GLEN ALLEN, Va. /PRNewswire/ -- The global smart packaging market will grow to $4.8 billion in 2011 and reach $14.1 billion in 2013, according to a new report from NanoMarkets, LC, a market research firm based here. The report titled "Smart Packaging Markets: 2006-2013" is the next in a series of reports from the firm that examines emerging market opportunities stemming from new developments in materials and electronics. Additional information about the report can be found on the firm's Web site. Members of the press may receive a summary of the report upon request.
Highlights from the report include:
- Printable electronics enable smarter packaging. In its new report, NanoMarkets says that the arrival of a broad range of printable-electronics technologies is making smarter packaging possible. Only printing can deliver sophisticated electronic capabilities to packaging at a price that makes it economically viable. Among the printable devices that will be used in packaging to make products healthier, more secure, longer lasting, easier to use, and more aesthetically appealing are RFIDs, OLED displays and lights, sensors, thin-film batteries and photovoltaics. Smart packaging will account for over $1.1 billion in printable electronics components by 2011, growing to $4.2 billion in 2013, according to NanoMarkets researchers.
- A sizeable market for RFIDs. Smart packaging will also consume $1.1 billion in printable and chip-based RFID tags by 2011, and they will be used in many different kinds of smart packaging, including everything from time/temperature indicators for the pharmaceutical industry to various smart packaging systems based on smart labels to packages used to ship military supplies overseas. However, critical to this success will be printable electronics making good on its promise to deliver an RFID tag for around one cent or so. For this to happen, there must be significant improvements in the ability of printing machines to create RFIDs in high volume and print them on a wide variety of substrates.
- New power sources enabling smart packaging. In the past, the evolution of smart packaging has been hampered by the lack of small, low-cost power sources. NanoMarkets claims that help is coming from three sources: piezoelectric materials, organic photovoltaics, and thin-film batteries. As these technologies mature and fall in price, the power will be there to drive lights, sensors, displays, and active RFID tags in the latest generation of smart packaging technology.
- Smart packaging needs smart materials. NanoMarkets believes that in the future smart materials will have an important impact on smart packaging technology. Among the potential opportunities are using thermochromic inks to show when an optimal (or dangerous) temperature has been reached, shape memory alloys to control the opening and closing of packages depending on environmental conditions, piezoelectric materials to provide power for lighting and audio features on packaging, and smart adhesives that can be used with smart labels to ensure freshness through color changes.
- Smarter packaging means fewer fakes. The International Chamber of Commerce estimates that in 2003 counterfeit goods worldwide accounted for eight percent of total world trade. NanoMarkets believes this is a tremendous opportunity for smart packaging, noting that a combination of RFID authentication at point of sale, security inks, and other smart packaging approaches will make a major contribution to combating counterfeiting, especially in the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical sectors.
About the Report:
This new NanoMarkets report examines the market opportunities stemming from the latest generation of smart packaging solutions in the food and beverage, medical and pharmaceutical, cosmetics and personal care, toys and novelties, and military sectors. It covers numerous smart packaging solutions, including freshness systems, security and anti-counterfeiting systems, temperature indicators and temperature-control packaging, display-based packaging, and smart dispensing systems. The report provides eight-year forecasts for 23 kinds of smart packaging systems, as well as for critical components that make up those systems, such as RFIDs, displays, sensors, memories, and power sources. It also provides detailed charts showing how emerging technologies will be used for each sector of the smart packaging industry.
The report analyzes the market from all perspectives, including materials suppliers, technology providers, printers and converters, product manufacturers, and retailer/distributors. Companies mentioned in the report include 3M, Aveso, Campbell, Coca Cola, CSIRO, Cypak, DuPont, DHL, Duracell, Heinz, IBM, Information Mediary, Intel, Konarka, Marks & Spencer, MeadWestvaco, PowerPaper, Proctor and Gamble, pSivida, and Wal-Mart among others.
About NanoMarkets:
NanoMarkets tracks and analyzes emerging market opportunities created by developments in advanced materials. The firm has published numerous reports related to nanoelectronics, organic, thin film, and printable electronics materials, applications, and production modalities. For a full listing of the firm's research reports, white papers and posted articles, please visit firm's Web site.