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Aniflex installs Mark Andy hybrid press

Piotr Wnuk — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 21:39:55 +0000

Aniflex, one of Poland's leading producers of self-adhesive labels, shrink sleeves and flexible packaging, has installed a Mark Andy Digital Series HD HighSpeed 1200 hybrid press combining flexographic and UV inkjet technologies within a single integrated production process.

The investment responds to growing market pressure from increasing product variants, shorter run lengths and tighter quality and delivery requirements. According to co-owner Maciej Wojtaszek, the number of SKUs within individual product categories has risen significantly as brand owners add flavor, functional and language variants across their ranges, each requiring separate graphic versions.

'Our customers expect flexibility above all else,' said Wojtaszek. 'The market increasingly requires an ability to produce multiple short-run versions alongside higher-volume jobs, while maintaining consistent quality and reliable delivery performance. The real challenge is maintaining the same level of quality, color consistency and finishing repeatability across every repeat order and every batch.'

The press selection followed extensive testing at demonstration centers and printing sites across Europe, with technology stability identified as a primary criterion. Aniflex's existing experience with both Mark Andy flexo equipment and inkjet technology made the hybrid platform a natural progression. The company plans to operate the press in a two-shift environment once full integration into advanced production work is complete.

'Aniflex consistently demonstrates that the future of the industry belongs to companies that successfully combine technology, expertise and partnership into one cohesive production ecosystem,' said Przemyslaw Polkowski, director of Mark Andy Poland.

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1 day ago

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Aniflex installs Mark Andy hybrid press

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Polish label converter adds flexo and UV inkjet platform to manage growing SKU complexity.

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Polish label converter adds flexo and UV inkjet platform to manage growing SKU complexity.

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Konica Minolta UK appoints Pittick as sales director

Piotr Wnuk — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 05:08:34 +0000

Konica Minolta Business Solutions UK has appointed James Pittick as sales director, with responsibility for all UK direct and indirect sales channels across the company's digital workplace and professional print business lines.

Pittick brings more than 20 years of experience across printing, technology and managed services, with a background in solutions-led sales, print and workflow technologies and partner ecosystem development across public and private sector clients.

'The company has a strong heritage in imaging technology and a clear vision for the future,' said Pittick. 'I'm looking forward to working with Konica Minolta's teams, partners and customers to accelerate growth across all channels.'

'James's extensive industry knowledge, multi-channel experience and ability to lead successful high-performing teams make him an exceptional addition to our team,' said Rob Ferris, CEO of Konica Minolta Business Solutions UK.

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5 days 17 hours ago

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Konica Minolta UK appoints Pittick as sales director

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Twenty-year print and technology veteran to lead UK direct and indirect sales channels.

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Twenty-year print and technology veteran to lead UK direct and indirect sales channels.

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Thomco installs Durst RSCi digital press

Selah Zighelboim — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 14:41:26 +0000

US-based converter Thomco has invested in a Durst RSCi press to meet the demands of the changing label market.

'Customer expectations have continued to change and grow – particularly around label complexity, customization and faster turnarounds,” commented Jim Thompson, founder and president of Thomco. Though reliable, Thomco's current setup couldn't keep pace with these new demands. 'We needed a press that could manage short and long runs with ease, without the delays or setup time,' continued Thompson. 'Print resolution and color accuracy were critical, and flexibility was also key, as more clients were requesting variable-data printing, such as barcodes and serialized numbering. We wanted a press that could handle all of this in the most cost-effective way.'

The Durst Tau RSCi stood out because it addressed all of Thomco's 'must-haves' while allowing them room to expand and grow.

The Durst Tau RSCi combines high-speed productivity, 1,200 DPI print quality and advanced automation in a scalable digital platform designed to meet the evolving demands of modern label production. Built on Durst’s RSC technology, the press delivers industrial performance, production reliability and long-term operational flexibility for converters focused on growth.

Thompson said: 'The transition was smooth. Our team adapted quickly, thanks to the intuitive interface and the strong support we received from the Durst team during onboarding. We’ve achieved superior print resolution, fast print speeds and best-in-class overall performance with strong consistency in registration and color control. We have also enjoyed the ability to print with CMYKOV plus white, and the benefits of Durst’s workflow automation.'

Barry Wendell, national sales manager, labels, Durst North America: 'We have enjoyed working alongside the Thomco team throughout this process and appreciate the thoughtful approach they took in selecting the Tau RSCi. They have built a strong business with a clear vision, and we are proud to be part of their future. We are confident this investment positions them for continued success and opens the door to exciting opportunities for many years ahead.'

It has been several months since the installation. Thompson concluded: 'Everyone is very happy with the RSCi. In the last few months, we have seen a real impact on our operations, and it has proven to be a smart investment with daily benefits on the production floor.'

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6 days 7 hours ago

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Thomco installs Durst RSCi digital press

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The converter invested in the new press in order to keep up with changing customer expectations.

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The converter invested in the new press in order to keep up with changing customer expectations.

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Eclipse Label partners with AstroNova

Adyasha Sinha — Wed, 27 May 2026 15:54:23 +0000

Eclipse Label Equipment has partnered with AstroNova, enabling the company to offer a complete digital label production technology for the label and packaging industry.

The partnership brings together AstroNova’s QuickLabel digital label printers with Eclipse Label Equipment’s digital finishing systems, creating integrated technology for label converters, print businesses and manufacturers looking to produce short to medium-run labels in-house.

Eclipse Label Equipment is a manufacturer of digital label finishing systems, including the Eclipse Mini+ and Eclipse LF350s, which provide lamination, digital cutting, slitting and rewinding for roll-to-roll label production.

By adding AstroNova digital label printers to the range, Eclipse can now supply a complete workflow from full-color digital print through to finished labels.

The combined range is designed to support businesses producing short-run labels, digitally printed labels, laminated labels, variable data labels, product and packaging labels, plain and pre-printed label finishing and on-demand label production.

The companies note that the partnership provides a practical route to increase flexibility, reduce reliance on pre-die-cut stock, shorten lead times and handle a wider range of customer requirements for label producers.

The systems are particularly suited to short and medium-run production where fast changeover, reduced waste and digital cutting flexibility are increasingly important.

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1 week 6 days ago

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Eclipse Label partners with AstroNova

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The partnership brings together AstroNova’s QuickLabel digital label printers with Eclipse Label Equipment’s digital finishing systems.

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The partnership brings together AstroNova’s QuickLabel digital label printers with Eclipse Label Equipment’s digital finishing systems.

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Ekorol installs Durst Tau 340 RSCe press

Piotr Wnuk — Tue, 26 May 2026 21:58:21 +0000

Ekorol, a Polish label and packaging converter, has installed a Durst Tau 340 RSCe digital label press, supplied by LFP Industrial Solutions, doubling its production speed within weeks of installation.

The decision to invest in the Durst platform came after several years of evaluation. Ekorol first encountered Durst's digital technology at Labelexpo Europe a few years ago and recognized early that shorter run lengths and faster customer turnaround requirements were reshaping the label market.

A previous digital investment, a Japanese press installed at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, gave the company its first experience of digital label production and laid the groundwork for the Durst decision.

Piotr Modzelewski, commercial director at Ekorol, said: 'In flexographic printing, the apparently low cost per job has to be recalculated once you add the cost and lead time of the printing plate. For short runs, digital wins even where flexo appears cheaper on the surface.’

The installation, carried out by LFP Industrial Solutions service engineer Oleh Maievskyi, was completed step by step with operator training throughout the process. The experience contrasted sharply with the company's previous digital installation, which the team had to commission largely without external support.

'At LFP, someone always picks up the phone. We don't feel like a customer who has already made their purchase. We feel like someone who is welcome, because the relationship doesn't end when the delivery note is signed,' said Modzelewski.

The Tau 340 RSCe has been in operation since mid-March 2026. Despite handling only a portion of total production so far, output has already doubled. The company's next step is to migrate small and medium runs from flexo to the new Durst press, freeing up capacity on its conventional press fleet.

'The only thing we regret is that we could have taken this step sooner,' concluded Modzelewski.

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2 weeks ago

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Ekorol installs Durst Tau 340 RSCe press

Short summary

Polish label converter doubles production speed with first Durst investment.

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Polish label converter doubles production speed with first Durst investment.

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Grafiche Pradella strengthens production with Screen

Adyasha Sinha — Thu, 21 May 2026 10:28:28 +0000

Grafiche Pradella has installed a second Screen Truepress Label 350UV SAI S in a hybrid configuration with Lombardi flexo equipment to maintain consistent, high-quality label production with fast turnaround times.

Founded more than 107 years ago, Grafiche Pradella is a third-generation family-run business with a strong reputation for precision and craftsmanship in label production. The company serves a wide range of sectors, including food, cosmetics, industrial, chemical, pharmaceutical and automotive, on a diverse range of materials such as coated papers, thermal papers and plastic films.

'We’re proud of our history as a third-generation printing company,' said Gabriele Pradella, CEO Grafiche Pradella. 'But we’re also focused on the future, and our clients have come to depend on us for fast, reliable service and outstanding quality. After our first Screen Truepress Label 350UV SAI S allowed us to expand into new markets with digital printing, while continuing to meet client expectations, we knew that we would need to expand our digital production workflows as our business continues to grow.'

Before adopting digital printing, Grafiche Pradella relied exclusively on flexographic presses. However, working closely with Screen Europe and its Italian distributor, REM, the company began exploring how digital technology could complement its flexo operations to cost-effectively improve operational flexibility.

After evaluating several machines, Grafiche Pradella was confident that the Truepress Label 350UV SAI S would grow with its business. The company added a second white printhead to the digital UV label press after it started receiving high demand for digitally printed labels on clear plastic films that required dense, high-opacity white base coverage. This flexibility enabled Grafiche Pradella to support smaller production runs that were previously uneconomical with flexo printing, expanding its overall client base.

Encouraged by the success of its first digital press, Grafiche Pradella decided to invest in a second Truepress Label 350UV SAI S to keep pace with rising demand. 'Customer orders for digitally printed labels continue to grow,' said Pradella. 'And the new hybrid printing line enables our team to complete more label production orders with the same number of operators without requiring any extra overtime, all while maintaining consistent print quality.'

The new press is integrated into a hybrid production line with Lombardi flexo technology, the latest in a series of successful hybrid digital-flexo printing workflows. This hybrid configuration allows Grafiche Pradella to choose the optimal printing option based on job complexity and run length or streamline the production of labels that require flexo and digital printing through a single, deeply integrated central workflow.

Grafiche Pradella’s management team already foresees further expansion, including plans to add a third Truepress Label digital inkjet press. This additional line would not only continue to expand productivity but also offer opportunities to explore new markets and labels with Screen, including low-migration labels for the food and pharmaceutical sectors, which require even greater consumer safety and regulatory compliance.

'Grafiche Pradella represents exactly the kind of forward-thinking label producer we enjoy supporting,' said Ettore Maretti, managing director at REM. Their trust in Screen's digital label technology and commitment to continuous innovation reflect exactly the kind of business driving the Italian label-converting sector. We're excited to see how far they have already come and just how far they will go.'

Pradella shared his optimistic outlook, stating: 'Digitally printed labels are the future, and Screen has been the right partner to help us reach this point. Our success so far comes from hard work, trust, and collaboration. With Screen and REM, we’ve built a powerful reputation for enhanced quality and fast turnaround times with our clients, and we’re excited to see what an increasingly digital printing future holds.'

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2 weeks 5 days ago

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Grafiche Pradella strengthens production with Screen

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The company has invested in its second Screen Truepress Label 350UV SAI S in a hybrid configuration with Lombardi flexo equipment.

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The company has invested in its second Screen Truepress Label 350UV SAI S in a hybrid configuration with Lombardi flexo equipment.

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Cwl drives digital transformation in flex pack

Adyasha Sinha — Mon, 18 May 2026 06:59:52 +0000

Flexible packaging 18 May 2026

Cwl drives digital transformation in flex pack

Chinese flexible packaging manufacturer installs second HP Indigo, driving growth in the region.

Cwl Group has taken a significant step towards advancing its digital transformation by commissioning a second HP Indigo 200K Digital Press, following the successful installation of
the HP Indigo 25K in 2022. This move underscores the company’s commitment to strengthening its position in the digital flexible packaging sector.

Headquartered in Foshan, Guangdong Province, Cwl Group operates in a highly competitive market. The region is home to
numerous flexible packaging companies, making industrial competitiveness a core focus for the company.

Focus on digital
Digital flexible packaging is a central pillar of Cwl Group’s business strategy. According to Frank Jia, deputy general manager of Cwl Group and general manager of its digital
business division, the company has seen a growing proportion of short-run orders. Traditional production methods are costly and inefficient for handling short runs, creating a bottleneck that limits growth, leading CwL Group to choose digital technology to address these challenges.

Cwl Group’s core product is coffee bags, which are exported to over 70 countries. These products demand high color precision and consistent quality, alongside increasing market demand for multi-version customized packaging. Recognizing these dual requirements, the company began exploring digital technology eight years ago, including visits to HP’s demonstration center in Guangzhou and testing equipment at other facilities equipped with HP Indigo presses. This groundwork paved the way for its first HP Indigo 25K in April 2022, which enabled the company to meet key needs such as small-order production, short delivery cycles and customization.

Technology and talent investment

To complement its hardware upgrades, Cwl Group has invested in building a professional digital printing technical team. The company offers customized flexible packaging to meet diverse customer needs, ensuring that each product accurately reflects the brand’s values and philosophy.

“The region is home to numerous flexible packaging companies, making industrial competitiveness a core focus for the company”

With the first HP Indigo device operating at full capacity, the new equipment is expected to drive three major upgrades:
improved efficiency, cost optimization and service expansion.

The HP Indigo 200K offers a 45 percent improvement in efficiency, enabling shorter delivery cycles and faster responses. Its on-demand production model reduces inventory waste, supporting ‘zeroinventory’ services. Enhanced automation and speed allow for targeted reductions
in labor, energy consumption, and consumables, lowering overall production costs. The advanced variable-printing capabilities of the new equipment enable the company to better meet customer demand for multiple SKUs. This positions Cwl Group to transition from a flexible packaging manufacturer to what the company calls a ‘full-process digital
experience service provider,’ enhancing its competitiveness in the high-value-added flexible packaging market.

Following its installation in January, the HP Indigo 200K is expected to double the company’s production capacity, handling both large-batch standard orders and small-batch custom orders. It also reduces delivery cycles by 40 percent through cloud connectivity and intelligent quality assurance, enabling ‘same-day confirmation and next-day production’.

Future market trends

Jia highlights key structural transformations shaping the digital
flexible packaging market, beginning with personalization, which is driving demand.

‘The market is shifting from scale-oriented production to personalization-driven solutions. The rise of small and medium-sized brands, coupled with diverse consumer demands, has led to increased demand for small-batch, multi‑category, and multi-iterative packaging. Traditional gravure printing methods are unable to meet these requirements, whereas digital printing aligns perfectly with this trend.’

He continues: ‘Innovations in digital technology, such as HP Indigo, are driving a shift from the traditional inventory-based
model of “produce first, sell later” to an on-demand production model. This reduces operational risks like inventory backlogs
and capital constraints while enabling brands to respond quickly to market changes, enhancing their competitiveness.’

Environmental policies are also driving this demand. ‘With stricter environmental policies and growing consumer awareness, eco-friendly packaging materials are becoming more prevalent. Digital printing is highly compatible with these materials, making it a key growth area in the flexible packaging industry.’

Cwl Group was recognized as a ‘Green Factory’ in Guangdong Province in 2025, with digital printing technology ‘playing a pivotal role in achieving this milestone’.

HP says that Chinese flexible packaging companies are leading the sector’s digital transformation. Cwl Group’s strategic initiatives align with industry trends and are expected to serve as a valuable reference for other companies embarking on their own transformation journeys.

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Canon introduces full-color label printer

Selah Zighelboim — Wed, 13 May 2026 18:19:28 +0000

Canon has introduced its LX-D400, a full-color 4-in label printer engineered for speed and reliability.

The LX-D400 printer is designed to deliver high-resolution visuals alongside workflow integration, allowing users to create labels that enable a more responsive supply chain characterized by inventory control and the flexibility to pivot at the speed of the market.

The LX-D400 printer delivers high-volume, high-speed, on-demand label output with production speeds of up to 13 in/sec. Using dye-based inks, the LX-D400 printer can produce full-color labels on a wide range of media, including paper, film, synthetic poly and pre-cut die-cut labels.

A 4.3in LCD touch panel provides operators with immediate visibility into ink levels, media status and critical settings. At its core, an image-processing driver and color correction suite allow for precise reproduction of textures and color, which can be a key factor in companies’ efforts to maximize retail impact.

The LX-D400 printer can also be paired with an optional UHF-band RFID unit for simultaneous high-speed printing and data encoding, which can help users streamline process management and elevate inventory accuracy across complex environments.

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3 weeks 6 days ago

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Canon introduces full-color label printer

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The LX-D400 is a full-color, 4in label printer engineered for speed and reliability.

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The LX-D400 is a full-color, 4in label printer engineered for speed and reliability.

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Agfa and Hybrid Software bring VDP to folding cartons

Adyasha Sinha — Tue, 12 May 2026 13:08:44 +0000

Agfa and Hybrid Software have collaborated to help folding carton converters unlock the full potential of variable data printing and accelerate their transition toward more efficient, fully digital production workflows.

As brand owners increasingly demand shorter runs, faster turnaround times and greater versioning, folding carton manufacturers are under growing pressure to evaluate traditional production models. The integration of Hybrid Software’s advanced packaging design, prepress and smart digital front-end workflow software with Agfa’s digital printing technology–notably the SpeedSet Orca single-pass digital packaging press and Asanti software–enables converters to efficiently produce folding cartons with changing graphics, text, languages or artwork from carton to carton. Together, Agfa and Hybrid Software provide an agile and scalable digital production environment while maintaining the high quality and consistency required for packaging applications.

Agfa’s SpeedSet Orca digital folding carton press brings the advantages of digital production, including rapid job changeovers and reduced waste, into high-volume folding carton environments. This machine combines digital primer, advanced water-based inks and in-line varnish, and offers broad substrate compatibility across paper and micro-flute to support multiple packaging applications with one digital production platform.

The integration of SmartDFE from Hybrid Software’s OEM business, Helix, enables complex in-line variable data printing. SmartDFE uses patented AI software to optimize system configuration in real time, resulting in faster, more efficient production–even for highly versioned jobs. The addition of color management software from Hybrid’s ColorLogic ensures consistent and accurate brand colors across versions and substrates.

'This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to helping folding carton producers navigate the shift from analog to digital production, especially as demand for versioning and customization continues to grow,' said Michael Dupré, head of software digital printing systems at Agfa.

Lawrence Geere, OEM sales director EMEA at Hybrid Software Helix, added: 'By combining the expertise of the Agfa and Hybrid Software engineering teams, we aim to help converters unlock the full potential of digital production. This collaboration provides a clear, practical path to compete in a rapidly evolving market.'

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4 weeks ago

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Agfa and Hybrid Software bring VDP to folding cartons

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The companies provide an agile and scalable digital production environment.

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The companies provide an agile and scalable digital production environment.

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