ePac Flexible Packaging announced the launch of ePacConnect, which is uses digital printing to create serialized, trackable packaging as well as ways for brands to engage consumers, gain market insights and protect their brand. The company says it will offer all its customers an entry-level no-cost solution, ideal for small- and medium-sized brands, as well as a fee-based solution for customers with broader requirements. ePacConnect will be piloted in Q4 2020 in the U.S. and Europe, with a full rollout to all ePac locations planned in early 2021.

All customer orders received by ePac will include serialized QR codes on every package, or the brand can opt out and no codes will be printed. Serializing each package automatically digitally enables it, gives it a unique digital identity and it can be “activated” at any time to give brands flexibility for how and when the codes are used.

Two ePacConnect options are planned. One is ePacConnect Lite, a no-cost solution for small- to medium-sized brands that want to enter into connected packaging but have been limited by the cost. ePacConnect Premium will provide a broader set of fee-based capabilities offered by ePac’s solution partners. These solutions will address applications for consumer engagement, brand and product authentication, anti-counterfeiting, track and trace, and reports that provide new market insight to customers.

To make ePacConnect viable at mass scale on billions of products, ePac says it will partner with leading connected packaging software suppliers. According to Carl Joachim, ePac CMO, “We have been working with software providers that focus on connected packaging over the past several months in both the U.S. and the UK. These companies provide the necessary secure QR codes and back-end data capture and management needed for a complete solution, and can support us globally.”

Visit https://epacflexibles.com/ for more information.