Labelexpo 2015 is defined by the emergence of a whole raft of inkjet presses lining up to challenge HP Indigo’s dominant position in digital labels.
What a difference two years and another global label exhibition makes to the digital landscape. As digital presses continue to dominate sales around the world numerous UV inkjet presses, both standalone and hybrid, have increased their share of the market from 12% two years ago to 40% in 2015. They are eating away at the still considerable lead of toner-based machines – 88% in 2014 to 60% this year. The leader in the sector, by far, is still the electro-ink powered HP Indigo presses followed a long way back by the Xeikon dry toner technology. There are other toner entrants, such as Konica Minolta, but the battle is really between HP Indigo and the rest.
There is real benefit to being first to market with developed technology, backed by a cashed-up corporate. Walking around the HP exhibition in its own mini-hall at the Brussels Expo services to reinforce the scope of its label offering. As Steve Donegal, HP product manager in Australia puts it, “the aim is to have no limits on what can be printed on a HP Indigo press.”
There are no new presses from HP this time around rather arrange of enhancements and developments that service highlight how mature the technology has become when compared to the emerging inkjets. Its WS6000 is the industry’s best selling narrow-wed press across 60 countries with over a thousand installed. This time around it has Colour Automation, an installed spectrophotometer advance it inherited from its big label and flexible carton sister, the HP 20000.
The release of new fade resistant ink and a power white emphasises where the brand is focused – not dealing with a new technology but tweaking improvements to proven one it’s got.
The same cannot be said for the emerging challengers who are using this Labelexpo to stake their claim to the digital market using UV inkjet. The list of entrants is considerable and includes all the major label press manufacturers in addition a raft of others who are showcasing standalone narrow web inkjet engines.
Led by Gallus with its DCS 340, the new entrants are promoting the benefits of higher speeds with combination modalities, such as flexo, as in more conventional hybrid presses. Mark Andy joins the fray with its Digital Series, which includes a 6-color UV ink jet printing (C, M, Y, K, O, V + White) system with top-coating and fully integrated in-line flexographic printing modules.
Nilpeter launched its Panorama digital hybrid, that features a 5-colour DP-3 UV-Inkjet unit. Italian manufacturer Omet turned to Kyocera Piezo inkjet heads assembled by Domino for its XFlex X6 D, again combining flexo and inkjet. The FFEi Graphium may not be new but an updated model of this powerful inkjet /flexo hybrid deserves a mention along with Domino’s hybrid version of its popular N610i.
In addition there were numerous standalone digital inkjet presses led by Epson’s new solvent-based SurePress L-6034VW, EFI’s new EFI Jetrion 4950LX, Screen’s Truepress Jet L350UV and Durst’s Tau 330.
There is something here for everyone, along with many presses from less well-known brands in Australia NZ such as Nipson, SPGprints and Dantex. The question facing label converters contemplating digital is where is the market and what is the sweet spot price for a press?
There are undoubtedly massive productivity gains to be reaped from having a Gallus fully integrated inline system, but it’s not cheap. On the other hand a standalone digital needs an offline converting system. Cheaper but much less productive. Horses for courses again.
I’ve been talking with some Australian converters her in Brussels who are looking hard at this year’s explosion of digital presses. I'll be writing it up in the next issue of Print21 magazine. Don't miss it.