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



NEWS
By comparison, recruiting
operatives to run digital printing and
finishing equipment is simpler. Digital
printing technology is typically much
easier to run than traditional flexo
technology, and technologically
savvy candidates (as most new
operatives will be) often find it easy to
adapt with minimal training needed.

These issues with staff recruitment
are driving an industry mindset change,
with converters that might not have the
local labour required to run another
flexo line turning instead to digital
technology. Indeed, one-quarter of the
respondents in the BPIF survey plan to
invest in digital technology in 2025, while
half of respondents are investigating
automation and workflow improvements
that could help them mitigate labour
shortages and enhance efficiency.

The bottom line: don’t get left
behind and limit your chances of
attracting new workers into a forward-
looking working environment.

Understanding the Complete Label
Production Workflow
Once a converter has decided to
invest in digital printing technology, it
is important to consider all the steps
involved in creating the finished label
to determine what type of press will
achieve the best results.

While a new hybrid printing and
finishing line will typically deliver
a process where all elements work
together with optimum performance,
adding a digital roll-to-roll press
to an existing multi-step process is
complex, requiring a closer look at the
complete label production workflow.

A multi-step process could include
several pieces of upstream and
downstream equipment connected
by manual handling processes. While
upstream converting equipment can
typically maintain a constant supply of
prepared substrate to a label press,
downstream finishing equipment
could cause bottlenecks, lowering
productivity and reducing the return
on investment. Converters looking to
take advantage of higher press speeds
should ensure that finishing equipment
always matches or exceeds the
production speed of the label press
to maximise the number of finished
labels produced per shift.

Converters purchasing a high-
speed press should also be confident
that they will be able to generate the
orders needed to make use of the
additional capacity – as a press that is
underutilised will not be able to deliver
the desired return on investment.

This can also be an issue with digital/
hybrid label printing processes, where
integrated digital print engines – the
most significant investment in the line
– can be subject to considerable periods
of downtime during flexo-station
set-up. Where suitable offline finishing
equipment and personnel are available,
a roll-to-roll press could be the more
efficient choice, delivering a faster
payback thanks to near-continuous
production and offline finishing.

Conclusion Converters considering investing in a new digital label printing press
need to take into account the whole picture, focusing on the overall value
a press could deliver to their business as well as the initial investment,
consumable costs, and press speed.

A digital printing press supplier offering reliable solutions, backed by
a service offering tailored to a converter’s needs, will be a strong partner
that can support converters in scaling their business and maximising the
return on their investment.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE | www.binstedgroup.com
New X-Ray Inspection System
Minebea Intec is expanding its
portfolio with the X-ray inspection
system Dylight S. This compact X-ray
inspection system has been specially
developed to ensure the quality of
products in upright containers.

The requirements for the food, beverage
industries are constantly evolving.

Regulations such as the pre-packaging
ordinance or supplier audits require
complete documentation. At the same
time, sustainable packaging materials
make the use of advanced X-ray
technologies essential. Companies are
faced with the challenge of making
huge investments in new technologies
in order to keep up with these
changes. However, consumers are not
automatically prepared to pay higher
prices for their everyday products.

This is precisely where the new X-ray
inspection system Dylight S comes in:
it enables manufacturing companies
to guarantee the highest product
safety and quality – at an economically
attractive price.

The Dylight S features sideshooter
technology for more precise detection
of foreign bodies in products with light
and complex packaging. The X-ray
inspection system not only enables
reliable detection of metallic and
non-metallic foreign bodies - including
glass, rubber, stones or plastic parts
in containers such as PET bottles,
liquid food cartons or plastic cans, but
also offers functions for completeness
checks and fill level inspections.

“The X-ray inspection system
Dylight S is characterised by its
compact design,” says Mengqi Liang,
Product Manager at Minebea Intec.

“This enables easy integration into
existing production lines. Another key
advantage of the Dylight S is using
the monobloc generator without
an external transformer, which
reduces technical complexity and
simultaneously lowers the TCO.”
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