SPQ Printing Technology Clearly Outperforms Conventional Flexographic Printing in Terms of The Eco-Balance

The latest LCA study conducted by SÜDPACK in collaboration with Sphera, in accordance with ISO 14040/44, leaves no room for doubt: Companies that switch their package printing to SÜDPACK’s sustainable SPQ printing technology can reduce CO₂ emissions from printing by up to 18%. This applies to both PP- and PET-based packaging materials. Even in the worst-case scenario for SPQ (using the grid mix), its carbon footprint is still up to 11% smaller than the best-case scenario for the flexo print process using green electricity. 

The name says it all: SPQ stands for Sustainable Print Quality. With this printing technology, SÜDPACK reduces ink and solvent consumption, as well as film waste and energy usage, in both flexographic and rotogravure printing, thanks to 
a standardized color palette. An innovative color management system enables consistently precise reproduction of all print designs with a high degree of automation – while maintaining superior print quality and exceptional color brilliance. 

Solid Data

In terms of sustainability, the potential savings identified in SÜDPACK’s internal evaluations were substantiated by the LCA with hard facts. The results come as no surprise, as printing processes typically involve high material and energy consumption due to color changes, cleaning procedures, and proofs. 

The certified LCA clearly demonstrates the advantages of SPQ over the conventional flexo print process for various print carriers. “From an environmental standpoint, all viable printing processes should be transitioned to this new technology. Only orders requiring spot colors still make the conventional flexo print process 
a viable option,” says Carolin Grimbacher, Managing Partner at SÜDPACK. 

SÜDPACK offers its customers a range of printing processes for package printing. In the latest LCA study, the potential environmental impact of the SPQ printing process was compared with the conventional flexo print method for OPP and PET substrate films. 

The functional unit (FU) used for comparison was 1 m² of printed OPP or PET substrate film, without the application of spot colors. Various scenarios were calculated for both the SPQ and flexo print process, including the use of 20 μm OPP film and 12 μm PET film as the print carrier. Another scenario analyzed the impact of different energy sources on production at SÜDPACK. For all scenarios, key impact categories such as climate change, fossil raw material consumption, and the effects of photochemical ozone formation on human health were evaluated. 

Clear Results

The study found that switching to SPQ printing technology can reduce CO₂ emissions by 18% for both PP and PET print carriers. Even in the best-case scenario for the flexo print process (using green electricity), its carbon footprint was still 11% larger than the worst-case scenario for SPQ (using the grid mix). From an environmental perspective, the recommendation is clear: Wherever possible, print products should be transitioned to SPQ, with the conventional flexo print process reserved only for orders requiring spot colors that cannot be reproduced with SPQ.