Digital Press Installations on the Rise
Run lengths are decreasing by an average of 7 to 9 percent
each year, and as digital technology quickly evolves, digitally printed jobs
are becoming more economically viable. Digital inkjet color presses capable of
producing high densities, finer dots and faster speeds are propelling the
digital printing growth.
North American Press Installations In 2013 & 2018
Conventional vs. Digital
The North American tag and label industry is considered one
of the most innovative of the print segments. Digital technology has
transformed the way labels are designed, specified, sourced and
delivered. In 2013 an estimated 9 to 10 percent of its work was produced
on digital printing presses.
Digital production volumes are projected to grow at 17 to 18
percent CAGR over the next five years. As a result, the percent of digital
press installations will exceed those of conventional presses by 2018.
Source: PRIMIR 2014 study “Tag and Label
Printing Trends” by LPC and AWA.
Why do Labels Matter?
- A Pressure Sensitive Focus
The part of the label market directly addressed by digital
production presses is the pressure-sensitive sector, which accounts for about
33 percent of all labels. It also represents the fastest-growing and highest
value sector of the overall market with retail prices for finished labels
totaling $50 billion in worldwide annual sales.
- Digital Labels are Strategic to Analog Converters
Digital presses have been successful at integrating
themselves into the physical workflow of PS label manufacturing and have
reduced process costs for short run levels. This has increased the value of
labels that are customized or that can be made available on very short notice.
Users of analog pressure-sensitive labels have accepted and
adopted digital presses running alongside flexo UV technology. Although the
surface area printed by digital presses represents less than 1.5 percent of
analog printed PS labels, the value of those digital labels, as a share of
analog value is closer to 3 percent.
- HP’s Activities Help All Players
Demand for digital labels has been stimulated by HP’s
integrated marketing from the back of the value chain (manufacturing) to the
front (brand owners) through the education and nurturing of all the players.
This is an activity that lifts all boats on the tide and was among the most
interesting and important activities in the market during 2013 and into 2014.
It is a signpost for the future of other markets for digital packaging.
- Electrophotographic (EP) Leads UV Inkjet
EP technology continues to dominate the digital label press
market with HP Indigo the leader with ElectroInk technology. The rest of the
market is mostly taken by UV inkjet presses from more than 10 suppliers with
EFI-Jetrion as the leading supplier to date.
Source: IT Strategies
Value of Print for Folding Cartons
Forecasted Compound Annual Growth rate, 2013-2018: 58.3%
This InfoTrends chart shows global gross billings for
folding carton printing from companies that use color digital presses such as
HP Indigo, Xeikon, Xerox, Screen, etc. for folding carton printing.
This type of printing has been a side application for narrow
web label presses for several years, and Xerox has been placing its sheet-fed,
narrow format iGen press in this segment since 2010. This mix of web and small,
sheet-fed type printing of folding cartons will continue, although it will be
dwarfed over the next few years as B2-size sheet-fed presses for folding
cartons (such as the HP Indigo 30000) reach the market.
Source: InfoTrends
Original Source: http://www.packageprinting.com/article/data-points-fast-facts-digital-label-packaging-market/all/
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