How Digital Are YOU? Converters plan for greater digital adoption

By Bob Leahey

A Fragmented Market

HP Indigo and Epson are the most widely used brands, in use by 41 and 23 percent of respondents respectively (Figure 4). HP Indigo’s share is primarily attributable to its WS4000 and WS6000 Series narrow-web digital presses for labels, some of which are also used to print packaging.

Beyond these two, the overall market is fragmented across some 15 brands and equipment segments. The most important is Xeikon (11 percent), HP Indigo’s main rival in color electrophotographic presses and an established supplier to label converters. Xeikon is also driver of digital color for packaging, offering a suite of folding carton for use with its 3000 Series presses.

Other brand-name players include Xerox (15 percent), and EFI Jetrion (15 percent) which is the top supplier of inkjet label presses. Howecver, the small market shares of other remaining players understate their roles and commitment to providing digital print options to converters, such as small systems and tabletop label presses that account for thousands of presses worldwide.

Digital printing is gaining attention in the package printing world. Digital presses are running packaging applications at tradeshows and success stories are being told about converters "going digital" for label and packaging applications. So just how widespread is digital printing in our industry, and what might the future hold? To find out, packagePRINTING magazine and InfoTrends recently conducted a survey of North American label and packaging converters. Over 100 converters offered up some interesting responses. Take a look.

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