
• 100 pieces SMALL
• 100 pieces LARGE
• 200 pieces LARGE
• 50 pieces SMALL
• 100 pieces LARGE

Second Order

• 20 pieces LARGE
• 100 pieces SMALL
• 100 pieces LARGE
• 100 pieces LARGE
• 100 pieces SMALL
• 500 pieces LARGE
• 50 pieces LARGE

To start, we need versatile machines for these two types of packaging, but we also want equipment that can support future expansion. Ideally, we’d like to purchase used machines initially to keep costs down, while still balancing quality and price.

Equipment:

1. Digital printer for large print runs
2. Machine for cutting, shaping, and scoring
3. Machine for applying double-sided tape

These are the machines we currently believe are necessary, but we’re open to suggestions or alternative solutions. If anyone has experience or advice on brands, models, or strategies to help us get started on this new journey, your input would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you very much in advance!

 

[Biggs]

Are These envelopes paper envelopes? or synthetic material?
Is the material white? or another color?
If they are any color other than white, you'll need a machine that can print a white underprint.

What's your budget for a print machine?
So far, your overall volume is on the low side. Unless you foresee volumes in the multiple thousands in the near future, it's best to stick to a lower volume machine.

I only know pricing in US dollars, so I'll offer what I can.
Say, for example, a lease on a small Canon ImagePRESS digital printer with a large capacity envelope tray, might be around $1300-1600 USD a month.
A buyout price of between 30,000-40,000 USD.

There are some desktop-like printers (Xante, OKI, etc) that could produce envelopes in the 3-4000 USD range.
The speed would be painfully slow, with mediocre quality.

Any conventional 4 color process press would require a skilled operator, and a much..much bigger budget.

What machines have you looked at so far? if you don't mind sharing.

Taping machines and cutting machines are quite expensive also.
The tape is best applied by hand, unless you have another 20-30K to spend.
You can get a basic Rhino one-at-a-time scoring machine for 600USD or so.