Mark Andy hosts open house event at Steinhauser

Steinhauser, a leading label converter based in Newport, KY, USA, recently served as the host for a Mark Andy open house. Steinhauser showcased its newly installed Mark Andy Digital Series HD, the company’s first hybrid press and a major addition to its production platform.

The event, held on July 17, 2026, enabled Steinhauser’s customers to see the press operating in a live production environment. Designed as a focused, invitation-only event, the open house brought together more than 50 customers and partners.

Attendees watched live label jobs move through both flexographic and digital processes in a single pass. Flexo stations were used to apply a spot color and primer ahead of the digital engine, with varnish applied inline after the digital portion of the design was printed.

“At Steinhauser, attendees could see how the Digital Series HD fits within an established production operation, how jobs are being assigned to the press, and how the technology is helping the company address actual customer requirements,” says Jerry Henson, regional sales manager, Mark Andy.

According to Tara Halpin, CEO and owner, Steinhauser, the Digital Series HD allows the converter to pursue work it could not competitively produce before. Meanwhile, Steinhauser has moved selected digital and flexo jobs onto a platform better suited to their run lengths and production requirements.

“The demonstration illustrated the primary reason Steinhauser invested in hybrid technology: the ability to combine the quality, flexibility, and embellishment capabilities of flexo with the speed, versioning, and efficiency of digital printing,” explains Henson. “It also showed how Steinhauser can complete printing and finishing in one high-speed integrated workflow.”

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Partnering with Mark Andy

The event showcased the collaborative nature of the relationship between Steinhauser and Mark Andy. During the open house, Steinhauser shared what it had learned about entering hybrid label printing, while Mark Andy addressed technical questions and demonstrated how the press was developed around real production requirements.

“Steinhauser began evaluating hybrid technology after recognizing that its existing digital workflow could no longer fully support the direction of its customer base,” notes Duane Pekar, president and CEO, Mark Andy.  The company’s flexo presses were producing increasingly sophisticated prime label work, while changing run lengths and growing SKU complexity highlighted the need for a more versatile digital solution.”

The Digital Series HD first caught Steinhauser’s attention at Labelexpo Americas 2024. The ability to combine digital printing, flexographic printing, embellishment, and converting in one platform immediately stood out for Halpin and her team. From there, the decision was driven by application testing.

“Steinhauser brought representative customer work to Mark Andy’s demo room in St. Louis, including pressure sensitive label and shrink sleeve applications,” remarks Pekar. “The company wanted to be certain the press could produce the full range of work it expected to migrate, including applications that had previously been run flexographically.”

The Digital Series HD ultimately moved to the space of top contender because it provided the quality, speed, inline flexibility, and application range Steinhauser needed. The company also placed significant value on the support it received from Mark Andy during installation and startup. 

From Mark Andy’s perspective, the press specialist begins first sought to understand Steinhauser’s exact applications it needed to produce. That process included evaluating the company’s current workflow, its existing digital and flexo production, the applications it wanted to migrate, and the markets it intends to pursue. Steinhauser then tested actual customer work at Mark Andy’s facility to ensure the press could meet its quality and application requirements.

“Investing in technology of this scale requires more than purchasing a press,” explains Halpin. “It requires open communication, alignment, and a supplier relationship that can support the converter throughout the transition.”

“The Digital Series HD gives converters considerable flexibility in how flexo stations, digital printing, coating, embellishment, and converting are combined,” says Pekar. “In Steinhauser’s case, the solution needed to support sophisticated pressure-sensitive labels and shrink sleeves, provide strong registration between flexo and inkjet components, and complete more work inline.”

Immediate returns

Steinhauser has noticed several substantial benefits since investing in the new Mark Andy hybrid press. The success has centered on productivity, consistency, and flexibility. Steinhauser reports that the new press has made work more predictable than it was under its previous workflow. Color is more consistent from job to job, registration between the flexo stations and inkjet engine is stronger, and processes that previously required multiple production passes can now be completed inline.

The press is also creating new revenue opportunities. Steinhauser is now winning work that it could not have captured without the new technology. At the same time, the company can move certain jobs off its flexo presses, improving utilization across the production floor.

“A hybrid platform gives converters the ability to choose the most efficient combination of digital and flexographic production for each job while retaining the advantages of inline converting,” states Pekar. “Steinhauser’s experience demonstrates how that model can work in practice, particularly for sophisticated CPG label applications.”