Although flexography still accounts for the vast majority of label printing, digital technology is starting to grab a foothold in the labels and packaging industry. In fact, converters are investing in more digital units each year, and many of the industry players are launching digital assets at a frenetic pace.

Domino has been an active player in the market, as the company has continued to add key personnel and invest in new digital inkjet presses–be it standalone or incorporated as part of a hybrid unit. In addition, the supplier has developed tools for its customers to optimize their digital workflow.

By creating Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) tools, Domino has allowed its customers to evaluate cost, production throughput and time with Domino units. The company has already seen success with label converters, citing a 500% increase in annual gross margin, 300% increase in annual revenue, 10-15% margin increase, 300% increase in run speed, 35% increase in throughput/print width, and a 70% decrease in production time.  

“Domino utilizes proven and reliable technology for digital printing in either monochrome, 7-color, or cold foil,” says Bill Myers, marketing manager of digital printing, Domino. “Domino has also engineered iTech features designed to maximize throughput and efficiency while minimizing operator intervention and printer downtime. At the end of the day, these iTech features not only keep their Domino digital printer running and printing at peak performance, but they are helping the label printer converter generate more revenue.”

Domino has also placed a large emphasis on services and support, where a 360-degree customer-focused approach–both pre- and post-sale–help customers use their digital asset to meet their customers’ demands. The company’s Digital Solutions Program is designed to help label printer converters understand what work they should transition to the Domino press. 

“Customers new to digital inkjet production face challenges that they may not be prepared for,” explains Myers. “Domino has developed the tools and support to provide customers with a framework for accurate crossover and ROI calculations. Using your supplied files, we can estimate production costs for the Domino N610i, and compare it to traditional as well as other digital technologies.”

Ink costs are covered in services and support. Domino has created an Inkjet Coverage Guide booklet to help label printer converters estimate inks costs with their new press. “The purpose of this booklet is to help customers better understand the role of ink cost and coverage in digital label production,” adds Myers. “We can estimate production costs for the Domino N610i, and compare that to a typical flexo press and electrophotography (EP). We can also estimate ink cost as a percentage of total job cost.”

Domino points to multiple factors when forecasting the growth of digital inkjet printing. Among them, speed, print quality, reliability, and a lower total cost of ownership are expected to lead to increased market share for inkjet presses. In addition, UV inkjet is highly durable and offers excellent printing speeds. A recent Domino customer, Misco Products, has 380 different brands, 1,600 different formulations, 14,000 different SKUs, and over 100 different package sizes, styles, and shapes that they produce for their customers.

“The ink is so tough and so durable,” explains Dave Kutz, VP of operations at Misco. “We actually did chemical testing with all of our chemicals here at Misco, and we found that the Domino UV inkjet-printed labels stood up to everything, even an ink remover that we use in the commercial printing industry. It’s amazing.”  

Domino has also seen success with Smyth Companies, Outlook Group, and Computype.

“Because inkjet printing runs at such fast speeds, converters need to make certain that they have the book of business to put on the press,” says Myers. “For example, with the Domino N610i printing at 230 fpm, coupled with the ability to print from one version to the next, to the next, to the next without having to stop the press, jobs get done very quickly. You don’t have that downtime of needing to change plates and change colors that you do with flexo. To that point, we have customers who complete jobs in one hour that used to take them a full 8-hour shift to complete previously.”

According to Domino, the future is bright for digital inkjet printing. “Sometimes it takes a while for technology to catch on or to change perception,” Myers adds. “For example, some label printer converters who have been running flexo for years may become set in their ways, caught in a certain comfort zone because that’s how they’ve always done it. And if they haven’t taken a look at Domino, or digital inkjet in general, they may not be aware of the amazing capabilities that are now available.”