In the past, digital printing was often a slow, arduous process that could not deliver the kind of quality exacting brands required. However, quality, color consistency, and speed have all made a considerable jump, to the point where some converters only tout digital printing. As quality has improved significantly, the process still offers the benefits not found in flexo such as customization and ultra-fast turnaround times.

According to the Smithers Pira report, “The Future of Digital Printing to 2032,” by 2032, digital print will account for almost a quarter of the global value of all print and printed packaging, worth $230.5 billion. This is a significant increase from an estimated $136.7 billion in 2022, and the result of a CAGR of 5.7% to 2027 and then 5% from 2027 to 2032. 

Converters have been tasked with navigating the pandemic and numerous supply chain obstacles, and digital printing has emerged as a vital tool – not just a luxury.

“Digital printing has undergone significant advancements in print quality, with higher resolutions, improved color accuracy, and enhanced capabilities,” states Matt Bennett, label zone business director, Bobst. “This has made it a viable choice for producing high-quality labels meeting industry standards. Over the past few years, particularly in the wake of the pandemic, digital printing has excelled in the market. More brands and retailers have come to recognize the importance of agility and rapid responsiveness in addressing current changing demand trends. Printers are dealing with cost pressures, tight deadlines, and, most notably, a shortage of skilled labor to handle the growing number of shorter print runs each day.”

“The combination of increasing market demand for personalization, sustainability, and supply chain agility, alongside higher productivity with a digital print factory, has driven the growth of digital,” states Eli Mahal, head of marketing, labels and packaging, HP. “With a streamlined workflow, printing and converting is transforming digital print from a niche solution that enables high-value jobs into mainstream production that every label converter should own.”

Demand has always existed for customization and personalization. However, these are now possible with the latest digital printing assets on the market today. The digital print market has also been supported by a growing number of hybrid solutions, which utilize the best of both worlds – digital and analog. Finishing remains a key consideration for the digital label converter, too.

“There is a growing demand for cost-effective runs at varying lengths, as well as variable data printing, making it easier to create customized packaging for different products or regions,” comments Benjamin Luly, product manager, Digital Presses, Mark Andy. “Hybrid presses continue to grow as they offer the best of both technologies, allowing customers to maximize their benefits. Improvements are being made for color management, especially for brand consistency. With increased need for product security, digital printing is being used for incorporating security features such as QR codes, variable data, and invisible ink. The adoption of digital finishing solutions, such as digital embellishment, is also growing.” 

Digital printing also slots in seamlessly with the latest trends in the label market, with automation, sustainability, e-commerce, and faster turnaround times chief among them. The ability to hit on the latest trends generates a repeatable process for digital label converters.

“More predictable and consistent color control will result in less time spent on adjustments, calibrations, and fewer arguments between press operators, production managers, and salespeople about color consistency,” says Mas Crawford, senior product specialist, Epson America. “These are high value, revenue generating people for a business, and they should be producing sellable products, not arguing over the color of orange juice or blueberries.”

“Converters understand that effective digital printing is not just about a great digital press,” notes Mahal. “They’re looking into a wider end-to-end perspective. At HP Indigo, we have been developing this e2e approach for years – upstream workflow automation connected to the production equipment, cloud-based software for monitoring, and improved productivity through data analysis and AI. This allows us to meet industry standards for food packaging, safety, and more.”

In order to support its wide range of press solutions, Domino has instituted numerous service and support plans to promote the advancement of digital printing. The goal is to make market entry easier than it has ever been before.

“Every digital press manufacturer will tell you that they have the best digital press,” notes David Ellen, global divisional director of Domino’s Digital Printing division. “And yes, the digital press is important, but in talking with customers we know that there are other factors equally, if not in many cases, more important than the press itself. So, what we’ve really focused on the factors beyond the machine such as our In-House Leasing program, our service and support, our sales and marketing, our people, our brand – all the nuances and distinctions of Domino.”

The In-House leasing program allows Domino’s customers to pay for their new digital UV inkjet label press over a period of time, typically three to five years with fixed, monthly payments. The leasing program is a simple, easy way for converters to implement this technology, and it doesn’t take a massive cash outlay.

“The company you partner with will need to provide excellent operation training and project management during the construction, installation, and ramp-up phases,” adds Crawford. “Finally, the company you partner with should be a market leader that gives you a technological advantage relative to your competition. Unique capabilities, like inline digital varnish embellishments, can add value to your projects without adding significant costs or processes. And robotic automation that allows an operator to comfortably walk away from a running press helps to increase productivity by staying diligent and never tiring.”


As there is a growing movement toward Industry 4.0, Mark Andy has developed sMArt link, a real-time, on-press monitoring system that gives operation managers a live look at what is happening on the pressroom floor. Increased data allows printers to make immediate adjustments that will reduce waste and errors, and generate time and cost savings. SMArt link provides automatic data collection from Mark Andy’s machines, as well as other vendors, is cloud-based, and provides customers with consistent, valuable information.

From a speed perspective, HP Indigo has promoted flexo speeds and quality within a digital framework with its new V12 digital press. According to HP, the press is capable of 50 linear kilometers per day. Suppliers are optimizing a suite of presses, though, to match the needs of their customers. “With the V12, our customers redesign their production floor with the ‘right press for the job’ concept,” explains Sean Gallagher, director of digital printing, HP. “Short jobs and many changeovers can be printed on the 6K, with large format labels, shrink sleeves and flexible packaging on the HP Indigo 200K. Meanwhile, medium and long runs are perfectly tailored for the V12 – jobs that require complex converting are extremely long on flexo. The V12’s role is to continue our transformation from flexo to digital production.”

The improvements – specifically on the inkjet side – in both speed and reliability have made digital printing a go-to option for nearly all converters, which has explained the technology’s proliferation in recent years.

“Digital inkjet will become the dominant technology for label production in the future,” says Steve Lynn, director, Labels and Packaging, Durst US. “If we look at the developments made over the last 10 years in print technology, inkjet has developed faster than any other technology and continues to develop, providing more productive and cost-effective ways to produce labels. While flexo will always be an option for long run production, inkjet will handle short, medium, some long run and all variable or versioning needs in label production.”

Digital printing advancements are not limited to press technology, either. From inks to substrates, the digital process has become far more conducive to exceptional print results.

“All aspects of digital inkjet printing have seen continuous incremental improvements over the past several years,” says Jay Larsen, GM and director of R&D, Digital Hardware, INX International. “Ink and treatment technologies are improving to allow printing on more difficult substrates for industrial and lower cost applications. New printhead technologies allow higher resolution printing, greater reliability, and lower costs. In addition, printers are combined with complementary traditional printing and finishing options, like integrated laser diecutters, to allow one machine production of finished and deliverable labels.”

Domino, for example, has made significant investments into the future of the label industry. To advance its capabilities in digital printing inks capacity, Domino has made a £6.6 million upgrade to its Liverpool manufacturing plant. The investment will see Domino take full end-to-end control of the digital printing process – encompassing design and manufacturing of digital printing presses, printheads, and UV digital printing inks – managing all aspects of end-user deployment to ensure overall print quality.

Digital printing as a market is also easier to enter than ever before. “There is a lower cost of entry and more integration,” adds Larsen. “The faster, high-end printers have their place with traditional label printing companies, yet the in-house, dedicated all-in-one system can provide dramatic cost savings to those companies that have the volume and specific product/label mix, which allows them to purchase a dedicated machine.”

As converters explore sustainability more than ever before, digital printing has emerged as a key arrow in the quiver. Digital, by its very nature, is a more sustainable process. According to Bob McJury, president, TLF Graphics, the move to digital printing has led to substantial environmental savings. McJury estimates 159,936 flexo plates have not been processed, mounted, removed, cleaned, stored, and, ultimately, landfilled. Compared to flexo, digital printing has also saved the company some 955,850 feet of label material.


Digital printing also lends itself to the newest generation of employees, many of whom have grown up with tablets and smartphones. Finding Gen Z employees to change anilox rolls and work with flexo plates has become a near impossibility, whereas digital printing mirrors the technology commonplace with many youths. Plus, print quality still needs to be vibrant – even with the workforce challenge.

“Finding enough trained machine operators and recruiting new people among the younger generations has become very difficult, with converters often not able to maximize the capacity of their existing machinery,” notes Bobst’s Bennett. “In the face of all these challenges, converters must further improve efficiencies, planning, and forecasting based on fully optimized processes and flexible production. They need to provide a wide portfolio of solutions and applications to take a larger share of the market and remain competitive, while their products must be of high, consistent, and repeatable quality.”

Inkjet vs. toner

Inkjet has advanced tremendously in recent years. This is no longer your older brother’s print technology. According to Mark Andy’s Luly, toner is a very user-friendly, low cost-to-entry, printing technology that requires less training when compared to inkjet printing. 

Inkjet, meanwhile, is compatible with a greater range of diverse materials and label applications while offering a lower cost to print. “Toner printers are typically desired for micro to short run jobs, while inkjet is better suited for short run to medium run length jobs,” explains Luly.

“Developments in inkjet technology have provided an improvement in speed and quality at 1200 dpi, which provides the quality required for prime label applications,” notes Durst’s Lynn. “We are seeing label converters utilize 1200 dpi high speed inkjet to replace aging flexo, or slower, more costly toner digital production to allow them to service customers faster, with less waste, more consistent color reproduction and easier operation. There is a trend toward hybrid inkjet and flexo presses for medium to longer run jobs to reduce staffing needs for label production.”

According to Bobst’s Bennett, “Labelexpo Europe 2013 marked the early days of inkjet technology, but significant progress has been made in recent years,” he says. “Innovations like inline quality control have enabled Bobst to monitor and enhance label production in real time, elevating its quality while minimizing time consumption. This allows converters to dedicate more time to production.

“Although UV inkjet won’t completely replace toner, especially for certain applications on natural, textured, and embossed papers, this technology is rapidly evolving,” adds Bennett. “We’re already working on expanding inkjet possibilities; we strongly believe that this technology will soon replace a significant portion of other digital technologies thanks to its efficiency and stability.”

There are other considerations, as well, such as markets served. The characteristics of toner and inkjet will often dictate the optimal method for a given converter. “With regards to indirect food applications, toner-based products have the edge today,” remarks Paul Edwards, vice president, Digital Division, INX International. “In general terms, UV inkjet provides durability, flexibility of the substrate, and lower cost. Toner typically provides better quality, lower durability, higher cost of entry and more limited substrate choices.”


Prior to 1200 dpi, Durst’s Lynn notes that inkjet could not rival toner quality for prime label production. “Now that 1200 dpi is a stable inkjet option, you get the highest quality required for prime label production, with the inkjet advantage of higher speed, lower consumables cost, significantly better color consistency and less waste for calibrations and color checks,” he continues. “Inkjet is more productive with a lower total cost of ownership.”

When to go digital

The age-old question still exists of when to go for a digital or flexographic printing press. It is important to note, however, that the advancements made in digital printing have not – and will not, at least any time soon – render flexography obsolete. Label converters can still benefit from running the correct job on the right press, which generates the best turnaround time and quality for customers’ needs.

There are advantages to going digital, especially when speed is required. “One could say the digital machine essentially mounts the plates for you,” says Epson’s Crawford. “No time is lost to plate creation, plate mounting, and adjusting registration between the plates. Because of the low setup times, label quantities output from a digital press can have job quantities as small as one. Time between jobs is minimal, as is the setup time between multiple jobs.”


While flexo will not be replaced by any means, the emergence of digital printing has forced the analog process to evolve. “We firmly believe that both technologies can coexist and mutually benefit from each other,” comments Bobst’s Bennett. “In terms of traditional printing, volumes for flexo printing will continue to exist, but digitization has become imperative to remain competitive. As an example, our flexo flagship model, the Bobst Master M5, includes a range of features that elevate flexo printing in terms of productivity and quality. Among these is the Print Tutor system, which automates setup and register processes using a mark-to-mark detection camera on each printing unit, allowing operators to monitor job quality. Another automation feature in flexo is motorized pressure adjustment on each printing unit, reducing setup time and virtually eliminating waste. Non-stop die-plate changing while the machine is running is another groundbreaking development.”

As a flexo, digital, and hybrid press OEM, Mark Andy sees these technologies working both side by side and together. “For long run length jobs, flexo maintains the lowest cost-to-print due to the higher speeds and lower cost of ink,” says Mark Andy’s Luly. “For shorter run length jobs, digital technologies provide a lower cost to print due to the advantage of shorter setup times.  Digital also offers the ability to gang up multiple jobs together, increasing efficiencies, reducing waste, and adding features using variable data. These attributes allow the customer to be successful in micro, short, and medium run length jobs, as well as jobs that require variable features.”  

When combining these technologies in hybrid applications, flexo can be utilized for work such as priming, flood coating, varnishing, spot coloring, wet lamination, and decorating, while the digital unit can provide its advantages of variable data, ganged jobs, and quick setup times. This allows the customer to take advantage of the lowest cost-to-print with each technology working to its strengths. “This positions Mark Andy’s customers for success in a market where we see a continued growth for demand in digital assets but with a strong demand for flexo machines, as well,” adds Luly.


“Label today is still a flexo first and digital second industry,” remarks HP’s Mahal. “Market trends, coupled with a high productivity digital factory, will change the industry into Indigo first and flexo second.”

“Without a doubt, digital has an established footprint in the label market,” says INX’s Edwards. “There is always pressure to increase productivity and reduce the cost per label. I see a number of specific trends in place to both grow digital market share and reduce the impact of direct to product printing. These trends include a greater focus on safety and eco-environment aspects of the final printed product. I see growth in hybrid applications, where customers can benefit from both the analog and digital aspects of the technology. And there is also a focus on added-value processes to differentiate the final product, such as cold foil and other decorative features, as well as laser and digital diecutting.”

Mark Andy and RFID: Empowering Sustainable Practices in the Label Industry

Sustainability is no longer a buzzword; it’s a necessity. Companies are looking for innovative and effective solutions to reduce their environmental impact. The implementation of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) into the supply chain has proven an effective way to do this, and Mark Andy, a global leader in printing and converting equipment, is seeing an increase in the number of converters looking to add RFID insertion into their portfolio.

RFID technology has revolutionized how brand owners manage their operations and embrace sustainability. By partnering with Mark Andy, converters are better able to support their customers in waste reduction, resource optimization, and environmental responsibility.

A major advantage of RFID technology is improved inventory management. Accurate real-time tracking minimizes waste and overstocking, optimizing the supply chain. This reduces environmental impact and yields significant cost savings by eliminating excess production and mitigating the risk of product obsolescence.

RFID technology also enhances product traceability and authentication. By incorporating RFID tags, companies can ensure the authenticity and responsible sourcing of their goods. This helps combat counterfeiting, which not only harms businesses but also poses environmental risks due to substandard manufacturing processes.

Streamlining logistics and distribution processes is another benefit RFID technology offers. Real-time tracking from manufacturing to the consumer minimizes transportation emissions and optimizes route planning. Reducing unnecessary transportation and enhancing delivery accuracy further reduces the company’s carbon footprint and contributes to a greener future.

For more than 20 years Mark Andy has partnered with industry suppliers to offer high-quality RFID insertion technology, consistently innovating to meet the evolving needs of the market and empowering businesses to embrace sustainability, optimize operations, and make a positive impact on the environment.