As the calendar turns to 2025, many in the label and package printing industry are inquiring about the newest trends. Sustainability and automation are among the highlights, but it should be noted that the evolution of digital label printing will continue to impact the industry. The speed and quality of digital label printing, along with advancements in hybrid technologies, will only foster the advancement of digital.

Many label converters today have either installed a digital label press or are in the process of completing their due diligence on what makes sense for their book of business. For those companies that kicked the tires on digital years ago, they should know that the technology has improved by leaps and bounds.

“For anyone who invested in digital some time ago and feels they understand digital, please look at the latest technology available and put it to the test,” explains Steve Lynn, director of Labels and Packaging, Durst. “Speed, quality, cost of operating, and ease of use have all improved dramatically over the last few years.”

For many years, toner-based presses were the only reliable solutions for the market. However, digital inkjet has evolved to where converters are consistently investing in the newest capabilities. For example, Durst has assembled a large portfolio of products, from 13″ roll to roll at 170 fpm, to fully integrated inkjet/flexo hybrid presses – at 20″ web width – running up to 328 fpm.

Automation will also serve as a hallmark of new digital label printing options. At Labelexpo Americas 2024, Durst – alongside its new range of hybrid presses – showcased a new technology called Hawk AI. This new system that performs inspection and correction of print at full speeds to ensure output is maintained at the highest quality level with no operator intervention.

“Digital printing has been around for a long time in the label industry, but the latest developments have led to a faster adoption of digital technology,” remarks Lynn. “Most digital in label has been toner-based presses, which offer prime label quality but are limited on speed and cost. They have been around for years but could never quite match toner quality for flexo.  Now, 1200dpi inkjet has emerged as a digital technology that offers prime label quality at high speeds and low cost, and it is changing how digital is perceived in label production. We see more digital adoption now that you can get low-cost digital production with excellent quality at speeds up to 328 fpm.

“Durst is leading the digital label market in the use of AI for print automation, allowing operators to focus on other tasks while the printer monitors and corrects quality if needed,” he adds. “Durst customers can expect software and hardware automation advancements from us in the future as we listen to converter needs and try to address any challenge they face.”

From a hybrid perspective, converters can take advantage of inline finishing capabilities. Most major digital and flexographic equipment manufacturers tout partnerships that are designed to optimize the printing process. At Labelexpo, Durst demonstrated a 17” KJet that was configured with three flexo stations, lamination, foil and diecutting inline, and it produced embellished hybrid labels along with shrink at the show. 

“Digital standalone and digital hybrid printing will continue to advance and become a major part of label production in the future,” says Lynn. “Converters look to digital and hybrid printing as a way to produce more efficiently with multiple SKUs, on varied materials, with minimal waste and reduced consumable costs. It is an exciting time in our industry seeing the impact that digital and hybrid 1200dpi inkjet is having, we expect it will continue for many years to come.”

There is no one-size-fits-all solution in digital label printing. Numerous manufacturers offer different configurations that will best serve one converter versus the next. Label converters have different needs based on their customer base and book of business. Therefore, manufacturers like Durst will work directly with customers to ensure their specific needs are being met. This trend will continue well into the future, especially as inkjet emerges as a strong player in the marketplace.

“I think we will see continued innovation and development of true native 1200dpi inkjet systems that will become the dominant technology for digital label production in years to come,” explains Lynn. “Advancements will continue in ways to maintain quality, make operation easier, and reduce waste – all of the things that converters are asking suppliers for.”