Labelling Solutions
The role of digitalisation and automation in transforming
label production Steve Lakin, sales manager, BU printing & converting at BOBST UK & Ireland, says that in an ever-more competitive market, today’s label converters encounter a number of complex challenges that directly impact their profitability
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espite downward price pressures, critical workforce shortages, and the constant demand to rapidly adapt to emerging market trends while maintaining exceptional label quality, growth opportunities remain clear for those willing to embrace the advantages of digitalisation, automation and connectivity.
Following the label market’s contraction in 2023, volumes have normalised in 2024, according to Smithers’ The Future of Printed Labels to 2029 report.
More encouragingly, the forecast indicates a robust and steady compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.6% in value. However, with intensifying competition, a growing skills gap and escalating costs, converters require solutions that streamline label production to capitalise on this growth potential while protecting their increasingly narrow profi t margins.
ADDRESSING THE SKILLS CHALLENGE The label converting industry operates in a fast- paced market requiring signifi cant agility to meet brand owners’ demands for quick turnaround, shorter production runs, and superior quality. However, the sector also faces a shortage of
qualifi ed operators and a knowledge transfer gap resulting from fewer young professionals entering the fi eld. Without experienced personnel to operate presses and fi nishing equipment, the industry must increasingly turn to technological solutions to maintain standards. One signifi cant challenge amplifi ed by this skills gap is ensuring color consistency – not just over time but across diff erent printing technologies and applications. Meanwhile, the growing emphasis on sustainability, including waste minimisation and adoption of sustainability-focused materials, adds considerable complexity to an already-challenging situation. We’re witnessing the industry tackle these issues from both product and process perspectives. This
30 June 2025
can be seen very clearly in digital printing, with movement toward automated inline processes. End-to-end or ‘All-in-One’ workfl ows are gaining signifi cant traction.
Already utilised by most medium to large converters, these advanced integrated solutions can produce ready-to-ship labels in a single pass with just one person managing the entire production line, signifi cantly reducing workforce pressures and freeing up team members for other value-adding tasks.
FLEXO’S DIGITAL EVOLUTION Narrow web fl exo technology is also undergoing further optimisation through higher levels of automation and digitalisation to enhance effi ciency and reduce waste, regardless of the operator’s expertise or qualifi cations. It’s worth noting that fl exo remains the dominant technology for label production for the time being, representing nearly 40% of market volume in 2023 according to Smithers. Operating traditional fl exo presses requires considerable expertise, so with experienced operators rapidly declining, companies must transition to more automated solutions to ensure consistent output quality. BOBST is well- established for its highly automated inline fl exo presses featuring innovative technologies such as DigiFlexo and DigiGap, ensuring automatic register and pressure adjustment, automatic job change, and high-performance semi-rotary die-cutting with automatic die-plate change, among other advancements.
ENHANCING SUSTAINABILITY WITH ONEECG We’re now also seeing rising interest in oneECG, BOBST’s proprietary solution for extended color gamut printing. Through the digitalisation of color information following a process very similar to digital printing, which inherently uses ECG, converters can ensure the highest color
repeatability between jobs and across fl exo and digital technologies, with greater speed and effi ciency. oneECG for inline fl exo not only boosts productivity by up to 67%, but also positively impacts sustainability through cutting setup waste by up to 65%, all while reducing energy consumption and ink waste.
Converters are turning to oneECG not only to reduce environmental footprint, but also to optimise operations. Combined with automatic job change, fl exo machines like the BOBST MASTER M6 show incredible value and agility. Implementing oneECG in narrow-mid web fl exo is particularly eff ective for applications such as shrink sleeves and other fl exible packaging – areas where job lengths are decreasing, but not to the point where digital technology becomes more cost-eff ective.
MASTERING DIGITAL INLINE OPERATIONS The shift toward All-in-One operation, where labels are produced on a single machine incorporating digital and fl exo printing, embellishment, die- cutting and quality control, is accelerating. This transition is driven by the need to deliver exceptional quality rapidly with minimal waste at competitive costs. Confi gurable with any number of value-adding modules, the DIGITAL MASTER modular platform from BOBST provides converters with the capability to produce a much wider variety of superior quality products. Complex applications, including multilayer or highly embellished labels, can be produced very eff ectively on these presses. By eliminating idle time between processes and reducing planning complexity, DIGITAL MASTER ensures faster turnaround, thereby accelerating time-to-market. Combining multiple processes in one machine also reduces the need for additional equipment, such as offl ine embellishment machines, and operators, which lowers overall production costs, simplifi es workfl ow, and optimises factory fl oor space.
www.convertermag.com
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