Digital Printing Options

Stack: There are two main digital technologies used today for packaging: toner and UV inkjet.

Ring: When it comes to digital packaging, there are generally two digital printing options: toner-based electrophotographic digital color presses and wide-format UV inkjet. Digital packaging is still relatively new, and while most of the attention of this industry has been focused on the potential for digital labels, we're already seeing high rates of adoption in folding cartons and flexible packaging. The Printing Industries Research Association expects digital printing of flexible to grow by a factor of four or five between 2009 and 2014, which makes this a truly exciting time to be part of this period of innovation. What's driving the demand for digital packaging is the incredible versatility of many of the technologies available. I think there is also a realization that this is "not your father's digital printing." When we say that our Xeikon machines have "offset-like quality," we mean that you don't have to sacrifice image quality to achieve the customization and shorter-run efficiencies that digital printing offers in today's market. Digital printing technology continues to add wider formats and more speed, and greater customization capabilities. Also, this recent recession, I think, taught many people a lesson about being more efficient to control costs and not have idle inventories, and also created a greater market for on-demand, just-in-time capabilities. This is where digital printing really shines.