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LABELEXPO 2022 - A new printing era dawns

Labels LABELEXPO 2022 A new printing era dawns

20/09/2022

by Filip Weymans

LABELEXPO 2022 was an enigmatic blend of label all-stars, package printing MVPS and vibrant entrepreneurs. With all these powerhouses coming together under one roof, it was definitely an event to talk about. We could sample the latest trends and get glimpses at upcoming innovations. Amongst many eye-opening observations, here are some that particularly piqued interest.

Is the flexo press dead?

The absence of flexo presses at LABELEXPO 2022 was striking. Rumor has it, flexo press distributors were plagued by supply shortages. But if they faced shortages, digital press providers would have too. It just doesn’t add up.

So why did flexo presses leave the stage? Perhaps because, eventually, digital solutions will take over the label printing reign. 

No need to throw your flexo presses out of the window (yet). Simply put, digital and flexo shouldn’t be thought of as competitive technologies. On the contrary, digital presses offer excellent opportunities for flexo printers to complement, optimize and eventually grow their label printing business.

Is EP catching up with Inkjet… and why should you bother?

For years Inkjet was seen as the child prodigy in the label industry. Experts predicted that it would occupy a large share on the market. 

As the wheels of time turn with exciting developments at every stage, inkjet technology failed to keep innovating. Simultaneously, toner tech thrived. The power dynamic shifted. LABELEXPO 2022 made that abundantly clear. 

Bad news? Not entirely. The clever balance between EP and Inkjet levels up our business and makes it stand out from other types of packaging systems. Whether it’s inkjet or toner, each technology has its unique strength. Chosen wisely, they give your end-use applications a competitive edge. 

The rising stars of Xeikon label tech

The unveiling of Xeikon’s latest innovations at LABELEXPO 2022 needs an obvious special mention. In case you may have missed it, here’s a quick refresher:

  1. The demand for durable food-safe labels is high. To meet the market’s needs, Xeikon presented its new TITON toner. This technical masterpiece provides additional protective layers for heat, sunlight, water, scratch and scruff resistance. It’s the most food-safe technology in the digital landscape today.

  2. Xeikon’s second golden egg cracked the code to integrate metallic toners into the regular printing process without label converters. As a result, our new high-quality silver and gold toners not only polish your presses productivity, they also dramatically reduce costs.

  3. Nowadays, tactile effects on labels are a must for beer, beverage, food, and Health & Beauty markets. That’s where our new haptic printing process comes in. It helps you make significant time savings by avoiding any modifications to the prepress files. 

  4. Last but not least, can you imagine a label press enabling label converters to step up their productivity whilst remaining fully flexible for all their customers' needs? Everything is possible with our newest showpiece offering a fully hybrid digital solution that helps you develop a more profitable and sustainable future-proof business.

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The future of label printing is digital

As indeed, if there is one question you should ask yourself after visiting LABELEXPO 2022, it is this: Is my business ready for the future? 

Digitalization is omnipresent. It will define the label market for many years to come. Digital presses offer more operational flexibility, increase productivity and shorten time to market.

Digital printing is also data driven. Production facts & figures can easily be collected and interpreted to determine your next end-game. LABELEXPO 2022 demonstrated that cloud systems took the lead when it comes to data storage. They have become so common, reliable and secure that they are the way forward.

Embracing digitalization and cloud connectivity will make your business more profitable and agile in the future. You can’t argue with that. But what about the impact of label printing on people and the planet? Did the sustainability discourse live up to expectations at LABELEXPO 2022? Not in my opinion. Empty talks and even green washing were brought to the stage. But if we really want to honour our commitments, we must not be afraid to take greater action. 

At Xeikon, we take our responsibility to sustainability seriously. Our dry toner technology excels due to its low use of energy and water, and in fact there are no harmful chemicals, VOCs or Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) present at all. 

LABELEXPO 2022 marked the dawn of a new era. This is an era of digital printing, boundless innovation and a mindset more and more inclined towards the sustainable solution.

Ready to embark on this new journey with us? Talk to our experts today, and let’s welcome the future… together.

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