IBP NEWS
Understanding the Hidden ROI of Digital Label Printing
is also known as ‘just-in-time’ label
printing. With just-in-time production,
brands request only what they need to
fulfil demand and can quickly and easily
respond to evolving label requirements.

Converters can use their digital printing
assets to respond to increasing demand
for shorter runs at short notice,
securing new business and retaining
existing customers with the flexibility of
delivering stock as and when needed.

Digital presses can also add value by
meeting brands’ variable data printing
needs in the long term. The technology
will play a key part in meeting the
increased demand for variable 2D codes
as brands prepare for Sunrise 2027,
bringing together promotional, supply
chain, and point-of-sale information in
QR codes powered by GS1.

What’s more, digital printing can add
financial and waste reduction benefits.

Placing more frequent orders for shorter
runs – even at a higher price – could
save brands money, provided the overall
price paid for the digitally printed labels
is lower than the value of the labels
that converters or brands would have
discarded. Considering that, it’s possible to
justify a higher price per label, negating
the direct cost-per-label comparison
with traditional, analogue technologies.

by convenient set-up via the digital
front end (DFE). In addition, there is no
need for printing plate creation, the
time spent on mechanical set-up is
minimal, and it is easy to rearrange the
production schedule to accommodate
another run at short notice.

In comparison, flexo press set-up
can be time-consuming. Each job
changeover on a flexo press will take
time for mechanical set-up and print
testing – the latter of which will also
increase the volume of consumables
used, as both ink and materials are
required to test print quality, colour,
and registration.

Flexo converters producing a variety of
jobs might find that set-up for changeovers
exceeds the running time required for
printing a job, making changeover time
rather than press speed the critical
factor for maximising total output.

In contrast, converters using both
technologies know that digital and flexo
will deliver the best results when used
as complementary technologies, with
digital printing a highly effective tool to
boost the productivity and profitability
of existing flexo assets. Digital
technology can be used to free up flexo
capacity to focus on more profitable
longer runs while opening doors to new,
shorter-run business opportunities,
which will only add positively to a
converter’s bottom line.

Operational Downtime
Staff Shortages and Operator Skills
by Russell Weller, Domino Printing Sciences
Many converters believe that digital
printing technology is expensive.

This misconception is often based on
the higher initial investment for the
technology and a belief that digital
printing consumables are too expensive
when compared with flexo or other
analogue technologies.

However, converters assessing the
business case for their investment in
digital printing on these metrics alone are
missing a trick. While consumable cost
is an important consideration, there are
hidden costs associated with traditional
methods and value-added opportunities
to be gained from digital printing, which
add up to a more accurate assessment
of the total cost of ownership.

Therefore, converters must consider
their potential investment holistically
– assessing market dynamics and
evolving customer needs, potential new
revenue opportunities, and operational
considerations – as Russell Weller,
Head of Product – Digital Colour,
Domino Printing Sciences, outlines.

Evolving Brand Customer Needs
According to FINAT, the main driver of
brands’ requests for digital printing
is shorter print runs, which are driven
by waste reduction and sustainability
objectives as well as growth in the
number, variability, and personalisation
of SKUs. Indeed, conversations with
brand owners indicate that, historically,
more than 30% of labels printed are
discarded because of legislative or
ingredient changes, causing label
design obsolescence and necessitating
the creation of new print runs with up-
to-date information.

Digital printing’s ability to better
accommodate short print runs and fast
turnaround times effectively eliminates
the need for brand customers to
rely on large label orders that risk
obsolescence to meet demand – this
10 Time is money. Maximising press run
time is key to maximising the number of
labels converters can produce daily. Any
machine downtime is a potential problem
for converters looking to maximise the
return on their press investment.

When compared with analogue
technology, digital presses typically
require less downtime between print
runs to allow for job set-up. Inline,
real-time image processing facilitated
by digital technology can be a great
asset in minimising press downtime
and maximising productivity, enabled
Labour can account for the most
significant proportion of a converter’s
total operating costs. Indeed, recent
interest rate increases and inflation
made wage pressures the top business
concern for 71% of printing service
providers surveyed in the BPIF Printing
Outlook Q1 2025.

Staff and skills shortages in the print
industry have increased the costs of hiring
professionals experienced in setting up
flexo technology while simultaneously
presenting challenges in finding
personnel with the correct skills.

INTERNATIONAL BOTTLER & PACKER | JUNE 2025