David Savastano, Editor02.28.24
Digital printing has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, and there are plenty of new opportunities for digital printing to make headway. Richard Bowles, president and CEO of Nazdar, said that Nazdar continues to expect digital printing to grow in the market space with the continued digital transformation. David Lopez, product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America, Inc., said he expects digital printing to sustain its growth as technological advancements continue to improve speed and quality.
“Additionally, customers today expect quick turnaround times,” Lopez noted. “They place orders and expect high-quality results either the same day or the next day. As an industry, we understand that. Manufacturers are working to engineer reliable and efficient products so customers can meet these quick turnaround times, and I expect these advancements will continue to come to market.”
Simon Daplyn, product & marketing manager, Sun Chemical, reported that there is a strong expectation that digital print will penetrate further into packaging markets in a more industrial way, and no longer simply as part of a late-stage customization process.
“One of the key areas of growth will be flexible packaging, where there will be a number of new solutions targeting this segment,” Daplyn added. “It is also fair to expect continued adoption of digital print in décor, textiles, labels, and 3D printing where digital print has tangible production, sustainability, and cost benefits.”
“We believe that digital printing is finding its way in more and more markets,” Danny Mertens, corporate communications manager for Xeikon, said. “For Xeikon, we’ve opened now the door to corrugated box production with our IDERA technology. For us, this is the ‘third wave in digital production, following commercial print and labels in the 1990s and 2000s.”
Paul Edwards, VP of the Digital Division of INX International, said he is very excited for the near future of digital printing.
“Its growth continues and in some areas, it is accelerating,” Edwards continued. “New applications and challenges emerge as the world changes in its demands and the technologies continue to develop. My expectation is digital will continue to open up new application opportunities and take market share where it makes commercial and technological sense. There has never been a better time to be in digital printing!”
Andrea Connor, worldwide solutions marketing manager, Kodak, said that Kodak expects that digital printing will grow strongly in the near future in commercial, publishing and book printing as well as packaging, and will increasingly take market share from traditional printing processes, especially offset.
“Cost pressures, decreasing run lengths, customer demands for shorter job turnaround times and the ongoing shortage of skilled labor are all driving this development,” Connor continued. “Making the transition to digital can also help printers address sustainability issues and reduce the carbon footprint of their operations.
"Our highly automated, high-speed inkjet presses and imprinting systems are excellent solutions for tackling the challenges and producing high-quality work consistently and cost-effectively at full production speeds," Connor added. "A particularly efficient solution is our PROSPER ULTRA 520 Press, which does not force printers to sacrifice speed for quality and enables them to profitably shift more jobs from traditional offset to digital printing.”
Daplyn said that growth in niche markets requires a wider understanding of the potential and level of quality inkjet is able to deliver.
“Digital print technology has established itself as a reliable and high-quality print process with increased speed, suitable for most applications,” Daplyn noted. “In today’s market, digital print can address nearly every challenging application, process, and production environment. Collaboration between ink developers, machine builders, and printhead providers is key to delivering a solution that fits the market’s needs.
“In terms of challenges in the steel and food niche printing segments, for steel coil, inks with increased light stability for outdoor use are close to release,” Daplyn added. “These inks will support machine builders and steel manufacturers by extending the already tangible benefits inkjet brings. In food printing, the development of inks based on natural colors will increase potential adoption. There are still significant challenges in terms of the regulatory and food safety legislation between countries, so any solution will need to include careful consideration of the global nature of business and brand compliance needs.”
Lopez noted that while digital printing has made remarkable strides, there are still challenges it faces against its analog competitors.
“Once manufacturers can reduce the cost of digital printing ink, and increase print speeds to rival analog, digital printing will become more competitive in these niche markets, such as mass bulk orders with quick turnaround times,” Lopez said.
Connor pointed out that the growth of digital printing in various markets faces challenges such as high initial costs, the need for improved speed and productivity, and ensuring consistent print quality, adding that research and development are crucial to address these challenges, including advancements in printhead technology and ink formulations.
“The KODAK PROSPER ULTRA 520 Press, for example, shows what has already been achieved in this respect. Utilizing KODAK ULTRASTREAM Inkjet Technology, KODACHROME Inks and KODAK OPTIMAX Primers, this press delivers outstanding offset-quality print at high speeds and offers great application flexibility,” Connor noted.
“Compatibility with a diverse range of materials, particularly in industries with varied substrate requirements, remains a priority,” Connor continued. “Sustainable and eco-friendly printing solutions, along with efforts to reduce environmental impact, are becoming more important. Seamless integration of digital printing into existing workflows, coupled with education and training programs, is essential for industry adoption. Regulatory compliance, especially in areas like food packaging, necessitates careful consideration of industry standards. Overcoming market perceptions and building trust in digital printing technology is crucial for its broader acceptance across different industries.”
Edwards observed that there are still many challenges to be addressed in this fragmented packaging market.
“Some will be quite technical in nature, and some will be more commercial. Technical challenges involve both the consideration of the end user application and speeds in which products can be decorated, compared to the incumbent analog technologies of today, which are continuing to develop,” Edwards said.
“Digital ink technology needs to provide many of the performance characteristics which the market is used to today, such as print quality, adhesion, flexibility and stretch, low odor and migration, as well as the ability to be applied at high speeds. Commercially, this must make sense and the ROI needs to be compelling for the printers,” added Edwards. “The reduction of average print lengths, driven by several factors including personalization, is a strong driver for growth. ESG requirements are a significant driver going forwards and the reduction of waste, which can be achieved by using a digital process, will help companies achieve their overall ESG goals.”
“Additionally, customers today expect quick turnaround times,” Lopez noted. “They place orders and expect high-quality results either the same day or the next day. As an industry, we understand that. Manufacturers are working to engineer reliable and efficient products so customers can meet these quick turnaround times, and I expect these advancements will continue to come to market.”
Simon Daplyn, product & marketing manager, Sun Chemical, reported that there is a strong expectation that digital print will penetrate further into packaging markets in a more industrial way, and no longer simply as part of a late-stage customization process.
“One of the key areas of growth will be flexible packaging, where there will be a number of new solutions targeting this segment,” Daplyn added. “It is also fair to expect continued adoption of digital print in décor, textiles, labels, and 3D printing where digital print has tangible production, sustainability, and cost benefits.”
“We believe that digital printing is finding its way in more and more markets,” Danny Mertens, corporate communications manager for Xeikon, said. “For Xeikon, we’ve opened now the door to corrugated box production with our IDERA technology. For us, this is the ‘third wave in digital production, following commercial print and labels in the 1990s and 2000s.”
Paul Edwards, VP of the Digital Division of INX International, said he is very excited for the near future of digital printing.
“Its growth continues and in some areas, it is accelerating,” Edwards continued. “New applications and challenges emerge as the world changes in its demands and the technologies continue to develop. My expectation is digital will continue to open up new application opportunities and take market share where it makes commercial and technological sense. There has never been a better time to be in digital printing!”
Andrea Connor, worldwide solutions marketing manager, Kodak, said that Kodak expects that digital printing will grow strongly in the near future in commercial, publishing and book printing as well as packaging, and will increasingly take market share from traditional printing processes, especially offset.
“Cost pressures, decreasing run lengths, customer demands for shorter job turnaround times and the ongoing shortage of skilled labor are all driving this development,” Connor continued. “Making the transition to digital can also help printers address sustainability issues and reduce the carbon footprint of their operations.
"Our highly automated, high-speed inkjet presses and imprinting systems are excellent solutions for tackling the challenges and producing high-quality work consistently and cost-effectively at full production speeds," Connor added. "A particularly efficient solution is our PROSPER ULTRA 520 Press, which does not force printers to sacrifice speed for quality and enables them to profitably shift more jobs from traditional offset to digital printing.”
Some Challenges Remain
Of course, there still are some challenges that will need to be overcome for digital printing to grow in its current and future markets. Bowles said that customer/printer acceptance, expanded product/substrate compatibility development, increased OEMs engagement are challenges to be worked on.Daplyn said that growth in niche markets requires a wider understanding of the potential and level of quality inkjet is able to deliver.
“Digital print technology has established itself as a reliable and high-quality print process with increased speed, suitable for most applications,” Daplyn noted. “In today’s market, digital print can address nearly every challenging application, process, and production environment. Collaboration between ink developers, machine builders, and printhead providers is key to delivering a solution that fits the market’s needs.
“In terms of challenges in the steel and food niche printing segments, for steel coil, inks with increased light stability for outdoor use are close to release,” Daplyn added. “These inks will support machine builders and steel manufacturers by extending the already tangible benefits inkjet brings. In food printing, the development of inks based on natural colors will increase potential adoption. There are still significant challenges in terms of the regulatory and food safety legislation between countries, so any solution will need to include careful consideration of the global nature of business and brand compliance needs.”
Lopez noted that while digital printing has made remarkable strides, there are still challenges it faces against its analog competitors.
“Once manufacturers can reduce the cost of digital printing ink, and increase print speeds to rival analog, digital printing will become more competitive in these niche markets, such as mass bulk orders with quick turnaround times,” Lopez said.
Connor pointed out that the growth of digital printing in various markets faces challenges such as high initial costs, the need for improved speed and productivity, and ensuring consistent print quality, adding that research and development are crucial to address these challenges, including advancements in printhead technology and ink formulations.
“The KODAK PROSPER ULTRA 520 Press, for example, shows what has already been achieved in this respect. Utilizing KODAK ULTRASTREAM Inkjet Technology, KODACHROME Inks and KODAK OPTIMAX Primers, this press delivers outstanding offset-quality print at high speeds and offers great application flexibility,” Connor noted.
“Compatibility with a diverse range of materials, particularly in industries with varied substrate requirements, remains a priority,” Connor continued. “Sustainable and eco-friendly printing solutions, along with efforts to reduce environmental impact, are becoming more important. Seamless integration of digital printing into existing workflows, coupled with education and training programs, is essential for industry adoption. Regulatory compliance, especially in areas like food packaging, necessitates careful consideration of industry standards. Overcoming market perceptions and building trust in digital printing technology is crucial for its broader acceptance across different industries.”
Edwards observed that there are still many challenges to be addressed in this fragmented packaging market.
“Some will be quite technical in nature, and some will be more commercial. Technical challenges involve both the consideration of the end user application and speeds in which products can be decorated, compared to the incumbent analog technologies of today, which are continuing to develop,” Edwards said.
“Digital ink technology needs to provide many of the performance characteristics which the market is used to today, such as print quality, adhesion, flexibility and stretch, low odor and migration, as well as the ability to be applied at high speeds. Commercially, this must make sense and the ROI needs to be compelling for the printers,” added Edwards. “The reduction of average print lengths, driven by several factors including personalization, is a strong driver for growth. ESG requirements are a significant driver going forwards and the reduction of waste, which can be achieved by using a digital process, will help companies achieve their overall ESG goals.”