For the label industry, the future is now. Once dominated by analog technology, digital printing is proliferating and snowballing more than ever. As we go to press, Nilpeter comes with the announcement that it is launching a digital press in September at Labelexpo in Brussels.

In the above paragraph, I wrote, “Once dominated…” In actuality, the label industry is still dominated by flexography, an analog process. However, digital print technology is getting most of the headlines, and it’s coming from perhaps unlikely sources.

During the past calendar year we have learned of digital press launches from the likes of Mark Andy, Gallus and now Nilpeter. What these three historically successful flexo press manufacturers have in common within their respective digital lines is they’ve all based their new machinery on inkjet technology.

HP Indigo and Xeikon are still making headlines with their advancements in electrophotographic  (EP) technology. HP Indigo remains the clear leader in the digital space overall, with Xeikon entrenched as the clear number two. Meanwhile, established industrial digital inkjet press makers such as Durst, Domino, Epson and EFI are all reporting sales success.

There’s more activity than ever before when it comes to digital printing. Relative newcomers to the industry such as Colordyne and Afinia Label – whose presses are based on Memjet technology, have thrown their hat into the ring.  And digital retrofits have ramped up more than ever.

I’ve said it before in this space – it’s dizzying, the number of digital options a label converter has to choose from.

Off the top of my head, there are standalone digital printers and presses available targeting the narrow web label converter from Afinia, Mark Andy, Gallus, Nilpeter, HP Indigo, Primera, Allen Datagraph, Trojanlabel, Xeikon, Domino, Durst, Screen, Fujifilm, INX International, Epson, EFI, iSys Label, Neuralabel, SPGPrints, and I know the list goes on and on. Of course there are more.

They can’t all succeed, right? You’d have to think that not all of these makes and models will have the success and staying power to become label industry mainstays. Right?

In this month’s Front Row column, Jack Kenny takes a closer look at press makers’ experiences entering the digital arena, both past and present.  And being in the “Front Row” of the industry, Jack also shares some inside information he has on what Nilpeter’s booth in Brussels will look like. It’s bold, Jack says, and I agree.

While it’s unclear how this crowded digital press market will shake out – particularly with regard to inkjet suppliers – one thing is clear: The stiff competition will make for an interesting Labelexpo. I look forward to converter feedback as to what new machinery stands apart to them.

As I’m wrapping up this page, a press release appears in my inbox. The title reads: “Dantex is proud to announce the launch of their PicoColour II high-speed UV inkjet digital label press.”

Add them to the list.



Steve Katz, Editor
[email protected]
Twitter: @LabelSteve