NOMOQ Feature
if the problem of shrink sleeves and labels could be solved in a better way and saw that the digital printing solution is mature for investment, and that there’s a white spot in the market for smaller batches of printed cans,” Schweizer said.
NOMOQ’s value prepositions While digital printing remains niche technology in pack- aging, NOMOQ is making a difference to the landscape. For Schweizer, NOMOQ offers a number of value prepositions. Above all, the quality of the product when it comes to key quality metrics like adhesion of the ink on the metal contain- er. Brand personalisation, with design standout shelf appeal, and higher speed lines. “You want to make sure that the cans work well on the high- speed lines, so that they don’t fall from the speed on the line and there’s no friction. Another crucial thing, which sets us apart in the market, is that our cans can be pastuerised, up to 75 degrees, without any quality loss after the filling.”
This January NOMOQ added blank cans to its product line. Commenting on the reason for this move, Schweizer said it boils down to “getting into a conversation with customers who are in transition”. He continued: “They might have labeling as part of portfolio. And over time they will make that transition going from labels and sleeved cans to digital printed cans. We wanted to give them a one-stop shop for labeling because, for example, they’ve leftover stockpile.”
A white paper on digital printing for cans on the horizon Digital printing has emerged as a more
sustainable alternative to traditional printing methods. Some of the benefits repeatedly mentioned in relation to it are virtually no set-up waste, lower energy consumption, and helping to reduce emissions given that digital presses often use eco-friendly inks and toners – NOMOQ’s cans are BPA-NI, which means that they’re not intentionally made with BPA or other bisphenol compounds.
Joining forces with industry experts, Schweizer revealed that NOMOQ is preparing a white paper on digital printing for cans versus other technologies that are currently present in the market. “We’re working towards having more fact- based material to educate customers, but also media, the metal packaging industry, everyone who wants to know why digital printing can make a positive impact. I think we want to be really with the experts, and this involves more than just a digital printing company or a can-maker,” he said, adding: “Recycling plants, for example, have a lot of say.”
As an e-commerce business, NOMOQ offers convenience. “We wanted to have a business model that allows small and big players to work with us in a simple way. And for smaller batches and a fast-growing number of customers, it’s important to have very robust processes and a platform that helps to manage those orders,” he said. “We made it easy to order samples just by uploading designs onto our platform, which is delivered to customers within days. The free sample can then be approved with a click of a button, and they can order whatever quantity they need – whether it’s 50 cans for a trade show or a couple of thousand for their next filling batch. We also established these kinds of processes in the back office, so that we’ve a high reliability on our lead times.”
Accessibility matters for customer experience. And NOMOQ creates this in more ways than one. It offers a variety of options. The range of cans, from standard 330ml, 440ml (predominantly for the UK market), and 500 ml to sleek 330ml and slim 200ml and 250ml, come in four finishes: full matte, full and selective gloss, and metallic. True to its strapline ‘We make the beverage world more colourful’, NOMOQ delivers bold, bright and vibrant colours. These cans are works of art. “It’s an inkjet technology. We can print almost every desired colour with the CMYK model. We’ve no limitation like traditional offset printing has. This makes a highly creative canvas,” Schweizer adds. The company uses Hinterkopf’s digital printing machines for the decoration of cans at both of its locations.
Looking back, looking ahead The rise of digital printing for metal packaging is intertwined with craft beer boom. This was the starting point for NOMOQ. “Craft beer is where we started growing our network and where more and more customers found us and became aware of us. It’s still one of our key categories. But in recent months, we see a lot of demand from other categories, mainly from ready-to-drink cocktails, energy drinks, canned water, and canned wine.” Schweizer added: “Customers want to move into this packaging for sustainability reasons. They typically start with us because they can get printed cans in smaller batches.” Commenting on the UK expansion, Schweizer noted it’s the biggest can market in Europe and NOMOQ already had customers here. With the Netherlands, Belgium and France being key markets, he went on to say that the company is seeing “a good pick-up trend in Southern Europe”, in countries such as Spain, Italy and Portugal.
For the time being, NOMOQ will remain focused on Europe. Increasing capacity at its existing sites is next in line, with additional sites planned from next year. “It’s obvious that if you want to be a pioneer and a market leader for this revolutionary technology, you need to be fast. It’s in our nature to move quickly.”
If a large crowd at its stand at Nuremberg’s last BrauBevaile trade fair, where I first met Schweizer, is anything to go by, NOMOQ’s future looks bright.
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metalpackager.com
It’s obvious
that if you want to be a pioneer and a market leader for this revolutionary technology, you need to be fast. It’s in our nature to move quickly.”
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