Dave Savastano, Editor05.13.16
Digital printing is perhaps the fastest growing printing segment, with growth coming in most markets. There are now areas that are almost 100% digital, such as wide format, and other markets that are rapidly transforming, such as labels. The upcoming drupa 2016 will show new opportunities, such as textiles.
Inkjet ink companies are growing along withe the digital printing market, and they see new segments opening up as the technology improves.
Peter Saunders, business director – Digital, Sun Chemical, noted that SunJet, the inkjet division of Sun Chemical and DIC, grew strongly in the past year, widening its product and technology portfolio to meet the demands of existing and emerging markets.
“We have seen continued growth in wide and super-wide formats in the graphics market,” Saunders said. “Narrow web and label opportunities have increased as digital press capabilities are being realized. Imprinting and personalized print applications have grown in all geographies, and we have seen deployment of systems designed for commercial print and publication markets using aqueous ink technology.”
Danny Mertens, corporate communications manager, Xeikon/Flint Group Digital Printing Division, noted that Xeikon serves two major market segments: Labels & Packaging and Document & Commercial printing. He added that the main trends that fuel growth for digital printing are customization, personalization and smaller print runs.
“Both segments grew, but due to different reasons,” Mertens reported. “For example, the labels and packaging segment shows accelerating growth due to increasing volumes and greater color coverage on packages. Our volumes in direct mail continue to grow, mainly due to the increased use of personal data in promotion and communication. We also see some new markets of interest to us, such as wallcoverings. So-called single-wall solutions, very often customized, are very much in vogue these days and are all digitally printed.”
Craig Reid, VP - Digital Division for INX International Ink Co., said that 2015 was another record breaking year for INX Digital, both in growth and the number of technology developments launched.
“We had strong growth from our increasing number of OEM/private label partners, and we launched several new alternative inks near the end of the year that are showing growth for 2016,” Reid added. “Several new versions of inkjet inks from INX that combine excellent color gamut while having better adhesion and flexibility post curing are still where a lot of the growth is coming from. While UV is still the most dominant in North America, Latin America, South America and the Middle East are seeing a somewhat surprising renewal in the sales of high quality, grand format mild-solvent printers.”
Martin Burns, market segment manager, aqueous and solvent digital inks for Nazdar, said that Nazdar’s inkjet business has been very strong over the last 12 months.
“As a supplier to OEMs and of high quality alternative inks, we were able grow our business in a tough environment,” Burns added. “As a truly global supplier, we were able to overcome regional market challenges by progressing our business in other territories where appropriate. By doing this we exceeded our objectives.
“As a supplier to all areas of graphics arts from desktop and photographic to super wide outdoor display, we saw growth in many areas,” said Burns. “Interestingly two significant areas were in outdoor rigid display and textile soft signage. This enabled us to target the former with our range of market leading UV ink and the latter with a combination of sublimation and solvent technologies.”
Dr. Christophe Bulliard, marketing director, Sensient Imaging Technologies SA, said that Sensient’s textile inkjet market is growing rapidly.
“We are taking our share of that growth, especially after the acquisition of Xennia, which has positioned Sensient as the largest independent provider of all textile inks technologies,” Dr. Bulliard added. “We are focusing in industrial applications and there textile had the strongest growth.”
“Textile has amazing growth potential. It is a market that is motivated to go from analog to digital print not just for economic reasons, but for environmental and market demand reasons,” said Mike Wozny, senior product manager, EFI.
Kristin Adams, marketing manager, Collins Inkjet Corporation, said that business was excellent for Collins Inkjet this past year.
“We’re seeing steady growth, anchored by continued increasing core product sales,” Adams noted. “Highest percentage growth areas include UV inks and polymeric water-based inks for non-porous, industrial print applications (mostly single pass).”
Adams said that Collins tends to service those users who are utilizing high-speed single pass printing, rather than wide format graphic arts.
“Within single-pass, we’re seeing a growing interest in custom fluids for a variety of applications where printing is being used within the manufacturing process,” Adams added. “The specific segments vary, from consumer-packaged products, wood and glass decoration, labels, architectural design and more.”
“We continue to experience growth, fueled by increasing demand in the commercial and textile ink jet market,” said Eric Beyeler, global marketing manager for digital printing at DuPont.
Terry Mitchell, director of marketing, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division, said that Fujifilm’s inkjet business experienced significant growth in 2015.
“Sales of wide format equipment and inkjet inks were fueled by the introduction of four new wide format equipment models,” Mitchell added. “These new models, including the Onset X Series of high productivity presses, the new mid-range Uvistar Hybrid 320, the Acuity Select 20 and the Acuity LED 1600 II, offer combinations of increased speed, productivity, and expanded functionality. Production inkjet equipment, led by the Fujifilm J Press 720S, a B2 sheetfed inkjet press, grew at a significant rate. Other areas of growth included penetration in the packaging market primarily in tag and label applications with the Graphium hybrid inkjet press that integrates traditional flexo printing and inkjet printing.”
Mitchell reported that the general commercial printer is diversifying into wide format and packaging while transitioning short run offset work to digital toner and digital inkjet.
“Commercial printers adopting these new technologies and diversifying into new markets are experiencing growth,” Mitchell added. “The packaging segment, including tag and label, folding carton, and corrugated applications are also growing at a fast pace. Wide format also continues to grow as newer models increase production capabilities and expand print applications.”
Digital Displacing Incumbent Technologies
Over time, inkjet printing has made major inroads into key printing markets, from wide format to transactional printing and more. Inkjet ink manufacturers are interested in what comes next.
“Industrial segments are exploding into the use of inkjet for all kinds of decoration, customization and coatings,” said Reid. “For INX, Direct-to-Shape applications are making up many of our newest developments, including direct-to-metal cans, beverage glass, formed wood and a lot of plastic containers.”
“We see further digitalization of printing process, in particular in industrial and packaging applications,” Dr. Bulliard said.
Mitchell said that versioning and variable data applications in direct mail has driven adoption of digital technologies, as well as general commercial applications demanding short runs and fast turnaround where traditional offset printing methods are not practical.
“Print providers focused on short run and fast turnaround, largely through online e-commerce platforms, are displacing incumbent technologies and are a growing segment of the market,” Mitchell observed. “Demand for short run books has created opportunities for digital printing, and printers are leveraging digital print capabilities to deliver unique, personalized, short runs of high value add print output such as pocket folders, calendars, and posters. Another area where digital technology is displacing traditional print methods is in packaging applications. Digital inkjet is displacing traditional flexo printing for production of labels, and offset printing is being displaced by production of folding carton and corrugated applications with digital print methods.”
“Sun Chemical’s R&D team is always working to advance its current inkjet technology to higher and better levels that best meet the needs of our customers,” Saunders said. “However, it is unlikely that any one ‘incumbent’ technology will be completely displaced by new developing technologies. The reality is that the inks used in all digital printing sectors are very different. In fact, the substrates and requirements of ink performance are so different that we have to have separate R&D groups working on the needs of each application. The common factor is that the inks all need to jet and function reliably, so the understanding we have gained of the influence of ink chemistry on the physics of inkjet printing is essential in all ink development. Sun Chemical has commercialized inks in all of these areas.”
“Nazdar enjoys a thriving screen business within the industrial sectors. However, the graphics screen business generally has seen significant inroads made by higher production capacity UV digital printers changing the economic drivers on print run lengths,” said Burns. “By developing and manufacturing for both sectors, Nazdar can continue to supply our growing customer base through these times of change.
“Some areas of interior décor have seen a transition from very long run gravure processes to shorter run digital production,” Burns added. “Similarly, clothing and apparel has seen a dramatic move within the market with increased demand for customization, bespoke clothing and seven to eight seasons per year pushing many producers down the digital route.”
“There is an opportunity for digital print to displace existing technologies anywhere that streamlining and/or customization within the manufacturing process is a goal.” Adams noted.
“In the commercial printing market, we see extensions into the cardboard/paper packaging market,” Beyeler noted. “In the textile market, we see increasing demand for pigment inks and in the direct to garment market for inks that will enable end users to achieve industrial scale cycle times.”
Digital Printing and drupa 2016
Since 2000, digital printing has been increasing its footprint during drupa, the world’s largest printing show, and inkjet ink specialists expect that to continue in 2016. For example, Reid sees potential for packaging to make gains in inkjet.
“Drupa should convince many folks that inkjet technology is now really ready for production speeds and quality for a number of packaging applications,” said Reid. “This includes direct-to-shaped packaging such as cans, glass and plastics; flexible film for shrink sleeves, pouches and print; and thermoform plastic lids and containers.”
“We expect to see primarily improvement of existing technologies opening new opportunity,” Dr. Bulliard said. “In particular, the ability to print faster at higher quality will open avenues in packaging printing.”
“Printhead manufacturers are now embracing the new direction and opportunities for industrial inkjet,” said Burns. “As the printhead technology improves and the relationship with other integration partners widens then we can expect faster market development. An example that may be seen at drupa is the increase in specific direct to shape/object printers.”
“The biggest trend/advances we are seeing right now for the wide format digital printing market is the need for inks that adhere to a wide range of substrates on much faster presses,” Saunders said. “SunJet is working with its OEM partners to increase the speed of output in wide format printing to compete with offset at higher run lengths. The equipment is running faster and inks need to cure on the wide range of substrates used at production speeds which are now achieving up to 1000 sM/hr.
“Price is always a factor for our customers, but it is balanced by the application of the ink on many substrates,” added Saunders. “Performance is the key attribute our customers are looking for and it is at the forefront of what we offer. Our customers associate our specially formulated inks with a high degree of enduring flexibility. Ink performance is always the key.”
Saunders also sees digital printing making inroads into packaging.
“As a major supplier to the packaging industry, Sun Chemical understands the legislative requirements and needs of the food packaging sector,” Saunders concluded. “As digital presses are used in more and more applications, we have had to ensure that our inkjet inks meet the needs of the users, converters for major brands, and have developed a range of low migration UV inks.
Critical factors include low migration (sub 10ppb for materials where this is required); complies with European standards - Swiss Ordnance; EUPIA compliant; and manufactured in accordance to GMP. SunJet’s UV curing inkjet inks are able to meet these requirements in cooperation with our OEMs and their customers.”
Xeikon will be highlighting its Trillium press and liquid toner during drupa. “Xeikon is launching Trillium One at Drupa, our first implementation of the Trillium liquid toner technology,” Mertens said. “We believe Trillium technology to be ground-breaking in filling the production/cost gap between current high quality digital production and offset.”
Adams sees opportunities for electron beam (EB) during drupa. “We’ve been talking about EB for the last two years and now at drupa,” she said. “For those interested in learning more about the value and benefits of ebeam technology, the ebeam Technologies booth will feature lots of information on the benefits ebeam technology brings to a variety of print and converting applications, as well as a working ebeam inkjet dryer (EID) system demonstrating an ebeam digital print curing solution featuring Collins Inkjet ink being applied onto on a PPSI printing system.”
Mitchell noted that Fujifilm will exhibit and demonstrate a new digital press and new print technology at drupa 2016.
“This new press is ideally suited for printing on the underside of flexible packaging, and is powered by proprietary new Fujifilm image forming technology called EUCON (Enhanced Under Coating and Nitrogen purging technology),” Mitchell reported.
“The proprietary EUCON technology in the new press is composed of three core components: a newly developed, high performance UV ink; a unique undercoating technology used to prevent ink bleed; and a nitrogen purge technology, which is used to significantly reduce the characteristic odor of UV ink,” he added.
Also at drupa, Fujifilm will be showcasing the latest generation of its modular SAMBA printheads, VersaDrop jetting and RAPIC anti-coagulation technologies. Along with the company’s software, systems integration and ink development expertise, these technologies have been combined to form the “print engine“ at the heart of Heidelberg’s new B1 industrial inkjet press.
Outlook for Digital Printing
Not surprisingly, inkjet ink manufacturers see excellent opportunities ahead for digital printing.
“For the near term, we expect a dramatic increase in narrow web single pass system development for all types of applications,” said Reid. “Some of that same technology is also being used as faster and faster scanning arrays for wide format and grand format applications.
“Mid-to-longer term is still the affordability of wide array single pass technology to build custom in-line printing,” Reid added. “Both short and long term trends are separating the print engine design from the substrate handling systems. There are already numerous examples of essentially the same small inkjet imaging arrays being used to print both in-the-round and single pass applications – with the only differences being the substrate handling system, software and whatever specialty ink is needed for that particular application.”
“We project double-digit growth for the next few years,” Beyeler said.
“We see the most significant growth in what we would call ‘digital manufacturing’ rather than ‘digital printing,’” said Mertens. “Different product decoration techniques are at the forefront of this. In that aspect, self-adhesive labels is a fast-growing application. With our Fusion Technology, we’re aiming to bring the level of automation a step further to fully automated digital manufacturing.”
“Digital printing will continue to grow in both the near and long term as print buyer demand for versioned, variable and short run work increases,” said Mitchell. “Increasing digital inkjet print speeds and improved print quality at these higher speeds will transition more work from traditional print methods to digital inkjet printing, and the packaging market, including tag and label, folding carton and corrugated applications will adopt digital print technologies and continue to grow at a fast pace.”
“We expect to see solid continued growth in the narrow web markets,” Saunders said. “We also expect to see more cartons digitally printed, and we could potentially see some flexible packaging inroads being made. UV applications will grow, but aqueous ink technology will become more important.”
“We see a further strong growth in industrial applications, in particular with our approach to provide full solutions rather than ‘just bottles of ink,’” Dr. Bulliard concluded.
Inkjet ink companies are growing along withe the digital printing market, and they see new segments opening up as the technology improves.
Peter Saunders, business director – Digital, Sun Chemical, noted that SunJet, the inkjet division of Sun Chemical and DIC, grew strongly in the past year, widening its product and technology portfolio to meet the demands of existing and emerging markets.
“We have seen continued growth in wide and super-wide formats in the graphics market,” Saunders said. “Narrow web and label opportunities have increased as digital press capabilities are being realized. Imprinting and personalized print applications have grown in all geographies, and we have seen deployment of systems designed for commercial print and publication markets using aqueous ink technology.”
Danny Mertens, corporate communications manager, Xeikon/Flint Group Digital Printing Division, noted that Xeikon serves two major market segments: Labels & Packaging and Document & Commercial printing. He added that the main trends that fuel growth for digital printing are customization, personalization and smaller print runs.
“Both segments grew, but due to different reasons,” Mertens reported. “For example, the labels and packaging segment shows accelerating growth due to increasing volumes and greater color coverage on packages. Our volumes in direct mail continue to grow, mainly due to the increased use of personal data in promotion and communication. We also see some new markets of interest to us, such as wallcoverings. So-called single-wall solutions, very often customized, are very much in vogue these days and are all digitally printed.”
Craig Reid, VP - Digital Division for INX International Ink Co., said that 2015 was another record breaking year for INX Digital, both in growth and the number of technology developments launched.
“We had strong growth from our increasing number of OEM/private label partners, and we launched several new alternative inks near the end of the year that are showing growth for 2016,” Reid added. “Several new versions of inkjet inks from INX that combine excellent color gamut while having better adhesion and flexibility post curing are still where a lot of the growth is coming from. While UV is still the most dominant in North America, Latin America, South America and the Middle East are seeing a somewhat surprising renewal in the sales of high quality, grand format mild-solvent printers.”
Martin Burns, market segment manager, aqueous and solvent digital inks for Nazdar, said that Nazdar’s inkjet business has been very strong over the last 12 months.
“As a supplier to OEMs and of high quality alternative inks, we were able grow our business in a tough environment,” Burns added. “As a truly global supplier, we were able to overcome regional market challenges by progressing our business in other territories where appropriate. By doing this we exceeded our objectives.
“As a supplier to all areas of graphics arts from desktop and photographic to super wide outdoor display, we saw growth in many areas,” said Burns. “Interestingly two significant areas were in outdoor rigid display and textile soft signage. This enabled us to target the former with our range of market leading UV ink and the latter with a combination of sublimation and solvent technologies.”
Dr. Christophe Bulliard, marketing director, Sensient Imaging Technologies SA, said that Sensient’s textile inkjet market is growing rapidly.
“We are taking our share of that growth, especially after the acquisition of Xennia, which has positioned Sensient as the largest independent provider of all textile inks technologies,” Dr. Bulliard added. “We are focusing in industrial applications and there textile had the strongest growth.”
“Textile has amazing growth potential. It is a market that is motivated to go from analog to digital print not just for economic reasons, but for environmental and market demand reasons,” said Mike Wozny, senior product manager, EFI.
Kristin Adams, marketing manager, Collins Inkjet Corporation, said that business was excellent for Collins Inkjet this past year.
“We’re seeing steady growth, anchored by continued increasing core product sales,” Adams noted. “Highest percentage growth areas include UV inks and polymeric water-based inks for non-porous, industrial print applications (mostly single pass).”
Adams said that Collins tends to service those users who are utilizing high-speed single pass printing, rather than wide format graphic arts.
“Within single-pass, we’re seeing a growing interest in custom fluids for a variety of applications where printing is being used within the manufacturing process,” Adams added. “The specific segments vary, from consumer-packaged products, wood and glass decoration, labels, architectural design and more.”
“We continue to experience growth, fueled by increasing demand in the commercial and textile ink jet market,” said Eric Beyeler, global marketing manager for digital printing at DuPont.
Terry Mitchell, director of marketing, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division, said that Fujifilm’s inkjet business experienced significant growth in 2015.
“Sales of wide format equipment and inkjet inks were fueled by the introduction of four new wide format equipment models,” Mitchell added. “These new models, including the Onset X Series of high productivity presses, the new mid-range Uvistar Hybrid 320, the Acuity Select 20 and the Acuity LED 1600 II, offer combinations of increased speed, productivity, and expanded functionality. Production inkjet equipment, led by the Fujifilm J Press 720S, a B2 sheetfed inkjet press, grew at a significant rate. Other areas of growth included penetration in the packaging market primarily in tag and label applications with the Graphium hybrid inkjet press that integrates traditional flexo printing and inkjet printing.”
Mitchell reported that the general commercial printer is diversifying into wide format and packaging while transitioning short run offset work to digital toner and digital inkjet.
“Commercial printers adopting these new technologies and diversifying into new markets are experiencing growth,” Mitchell added. “The packaging segment, including tag and label, folding carton, and corrugated applications are also growing at a fast pace. Wide format also continues to grow as newer models increase production capabilities and expand print applications.”
Digital Displacing Incumbent Technologies
Over time, inkjet printing has made major inroads into key printing markets, from wide format to transactional printing and more. Inkjet ink manufacturers are interested in what comes next.
“Industrial segments are exploding into the use of inkjet for all kinds of decoration, customization and coatings,” said Reid. “For INX, Direct-to-Shape applications are making up many of our newest developments, including direct-to-metal cans, beverage glass, formed wood and a lot of plastic containers.”
“We see further digitalization of printing process, in particular in industrial and packaging applications,” Dr. Bulliard said.
Mitchell said that versioning and variable data applications in direct mail has driven adoption of digital technologies, as well as general commercial applications demanding short runs and fast turnaround where traditional offset printing methods are not practical.
“Print providers focused on short run and fast turnaround, largely through online e-commerce platforms, are displacing incumbent technologies and are a growing segment of the market,” Mitchell observed. “Demand for short run books has created opportunities for digital printing, and printers are leveraging digital print capabilities to deliver unique, personalized, short runs of high value add print output such as pocket folders, calendars, and posters. Another area where digital technology is displacing traditional print methods is in packaging applications. Digital inkjet is displacing traditional flexo printing for production of labels, and offset printing is being displaced by production of folding carton and corrugated applications with digital print methods.”
“Sun Chemical’s R&D team is always working to advance its current inkjet technology to higher and better levels that best meet the needs of our customers,” Saunders said. “However, it is unlikely that any one ‘incumbent’ technology will be completely displaced by new developing technologies. The reality is that the inks used in all digital printing sectors are very different. In fact, the substrates and requirements of ink performance are so different that we have to have separate R&D groups working on the needs of each application. The common factor is that the inks all need to jet and function reliably, so the understanding we have gained of the influence of ink chemistry on the physics of inkjet printing is essential in all ink development. Sun Chemical has commercialized inks in all of these areas.”
“Nazdar enjoys a thriving screen business within the industrial sectors. However, the graphics screen business generally has seen significant inroads made by higher production capacity UV digital printers changing the economic drivers on print run lengths,” said Burns. “By developing and manufacturing for both sectors, Nazdar can continue to supply our growing customer base through these times of change.
“Some areas of interior décor have seen a transition from very long run gravure processes to shorter run digital production,” Burns added. “Similarly, clothing and apparel has seen a dramatic move within the market with increased demand for customization, bespoke clothing and seven to eight seasons per year pushing many producers down the digital route.”
“There is an opportunity for digital print to displace existing technologies anywhere that streamlining and/or customization within the manufacturing process is a goal.” Adams noted.
“In the commercial printing market, we see extensions into the cardboard/paper packaging market,” Beyeler noted. “In the textile market, we see increasing demand for pigment inks and in the direct to garment market for inks that will enable end users to achieve industrial scale cycle times.”
Digital Printing and drupa 2016
Since 2000, digital printing has been increasing its footprint during drupa, the world’s largest printing show, and inkjet ink specialists expect that to continue in 2016. For example, Reid sees potential for packaging to make gains in inkjet.
“Drupa should convince many folks that inkjet technology is now really ready for production speeds and quality for a number of packaging applications,” said Reid. “This includes direct-to-shaped packaging such as cans, glass and plastics; flexible film for shrink sleeves, pouches and print; and thermoform plastic lids and containers.”
“We expect to see primarily improvement of existing technologies opening new opportunity,” Dr. Bulliard said. “In particular, the ability to print faster at higher quality will open avenues in packaging printing.”
“Printhead manufacturers are now embracing the new direction and opportunities for industrial inkjet,” said Burns. “As the printhead technology improves and the relationship with other integration partners widens then we can expect faster market development. An example that may be seen at drupa is the increase in specific direct to shape/object printers.”
“The biggest trend/advances we are seeing right now for the wide format digital printing market is the need for inks that adhere to a wide range of substrates on much faster presses,” Saunders said. “SunJet is working with its OEM partners to increase the speed of output in wide format printing to compete with offset at higher run lengths. The equipment is running faster and inks need to cure on the wide range of substrates used at production speeds which are now achieving up to 1000 sM/hr.
“Price is always a factor for our customers, but it is balanced by the application of the ink on many substrates,” added Saunders. “Performance is the key attribute our customers are looking for and it is at the forefront of what we offer. Our customers associate our specially formulated inks with a high degree of enduring flexibility. Ink performance is always the key.”
Saunders also sees digital printing making inroads into packaging.
“As a major supplier to the packaging industry, Sun Chemical understands the legislative requirements and needs of the food packaging sector,” Saunders concluded. “As digital presses are used in more and more applications, we have had to ensure that our inkjet inks meet the needs of the users, converters for major brands, and have developed a range of low migration UV inks.
Critical factors include low migration (sub 10ppb for materials where this is required); complies with European standards - Swiss Ordnance; EUPIA compliant; and manufactured in accordance to GMP. SunJet’s UV curing inkjet inks are able to meet these requirements in cooperation with our OEMs and their customers.”
Xeikon will be highlighting its Trillium press and liquid toner during drupa. “Xeikon is launching Trillium One at Drupa, our first implementation of the Trillium liquid toner technology,” Mertens said. “We believe Trillium technology to be ground-breaking in filling the production/cost gap between current high quality digital production and offset.”
Adams sees opportunities for electron beam (EB) during drupa. “We’ve been talking about EB for the last two years and now at drupa,” she said. “For those interested in learning more about the value and benefits of ebeam technology, the ebeam Technologies booth will feature lots of information on the benefits ebeam technology brings to a variety of print and converting applications, as well as a working ebeam inkjet dryer (EID) system demonstrating an ebeam digital print curing solution featuring Collins Inkjet ink being applied onto on a PPSI printing system.”
Mitchell noted that Fujifilm will exhibit and demonstrate a new digital press and new print technology at drupa 2016.
“This new press is ideally suited for printing on the underside of flexible packaging, and is powered by proprietary new Fujifilm image forming technology called EUCON (Enhanced Under Coating and Nitrogen purging technology),” Mitchell reported.
“The proprietary EUCON technology in the new press is composed of three core components: a newly developed, high performance UV ink; a unique undercoating technology used to prevent ink bleed; and a nitrogen purge technology, which is used to significantly reduce the characteristic odor of UV ink,” he added.
Also at drupa, Fujifilm will be showcasing the latest generation of its modular SAMBA printheads, VersaDrop jetting and RAPIC anti-coagulation technologies. Along with the company’s software, systems integration and ink development expertise, these technologies have been combined to form the “print engine“ at the heart of Heidelberg’s new B1 industrial inkjet press.
Outlook for Digital Printing
Not surprisingly, inkjet ink manufacturers see excellent opportunities ahead for digital printing.
“For the near term, we expect a dramatic increase in narrow web single pass system development for all types of applications,” said Reid. “Some of that same technology is also being used as faster and faster scanning arrays for wide format and grand format applications.
“Mid-to-longer term is still the affordability of wide array single pass technology to build custom in-line printing,” Reid added. “Both short and long term trends are separating the print engine design from the substrate handling systems. There are already numerous examples of essentially the same small inkjet imaging arrays being used to print both in-the-round and single pass applications – with the only differences being the substrate handling system, software and whatever specialty ink is needed for that particular application.”
“We project double-digit growth for the next few years,” Beyeler said.
“We see the most significant growth in what we would call ‘digital manufacturing’ rather than ‘digital printing,’” said Mertens. “Different product decoration techniques are at the forefront of this. In that aspect, self-adhesive labels is a fast-growing application. With our Fusion Technology, we’re aiming to bring the level of automation a step further to fully automated digital manufacturing.”
“Digital printing will continue to grow in both the near and long term as print buyer demand for versioned, variable and short run work increases,” said Mitchell. “Increasing digital inkjet print speeds and improved print quality at these higher speeds will transition more work from traditional print methods to digital inkjet printing, and the packaging market, including tag and label, folding carton and corrugated applications will adopt digital print technologies and continue to grow at a fast pace.”
“We expect to see solid continued growth in the narrow web markets,” Saunders said. “We also expect to see more cartons digitally printed, and we could potentially see some flexible packaging inroads being made. UV applications will grow, but aqueous ink technology will become more important.”
“We see a further strong growth in industrial applications, in particular with our approach to provide full solutions rather than ‘just bottles of ink,’” Dr. Bulliard concluded.