On 21 January 2020, Parksons Packaging, India’s carton packaging major, and HP India came together at Grand Hyatt, Mumbai to organize the Onboxing event to introduce brand owners and creative agencies to the world of digital printing in carton packaging. Parksons Packaging recently installed its first HP Indigo 30000 digital press which is also the first B2-format (20 x 30 inch) digital press in the Indian folding carton industry. “At the Onboxing event we are showcasing brand owners and packaging buyers the technological prowess of the new digital HP Indigo 30000 press,” said Siddharth Kejriwal, managing director of Parksons Packaging.

“Digital printing is no more about printing on a box, it’sabout creating an ‘onbox’ experience too. Like people enjoy the ‘unboxing’ experience, they enjoy the ‘onboxing’ experience too because today it is not just about what is inside, but is also about what is on the package. And that’s how we have coined the word ‘Onboxing’ because it is apt to what we are showcasing at this event,” explained Kejriwal. The company displayed its range of packaging samples printed on the HP Indigo 30000 digital press at the Onboxing event.

Speaking about how onboxing experience can attract the millennial (those born between 1980 and 2000), Kejriwal said, “Today, the most noteworthy trend with the millennial community is that they love creating, sharing and capturing memories earned through personal experiences. This community has a growing affinity for brands that help them to take control of their lives and offer worthwhile experiences rather than mere possessions – they want an experience in whatever they do or buy. Onboxing is about how well a product can be packaged to deliver an exciting and memorable experience,” said Kejriwal. As per Census data, the millennial population of India is around 450 million out of which around 300 million millennial (67% of total population) live in rural India. They are now the largest generation in the electorate, workforce and population, a distinction they’ll keep for decades.

“Just imagine the ‘unboxing’ experience when you open a new iPhone box! ‘Onboxing’ is the new level experience. When you receive an iPhone which has your name printed on the box, that really evokes emotion and excitement. That is what we are really talking about here – taking the experience level for consumers a step further – from unboxing to onboxing,” added A Appadurai of HP India.

Creating a new digital carton segment

Over the last few decades, Parksons has firmly established itself as a high volume, high quality and high-speed offset printer. The company currently operates six plants across all the regions of India and runs more than 20 high-speed offset lines. Since the inauguration of the HP Indigo 30000 six months ago, Parksons Packaging has undergone a huge learning curve, working with a totally new technology. “The priority was to change the mindset of our operators. They were used to changing inks and plates, working on large runs and so many things. After having this machine installed, in past 5 to 6 months, we created a team of people who in turn created a mindset to work with the digital technology because it is not just having the machine but also about executing the job efficiently,” said Kejriwal.

According to Kejriwal, over the last six months, Parksons has done more than 1,000 jobs which included jobs as low as 50 sheets, and as high as 10,000 sheets. “This means we have gone through extreme short to medium length jobs. Once again, it is not about just short runs, it is also about being able to do variable printing which is not possible on the offset technology. This has given us the confidence to deliver the right products to our customers. Digital is an extension of our existing solutions where we can now provide digital printing solutions to brand owners. The digital platform will complement what we are already doing using the offset technology,” said Kejriwal. “As the world is moving more and more towards eCommerce, personalization and customization, we believe that there is an opportunity to build value for brand owners by using the digital platform.” Many a times, small brands or start-ups are hesitant in approaching a company like Parksons because their volumes are small. Kejriwal said that those customers should no longer hesitate.

HP India’s strategy

“In India, we are just getting started in the folding carton segment,” said A Appadurai of HP India. “For us, getting started with Parksons is an absolute pleasure. Being a leading carton manufacturer, Parksons represents the life-cycle of brands that use folding cartons. Our strategy for a long time, as far as India is concerned, has been to share knowledge with brand owners and fulfill their requirements. In line with our strategy, now we will go out with Parksons, to help brand owners and creative agencies to adapt digital – and adapt digital faster – to leverage on the value that digital can offer.”