The global packaging industry remains one of the largest and most influential markets in the world — and its growth trajectory shows no signs of slowing. According to Smithers, a leading research authority, packaging is a trillion-dollar industry set to expand from $1.17 trillion in 2023 to $1.42 trillion by 2028. For ink manufacturers, this surge represents a significant opportunity, especially as brands and converters place increasing value on innovation, safety, and sustainability.
At Siegwerk, CEO Dr. Nicolas Wiedmann confirms that demand for packaging inks and coatings continued to rise in 2024. He points to flexible packaging, paper-based packaging, and labels as the fastest-growing categories — each pushed forward by evolving environmental standards and tightening global regulations.
Sustainability, he notes, is a defining driver of Siegwerk’s development strategy. “From inks that improve plastic recycling to coatings that support material reduction and substrate changes, sustainable solutions have become increasingly prominent,” Dr. Wiedmann explains. Despite high raw material, energy, and labor costs throughout the year, Siegwerk achieved profitable growth across all regions, and he remains optimistic entering 2025.
At Flint Group, Chief Commercial Officer and CEO/President of Packaging Inks North America Doug Aldred echoes that packaging remains a robust global growth market — though performance varies across regions and applications. Sustainability continues to shape packaging design, driven by brand expectations and consumer demand. Yet, Aldred emphasizes the fundamentals: packaging remains essential for protecting food, beverages, and critical goods throughout their journey from production to the consumer’s home. “This vital function, paired with continued sustainability progress, secures packaging’s position as a resilient, stable market,” he notes.
In Japan, Toyo Ink Co., Ltd. reports a similar outlook. Despite economic pressures and volatile raw material markets, the packaging sector remained resilient in 2024. GM of the International Division’s Marketing Department Hideki Ohba highlights rising demand for food-safe, sustainable, and regulatory-compliant packaging — especially in flexible materials.
From an ink-technology perspective, Ohba notes strong market interest in water-based, low-VOC, and UV LED inks, driven by global environmental regulations and brand commitments to sustainability. The growing push toward mono-material packaging — designed for easier recycling — is also influencing the development of next-generation inks and coatings.
From the digital perspective, Paul Edwards, VP of the Digital Division at INX International Ink Co., describes 2024 as a progressive and promising year. Though still early in the analog-to-digital transformation of packaging, the shift is clearly underway. “Brands are recognizing digital’s potential for differentiation through targeted product advertising,” Edwards says. He adds that digital print technology is advancing rapidly to meet a wider range of packaging applications, setting the stage for accelerated adoption.
Across the industry, a common thread runs through every expert insight: sustainability, compliance, and technological change are no longer trends — they are the forces actively reshaping the global packaging ink market.
As 2025 unfolds, ink manufacturers who invest in safer chemistries, smarter digital solutions, and more efficient production workflows will be best positioned to thrive in this dynamic and fast-evolving landscape.
