People all over the world connect 24/7 through their smartphones and social media. Brands are exploiting these tendencies through the rise of near field communication (NFC) technologies, a form of short-range wireless communication, according to the report.

One early NFC adopter, Avery Dennison, demonstrated what it means to “bring packaging alive” by embedding its DirectLink NFC tags under pressure-sensitive labels. An NFC-enabled smartphone— about 570 million are on the market today—can transform a static product descriptor into a dynamic, engaging packaging platform. The consumer gains immediate access to digital content such as special offers, surveys, videos and company website links after tapping an NFC-enabled phone against NFC-equipped packaging.

Supply chain transformers

 As more supply chain developments come to fruition, 3-D printing technology is increasingly visible. At PACK EXPO International 2014, Schneider Packaging Equipment demonstrated a 3-D printed gripper on the end of the arm of a FANUC M-20ia/35 light payload robot. The technology demonstrates the industry’s commitment to integrating 3-D printing into automated processing and robotics operations. Despite slow industry adoption of 3-D printing, Schneider Packaging Equipment views the technology as an efficient way to produce customized grabbers for its palletizers.