Flexible packaging is revolutionizing the packaging landscape across industries—from food and beverages to pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Its lightweight structure, sustainability, and branding flexibility make it the go-to choice. But printing on flexible packaging isn’t always straightforward. Different substrates, regulatory pressures, and production demands require precise, reliable coding solutions.
To meet these challenges head-on, MapleJet’s Hx printer range—featuring the Hx Nitro and Hx Ultro Bulk Ink—offers reliable, high-performance solutions tailored for flexible packaging. In this blog post, we explore flexible packaging coding by industry and guide you to the ideal Hx printer that can optimize your workflow, improve compliance, and support scalable growth.
Industry Use Cases and Ideal Hx TIJ Printer Solutions
Flexible packaging is essential across industries—from food and pharmaceuticals to cosmetics, household goods, and e-commerce. Each sector uses flexible materials like pouches, sachets, tubes, and films to meet packaging demands, but faces unique coding challenges—from high-speed hygiene compliance in food, to serialization in pharma, to premium branding in cosmetics. Understanding these industry-specific needs is key to choosing the right printer for reliable, high-quality coding.
Food Packaging (Snacks, Pouches, Ready Meals)
Flexible packaging in the food industry includes pouches, flow wraps, sachets, and resealable films. These formats are often exposed to refrigeration, grease, or moisture and are typically part of high-speed production environments.
Common Challenges:
- Fast-moving production lines
- Oil and moisture exposure
- Space constraints on packaging
Recommended Printer: Hx Nitro for SME | Hx Ultro for Large Company with High Volume Production Line
Why It Works:
The Hx Nitro and Hx Ultro Thermal Inkjet (TIJ) technology deliver high-resolution, non-contact printing, making them an ideal choice for coding in hygienic environments. These printers are particularly well-suited for food-grade flexible packaging, where frequent washdowns and contamination control are necessary. Unlike CIJ printers, the Hx printer uses sealed cartridges—eliminating ink leaks and solvent odors that could otherwise pose a risk to food safety. Its compact, maintenance-free design fits easily into narrow or space-constrained production lines, giving operations teams more flexibility on the floor. Built for speed, Hx printers can keep up with fast-moving production lines and surge demands during peak seasons. Paired with Hx Manager software and Hx Console, production managers can oversee multiple printers from a single interface—streamlining operations, minimizing human error, and improving overall efficiency.
Pharmaceutical & Nutraceutical Products (Blister Packs, Sachets)
Pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products must comply with strict serialization and traceability standards like Sunrise 2027, making accurate, reliable coding essential for compliance and patient safety.
Common Challenges:
- Strict serialization and data integrity standards
- Regulatory audit requirements
- Integration with MES or ERP systems
Recommended Printer: Hx Ultro Fully Automated Bulk Ink + MapleJet Track & Trace Software + Hx Console
Why It Works:
The Hx Ultro Bulk Ink printer offers high-resolution, durable printing on pharmaceutical substrates such as blister films and sachets. It ensures precise placement of GS1 2D barcodes, lot numbers, expiry dates, and serialized codes that meet stringent global compliance requirements. Thanks to its bulk ink system, it supports high-volume production with minimal interruptions—ideal for pharmaceutical environments with continuous output demands.
MapleJet’s printers are designed to integrate easily with third-party Track & Trace systems, making them a future-proof option for manufacturers already running serialization platforms. For complete traceability, MapleJet’s own Track & Trace solution offers seamless connectivity from coding to verification and reporting—ensuring full compliance with Sunrise 2027 and other global mandates.
Additionally, Hx Console allows production or operations managers to centrally monitor, manage, and update multiple printers across several lines—ideal for facilities with high throughput or complex serialization workflows. It enhances efficiency, reduces manual input errors, and simplifies compliance reporting by giving teams real-time oversight from a single dashboard.
Personal Care & Cosmetics (Tubes, Laminates, Flow Wraps)
This industry relies on premium packaging—glossy, laminated, curved, or custom die-cut formats—to communicate brand identity. As a result, product coding must be sharp, precise, and aesthetically aligned with the packaging’s visual appeal.
Common Challenges:
- Printing on coated or glossy substrates
- Need for aesthetic alignment with branding
- Short production runs with frequent changeovers
Recommended Printer:
- Hx Nitro – Ideal for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or on-demand production
- Hx Ultro Bulk Ink – Best for large-scale manufacturers with high-volume continuous lines
Why It Works:
For cosmetics and personal care brands, every detail—from packaging finish to printed codes—impacts consumer perception. Both Hx Nitro and Hx Ultro Bulk Ink use solvent-based inks designed to adhere effectively to laminated and non-porous materials, ensuring that printed logos, batch codes, and expiry dates remain sharp and smudge-resistant.
Hx Nitro is perfect for SMEs or contract manufacturers that need flexibility and cleanliness without sacrificing print quality. Its compact footprint, no-odor solvent cartridge system, and fast cartridge swaps make it ideal for short-run or seasonal product launches where space and efficiency matter.
On the other hand, Hx Ultro Bulk Ink is tailored for high-volume production environments. Its large ink reservoir supports uninterrupted, long-duration runs—reducing cartridge changeouts and improving line efficiency during mass-market or export campaigns. Together with Hx Console, operations managers can centrally manage multiple printers, even across different packaging lines.
Household & Industrial Products (Wipes, Detergents, DIY Supplies)
This segment often involves printing on flexible packaging made from PE, PET, or foil laminates—materials that demand long-lasting, abrasion-resistant, and chemically stable codes. Applications span across cleaning wipes, detergent refills, and industrial products that must endure harsh handling and environmental exposure.
Common Challenges:
- Wide range of material types requiring strong ink adhesion
- Exposure to moisture, oils, chemicals, and abrasion
- Integration with fast, automated filling and sealing machines (VFFS/HFFS)
Recommended Printer:
- Hx Nitro – For small to medium production volumes
- Hx Ultro Bulk Ink – For large-scale, continuous production environments
Why It Works:
In the household and industrial goods sector, print durability is essential—not only for regulatory and logistics purposes but also to maintain brand credibility. Both Hx Nitro and Hx Ultro Bulk Ink printers deliver crisp, smudge-resistant prints that stand up to moisture, chemicals, and rough handling. Hx Ultro’s high-capacity ink supply is perfect for large-scale operations that demand uninterrupted production, while Hx Nitro offers an economical, space-saving solution with fast setup and low maintenance. Both models integrate easily into VFFS or HFFS systems and can be managed centrally via Hx Console for multi-line environments
E-Commerce Packaging (Return Pouches, Flexible Labels, Bubble Mailers)
With the explosive growth of e-commerce, packaging must accommodate high-speed fulfillment, on-demand printing, and diverse materials like kraft paper, bubble mailers, and flexible polybags. Whether for return pouches or delivery labeling, efficiency and accuracy are critical.
Common Challenges:
- High-speed, variable data printing (order numbers, QR codes, barcodes)
- Wide range of materials—from kraft to plastic films
- Seamless system integration with warehouse or ERP platforms
Recommended Printer: Hx Nitro & Hx Ultro TIJ (For kraft paper and other non-flexible film packaging, the Hx Nitro 25w and Hx Ultro 25w are recommended.)
Why It Works:
Hx Nitro is purpose-built for modern fulfillment environments. Its compact TIJ design delivers high-resolution, smudge-free variable printing without the need for messy inks or complex maintenance—ideal for fast-paced e-commerce operations. With seamless integration into any third party software, Hx Nitro can print unique tracking codes, shipping details, or QR codes in real time, directly on packaging. Its small footprint is perfect for tight packing lines or label applicator systems, and the odorless, maintenance-free cartridges ensure a cleaner, safer workspace. For operations managers looking for scalable, plug-and-play coding, Hx Nitro offers a reliable and cost-efficient solution.
Conclusion
Each flexible packaging application comes with its own set of production and compliance challenges. For operations managers and procurement teams looking for a reliable, scalable, and future-ready coding solution, MapleJet’s Hx printer series offers high-speed precision, seamless connectivity, and robust durability across a wide variety of substrates. Whether you need the compact, fast, and versatile Hx Nitro for general flexible packaging needs or the high-volume, continuous printing power of the Hx Ultro Bulk Ink system, MapleJet has the right solution to help you meet evolving regulatory standards like Sunrise 2027, boost operational efficiency, and maximize profitability.
Ready to optimize your flexible packaging coding process? Contact MapleJet today for a tailored consultation or schedule an on-site demo to see how our Hx printers can fit your specific industry requirements and production line.
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