From short runs to shelf-ready in days, Onpack is using direct-to-object digital print to deliver high-impact packaging for brands like Rippl – while building a scalable new business model for Australian print.
Digitally printed packaging is opening up new possibilities for brand engagement, and in the case of Rippl – a fast-growing water brand – it’s the engine driving a business model built entirely on customisation and sustainability.
Launched in 2023, Rippl offers still and sparkling mineral water in slimline aluminium cans, each printed with custom designs tailored to its corporate, retail and event clients. The brand's low minimum orders, fast lead times, and sharp design are made possible by Onpack’s direct-to-can digital printing system, powered by a Hinterkopf D240 press.
“Every can needed to be completely tailored to the customer, which is what makes it such a powerful brand tool,” said Rippl CEO Bade Hilton. “We needed a partner who could move quickly without compromising quality. Onpack made that possible.”
Since partnering with Onpack, Rippl has created 716 unique can designs and delivered over 300,000 units to clients across the country.
For Onpack, the pivot from self-adhesive labels to direct-to-object printing has been transformative. “We were the first label converter globally to move into digital can printing,” Michael Nankervis, managing director at Onpack, told Print21. “It’s essentially cannibalised part of our label business – but it’s allowed us to lead innovation, not just follow it.”
The Hinterkopf D240 prints directly onto blank aluminium cans in CMYK plus white and dual varnishes – offering gloss, matte, spot, or textured finishes in a single pass. With no labels or sleeves, the result is premium, seamless branding with zero plastic and minimal waste.
“The colour image reproduction quality exceeds offset, but it’s fully digital,” Nankervis said. “No tooling, no plates, and live samples in 48 hours – which gives our clients like Rippl a massive edge in approvals and speed to market.”
Underpinning the production workflow is Hybrid Cloudflow and CERM MIS – an integrated system built to pharmaceutical standards, enabling version control, batching, and traceability across hundreds of SKUs in a single cycle.
“Rippl’s model demands agility – short cycles, multiple designs, rapid fill dates,” said Nankervis. “Our systems allow us to queue jobs dynamically and maintain uptime, even with constantly changing artwork.”
The new business division, focused on direct-to-can, has driven a 200 per cent revenue increase for Onpack in just two years. With a second machine added in 2024, further automation on the horizon, and new product formats in development, the company is well on its way to becoming Australia’s leader in in direct to object printing.
“Brands want packaging that can keep up with social trends, drops and personalisation,” said Nankervis. “Direct-to-can printing delivers on that – fast, local and with far less waste.”
As the print industry adapts to the needs of modern marketers, Onpack’s story offers a compelling roadmap for printers looking to reinvent their offer with digital technology at the core.