Market trends

Eco3 partners with Nela

Akanksha Meena — Thu, 05 Nov 2026 11:52:23 +0000

Eco3 has formed a strategic partnership with Nela, a provider of automated plate handling and pre-press logistics technology. The collaboration extends Eco3's upcoming APOGEE IQ platform into physical plate automation, further connecting pre-press workflows with pressroom operations.

Announced in September 2026, APOGEE IQ is Eco3's next-generation platform for connected print production, integrating business systems, production equipment, and operational data into one environment.

The partnership with Nela extends these capabilities into automated plate handling and pre-press logistics. By connecting production planning with plate validation, tracking, and delivery, the integration will help printers reduce manual intervention, minimize errors, and gain greater visibility across the entire plate lifecycle.

‘The print industry continues to move toward connected, data-driven production,’ said Tobias Lerch, director hard- and software R&D, at Nela. ‘Our partnership with Eco3 combines Nela's leadership in plate automation with the workflow intelligence of APOGEE IQ, creating new opportunities for printers to optimize operations, reduce waste, and improve pressroom performance.’

Powered by Adobe Print Services and supported by color management tools of Bodoni, APOGEE IQ continues to expand through strategic industry partnerships. Following the recently announced collaboration with PlanProphet, Nela brings additional expertise in physical production automation to the platform.

‘Printers are increasingly looking for solutions that connect every stage of production and eliminate manual touchpoints,’ said Arnaud Becuwe, global head of software at Eco3. ‘With APOGEE IQ, we're building an open automation platform that brings together best-in-class technologies from partners such as Adobe, Bodoni, PlanProphet, and now Nela. Together, we're helping printers create smarter, more efficient production environments.’

The Nela integration into APOGEE IQ is planned for Q2 2027.

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Eco3 partners with Nela

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The partnership with Nela extends these capabilities into automated plate handling and pre-press logistics.

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The partnership with Nela extends these capabilities into automated plate handling and pre-press logistics.

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Foxpak Flexibles back in independent Irish ownership

Akanksha Meena — Thu, 05 Nov 2026 11:42:06 +0000

Irish entrepreneur Mick Heavey has completed the purchase of Foxpak Flexibles, the Louth, Ireland-based flexible packaging manufacturer for food and nutrition brands, from US-headquartered Sealed Air on October 1, 2026. The business is back in independent Irish ownership, with all 19 jobs at its Collon plant secured.

Earlier this year, Foxpak's future was uncertain, as its previous owner had decided to close the Collon site. General manager Colin Byrne refused to let it go and contacted Heavey, who was walking around the plant within two hours of receiving his email. About 90 days later, the deal was done, and Foxpak Flexibles were back in business.

Founded in 2001, Foxpak takes people's ideas from concept to shelf, making pouches and roll stock for brands of every size, from start-ups working out of a home kitchen to major food companies. In 2008, it became the first company in the world to print flexible food packaging using HP digital print technology. Today it serves food, sports nutrition, superfood, supplement and vitamin brands across Ireland, the UK and Europe from its BRC food-grade site, with low minimum orders, fast turnaround and recyclable options.

Mick Heavey said: ‘Foxpak is a business that refuses to be closed. When the closure was announced, its customers asked where they would go next for Foxpak’s expert knowledge and customer service, and that told me everything I needed to know. I believe in personal service, and in businesses run by the people who know their customers. Colin and his team are exactly that.’

Colin Byrne, general manager of Foxpak Flexibles, said: ‘I knew this business and this team had more to give, and Mick saw it straight away. We're back: independent, Irish-owned, and free to do whatever it takes for our customers. Thank you to everyone who stood by us.’

Foxpak is the latest of Mick Heavey's independent Irish businesses. Each is run by its own team, and in a spirit of cooperation they call on trusted colleagues, in Heavey's other businesses and beyond, whenever it helps a customer. For food brands that need more than a pouch, Foxpak can call on trusted colleagues for labels, cartons and in-store display.

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Foxpak Flexibles back in independent Irish ownership

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Earlier this year, Foxpak's future was uncertain, as its previous owner had decided to close the Collon site.

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Earlier this year, Foxpak's future was uncertain, as its previous owner had decided to close the Collon site.

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Ameripen study sizes US packaging market

Piotr Wnuk — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:50:42 +0000

Ameripen has released a study estimating that the US packaging industry, its suppliers and related industries support about 1.82 million jobs and generate 694.79 billion USD in economic output.

The 2026 Packaging Industry Economic Impacts Study, conducted by John Dunham & Associates, estimates that output equals 2.14 percent of US gross domestic product. Workers in the industry receive about 160.39 billion USD in wages and benefits, and packaging manufacturers and their employees contribute an estimated 63.35 billion USD in taxes, made up of about 40.13 billion USD in federal taxes and 23.22 billion USD in state and local taxes.

The study covers packaging made from glass, metals, fiber and plastics, including containers, boxes, cans, bottles, bags, protective packaging, labels, envelopes, packing materials, pallets and drums. It finds that through production and distribution linkages the industry affects businesses in more than 500 sectors of the economy, including manufacturing, transportation, warehousing, logistics, agriculture, construction, business services, retail and finance. It gives national and state-level figures, with further data by packaging material, supplier type and economic sector.

The researchers used the IMPLAN economic model to estimate the direct, supplier and induced impacts. They built direct employment estimates from Data Axle employment data, product-level sales information from the US Economic Census and industry classifications.

‘Packaging protects products, helps preserve their quality, conveys important information and connects goods to the people who rely on them,’ said Lynn Dyer, president of Ameripen. ‘This study puts the scale of the industry behind those everyday functions into focus. It highlights the breadth of the businesses, workers and communities connected to packaging.’

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Ameripen study sizes US packaging market

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Report puts US packaging output at 694.79 billion USD.

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Report puts US packaging output at 694.79 billion USD.

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UPM to open first label material factory in India

Akanksha Meena — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 09:22:31 +0000

UPM Adhesive Materials has confirmed plans to open its first factory in India in early 2028. Located in the state of Gujarat, the factory will feature an acrylic-based coating line for self-adhesive label materials.

The investment continues UPM’s expansion in India, following the company’s March 2026 announcement of a new label material slitting and distribution terminal near New Delhi.

India’s economy is growing rapidly, driven by urbanization, digitalization, infrastructure investments and rising household consumption. As the market develops, label converters need more responsive service, shorter lead times and products tailored to local requirements.

The new coating line extends UPM’s presence in India from distribution into local production. Combined with terminals near Mumbai and New Delhi, it strengthens UPM’s ability to serve customers across the country with more reliability and speed. India also offers a cost-competitive raw material supplier pool and a skilled workforce, supporting UPM’s growth ambitions in the region.

‘This investment reflects our long-term commitment to India and the confidence we have in its growth potential. A local coating line allows us to respond faster to our customers’ needs, while giving us access to India’s strong raw material base and talent pool,’ said Harri Janhunen, Vice President, Strategy and India & Middle East, UPM Adhesive Materials.

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UPM to open first label material factory in India

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The new coating line extends UPM’s presence in India from distribution into local production.

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The new coating line extends UPM’s presence in India from distribution into local production.

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UV Ray appoints Flexibles as Western Balkans distributor

Will Drysdale — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 13:10:13 +0000

UV Ray has appointed Flexibles d.o.o. as its distributor across the Western Balkans, including Serbia, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Flexibles has more than 20 years of experience in the Balkan market, providing consultancy and equipment for flexible packaging and label production, printing and finishing. Its portfolio includes Soma, Edale, PrintsPaul, Twen, Lundberg Tech and Müller Martini.

Stefano Maiano, production director and co-owner of UV Ray, said: ‘With its extensive experience in the region, the Flexibles d.o.o. team, led by Milan Živić, is well-positioned to bring UV Ray’s UV and LED UV curing solutions to more printers across the market. We look forward to building a strong partnership and helping printers realize the benefits of UV LED technology.’

In a recent retrofit project, Flexibles supplied six UV Ray MaxLEDPure 616mm water-cooled LED UV systems with chilled plates for an Edale FL5 flexo press.

Milan Živić, owner of Flexibles, said: ‘UV Ray’s quality and reliability have been key factors in our partnership. Their UV and LED UV curing systems perform very well, and we’ve been equally impressed by Alberto and Stefano Maiano's accessibility and responsiveness.

'Communication is always constructive, and we value their technical knowledge, professionalism, and commitment to supporting customers.’

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UV Ray appoints Flexibles as Western Balkans distributor

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The partnership covers markets including Serbia, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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The partnership covers markets including Serbia, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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Maxcess deepens commitment to Indian market

Akanksha Meena — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 07:44:58 +0000

Dies & tooling 22 October 2026

Maxcess deepens commitment to Indian market

Maxcess is accelerating its localization strategy with expanded domestic assembly, tooling repairs and next-generation smart technologies.

Maxcess, among the global leaders in web-handling technology with brands including FIFE, Tidland, RotoMetrics, MAGPOWR, Componex, Webex, Valley Roller, and International Cutting Die (ICD), is deeply committed to serving the India market as a core part of its global business network.

Three years after opening its assembly and repair facility in India, Maxcess is deepening its localization strategy with an expanded portfolio of locally delivered services, faster tooling turnaround and new automation technologies designed around the evolving needs of Indian converters.

According to Niraj Muni, general manager - India, Maxcess: ‘Our local assembly and repair capability has significantly improved our responsiveness. Customers no longer need to depend entirely on international shipments for selected products, repairs and support.

‘We are also continuously expanding what we can offer locally, including solid die resharpening services from our Mumbai repair center. These capabilities allow us to respond faster and provide more comprehensive technical support to customers across the region.’

A notable addition is the solid die resharpening service at the Maxcess Mumbai repair center, which allows customers to access a specialized tooling service locally rather than sending dies overseas. Maxcess has also introduced new arrangements for flex dies that can reduce turnaround times to as little as three days.

‘For converters, this can make a meaningful difference in keeping production running and avoiding extended downtime,’ notes Muni.

Vocal for local

For Maxcess, its ‘Vocal for Local’ initiative extends beyond simply assembling products domestically. The company sees localization as a broader commitment to developing engineering, manufacturing, repair and service capabilities in India.

Local assembly is already underway for Fife web guiding systems and central position control systems, alongside the company’s expanding repair operations. The addition of solid die resharpening further extends the range of specialized services available closer to customers.

‘Going forward, we will evaluate additional products and services where local capability can improve delivery, customization and customer support while maintaining Maxcess global quality standards,’ says Muni.

This approach reflects the changing profile of the Indian converting and labeling industry.

‘Indian converters are increasingly demanding the same levels of automation, precision and productivity available in mature global markets. Maxcess is well positioned with technologies across web guiding, tension control, slitting, winding, rotary die cutting and converting. Alongside technology, we are strengthening our local capabilities and response times, including faster tooling services and local repair, so customers get both global-standard technology and locally responsive support,’ explains Muni.

The full Maxcess product portfolio spans all core segments of the converting industry, including web guiding, tension control, slitting, winding, rotary die cutting and other converting technologies. The company’s strategy is to combine this global technology base with increasingly localized service and repair capabilities.

For converters, the value extends beyond the initial equipment purchase. Faster tooling services, local repair and shorter response times can have a direct impact on production continuity.

The company’s approach is particularly relevant in an industry where unexpected tooling or equipment issues can quickly translate into lost production time. Local repair capability can shorten the gap between identifying a problem and getting production assets back into operation.

Local support with global standards

Balancing global innovation with local market requirements is another key component of the Maxcess corporate strategy.

‘We follow a two-step localization framework to strike this balance: first, we retain the core global Maxcess innovation IP for reliability and precision, then we adapt hardware dimensions, product durability, and software interfaces to match the Indian market’s unique scale and cost sensitivities,’ says Muni. ‘ We also set up a local repair center and plan to have more product manufacturing in India to cut customization lead times and avoid unnecessary premium costs on non-essential features.’

The core value-added proposition that ‌Maxcess delivers‌ for both narrow and wide web converters is its full-lifecycle, locally rooted service ecosystem, fully demonstrated by RotoMetrics flexible dies.

RotoMetrics flexible dies

‘We operate six global manufacturing sites with wider same-day shipping capacity than competitors, plus a dedicated Converting Technology Center for R&D Innovation, local time-zone customer reps, on-site expert sales teams, and responsive local tech support to minimize downtime. Backed by the industry’s most robust historical database for dies, mags, retools and repairs, we deliver top-tier performance and end-to-end product/repair coverage, while cutting extra logistics and service costs to keep offerings cost-competitive,’ he adds.

This model allows Maxcess to maintain a common technology foundation while adapting the implementation to different customer requirements.

Muni also highlights the historical database ‌maintained by Maxcess‌, which covers dies, magnetic cylinders, retools and repairs as an important resource for supporting customers throughout the product lifecycle.

The objective is to combine performance with service responsiveness while controlling the additional logistics and service costs that can make sophisticated converting technology less accessible.

Reducing waste and downtime

Material waste, quality defects and downtime remain major cost drivers for converters. Maxcess technologies are designed to address each of these areas.

Accurate web guiding, tension control and precision slitting help converters improve process stability and reduce material losses. At the same time, initiatives such as faster flexible die delivery and local solid die resharpening help customers reduce waiting time and keep valuable production assets running.

Over the next one to two years, Maxcess plans to introduce several technologies aimed at addressing the needs of different segments of the Indian converting industry. The company highlighted next-generation smart tension-control systems, compact modular slitting technology for mid-sized Indian converters, and advanced web-guiding tools with real-time defect detection.

‘These innovations are designed to bridge performance gaps for both small-scale workshops and large converting facilities across India,’ highlights Muni.

This also reflects a wider shift in the industry toward intelligent automation, where equipment can respond to changing web conditions rather than relying entirely on manual intervention. Converters are also facing ongoing challenges in finding and retaining highly skilled operators automation is becoming increasingly important.

The newer product lines launched by Maxcess integrate automated calibration, real-time adjustment and saved production parameters. These features can allow equipment to optimize settings such as tension, alignment and slitting speed according to operating conditions, reducing the number of manual adjustments required for standard jobs.

The FIFE-500 MAX guiding system illustrates this approach.

FIFE-500 MAX guiding system

The upgraded FIFE-500 MAX guiding system eliminates process guesswork and cuts manual interventions for converters. Built on the established FIFE-500 platform, it features an 8-pole brushless motor for ultra-smooth guiding and high accuracy, auto-adapting to web changes at high speeds to reduce scrap from human error. Its 5-inch multi-language touchscreen cuts setup time, while seamless PLC connectivity enables auto-operation. Optional splice table and fine-tune brackets further automate changeover steps, delivering consistent, low-intervention production.

The system supports Ethernet/IP and CC-Link communications, with optional PROFINET and EtherCAT connectivity. This enables it to communicate with existing PLC infrastructure and participate in synchronized automatic operation across the converting line, rather than requiring operators to manually coordinate settings between separate devices.

Optional features, including a splice table and fine-tune brackets, can further reduce manual steps during setup and changeovers.

‘All these features work together to minimize manual touchpoints throughout the production workflow, helping converters achieve more consistent, hands-off automated operations without unnecessary complexity,’ Muni adds.

Automation also has implications for workforce development.

When equipment relies heavily on experienced operators to set parameters manually, bringing new employees up to speed can take considerable time. Intuitive interfaces, automated setup procedures and stored job recipes can reduce that learning curve.

RotoMetrics AccuAdjust Dual Adjustable Anvil

The RotoMetrics AccuAdjust Dual Adjustable Anvil, for example, solves liner variability issues with ease. Cut PET, Glassine, Kraft and more with a turn of a high-quality, precision digital dial, adjusting die strike across the web to cut perfect labels and reduce waste no matter the liner material. In addition, each AccuAdjust unit comes automation-ready for the upcoming RotoAdjust Operator Interface upgrade, enabling even greater control in the future.

For converters dealing with skills shortages, these capabilities can help make repeat production more consistent while reducing dependence on individual operator experience.

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Zecher expands sales network in Scandinavia

Akanksha Meena — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 06:22:19 +0000

Kurt Zecher continues to expand its international sales presence and has appointed a new partner, CoPriTech, for the Scandinavian markets.

Going forward, the company, led by Ronni Nielsen, will be responsible for serving customers and prospects in Denmark, Sweden and Norway. With this new partnership, the anilox roller manufacturer is strengthening its regional presence and laying the groundwork for even closer support of the printing and packaging industries in Northern Europe.

As an international manufacturer of high-quality anilox rolls and sleeves, Zecher has been committed to the printing industry for over 75 years. A key component of its international sales strategy is collaboration with knowledgeable local partners who understand the needs of their respective markets and provide on-site support to customers.

With CoPriTech, Zecher has gained a partner that will serve as the regional point of contact for the three Scandinavian countries. The goal of the collaboration is to further develop existing customer relationships, tap into new market potential, and provide companies in the printing and packaging industries with direct access to Zecher’s product and service portfolio.

Thomas Reinking, sales director at Kurt Zecher, explained: ‘Scandinavia is an interesting market for us, with high standards for quality, efficiency, and process reliability. With CoPriTech, we have a partner at our side with whom we intend to expand our presence in the region in a targeted manner. We look forward to working with Ronni Nielsen and to jointly bringing new momentum to these markets.'

CoPriTech is also looking forward to the collaboration. Ronni Nielsen, CEO and owner of CoPriTech, emphasized: ‘Zecher stands for quality, technical expertise, and many years of experience in anilox roller technology. We are very much looking forward to representing these solutions in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway in the future and, together with Zecher, offering our customers real added value. Our goal is to build long-term customer relationships and support companies in optimizing their printing processes.’

With this new partnership, Zecher underscores its commitment to offering customers worldwide not only high-quality products, but also professional, application-oriented advice and direct lines of communication. The collaboration with CoPriTech is another step toward continuously strengthening its international partner network and expanding its presence in regional markets.

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Anilox roller manufacturer strengthens its regional presence with new partner, CoPriTech.

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Anilox roller manufacturer strengthens its regional presence with new partner, CoPriTech.

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Lappí grows beyond labels

Akanksha Meena — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 07:57:00 +0000

Flexible packaging 14 October 2026

Lappí grows beyond labels

Spanish converter Lappí Labels and Flexible Packaging has an ambitious growth strategy focused on targeted acquisitions and buoyed by artificial intelligence.

Flexible packaging was never part of the original plan for Spanish converting group, Lappí Labels and Flexible Packaging. But opportunity has an interesting way of presenting itself.

As customer needs evolved, Lappí began to view flexible packaging not as an additional product line, but as a strategic response to market shifts. Today, the group is pursuing targeted acquisitions in flexible packaging that add specialist capabilities, capacity and market access.

Lappí’s most recent acquisition in July 2026 of Alempack in Portugal further expanded its footprint in the Iberian Peninsula and strengthened the company’s offerings for flexible packaging in the fast-moving commercial goods market.

The Alempack acquisition was the third of its kind for Lappí. It followed acquisitions of Gráfica Calipolense in 2019 and the Portuguese companies CPM-Penta in 2023, acquisitions that allowed Lappí to double its size and strengthen its presence in the region.

‘With the incorporation of Alempack, we give continuity to a way of growing that we are very clear about in Lappí Labels and Flexible Packaging: integrate solid companies with complementary capabilities and teams that reinforce our industrial project,’ says CEO Antonio Lappí Perea. ‘This is the third acquisition we have made in just over two years. Each of the companies that have joined has contributed to expanding our capabilities, our knowledge of the market and our industrial presence.’

Each of the companies that have joined has contributed to expanding our capabilities, our knowledge of the market and our industrial presence

For a company like Lappí Labels and Flexible Packaging, acquiring an established flexible packaging company often makes far more business sense than building a greenfield operation.

With these acquisitions, Lappí gains immediate access to specialist capacity, experienced teams and established customer relationships that would take years to build organically. It also created opportunities to serve customers across both labels and flexible packaging.

Lappí is now made up of six companies, seven manufacturing facilities and more than 390 employees across Spain and Portugal.

Alempack, which employs more than 40 people, will enable the group to double its flexible packaging business. Lappí is expected to reach estimated organic sales of 74M USD (65M EUR) in 2026, and is planning two more acquisitions this year.

History

The move into flexible packaging may seem like a significant shift for a company that’s regarded as one of Spain’s established label converting groups, but Lappí has always embraced opportunities rather than standing still.

And, really, if we look back at the company history, Lappí didn’t set out to be a label supplier either. But through a series of strategic shifts, acquisitions and investments, it has set the course for Lappí Labels and Flexible Packaging into one of the leading label and now flexible packaging groups in the Iberian Peninsula.

The company’s origins date back to 1959 when it began as Lappí Industrias Graficas, a commercial printer. In the 1970s, Lappí Perea’s father recognized the potential in the label space and secured the wet glue label business of an important bottled water brand in Spain. The customer helped propel Lappí firmly into the label space.

In 1990, the company expanded again by adding self-adhesive labels, which eventually became a major part of its business. Under the leadership of Lappí Perea, who joined the company in 1997, Lappí (then called Grupo Lappí) ramped up investment in shrink sleeve and wraparound label technology. Lappí Perea led the company through a series of acquisitions in the mid-2000s.

Juan Lappí Moreno

Investment from private equity group Diana Capital in 2017 supported the new stage of growth, while the Lappí family continued to lead the day-to-day operations.

Headquartered in Seville, Lappí Labels and Flexible Packaging has seven production locations in Barcelona, Madrid and across Portugal, with approximately 60,000sqm of manufacturing space.

Lappí Perea is joined by his children, Carmen Lappí Moreno and Juan Lappí Moreno, who represent the third generation of the family business; a legacy that is not lost on either of them. Both of them have had successful careers outside of the industry before joining Lappí.

Juan Lappí Moreno says: ‘I always say that my grandpa was the entrepreneur. He started with the crazy idea. My father took us to another level, and we, as the third generation, have to maintain this legacy.

Your surname doesn’t guarantee you a seat as an executive of the company; you have to try your best, and you have to work as much as you can to preserve that legacy.’

Technology, end uses Lappí’s product portfolio represents a wide range of labels and packaging for consumer package goods and industrial end-use segments, including pressure-sensitive, wet-glue and wraparound labels, shrink sleeves and flexible packaging. Carmen

Start where it really hurts, do it properly, and then scale, learn, measure, govern and test

Lappí Moreno describes the company as ‘label generalists,’ but is more targeted when it comes to flexible packaging.

‘In labels, you can go to a very broad market, and we have,’ she says. ‘We do beer labels, pet food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage. But in flexible packaging, it’s better to focus on segments and applications.’

Lappí’s manufacturing platform has evolved alongside the group’s growth and today combines a broad range of printing, converting and finishing technologies.

Its capabilities include gravure printing, full HD and CI flexography, sheet-fed and rotary offset and digital printing for both labels and flexible packaging, supported by different web widths, and UV, conventional and solvent-based drying systems. These are complemented by advanced converting, automation and value-added finishing technology.

Antonio Lappí Perea and Carmen Lappí Moreno

The group’s technology base includes equipment from HP, Heidelberg, Nilpeter, MPS, Miyakoshi, Omet and Windmöller & Hölscher. This combination of production processes enables Lappí to manufacture a comprehensive portfolio, including pressure-sensitive, wet-glue and wraparound labels, shrink sleeves and flexible packaging. Its flexible packaging portfolio includes complex printed reel films, flowpack applications, lidding films, stand-up pouches, vacuum pouches, shrink pouches and other packaging structures.

The availability of multiple technologies and production routes allows Lappí’s technical teams to assess each project based on material selection, print quality, functional requirements, run length and converting needs before assigning it to the most appropriate process and manufacturing site.

This industrial base is supported by Lappí’s sustained investment policy.

The company allocates approximately five to six percent of annual revenue to capital expenditure.

Artificial intelligence

As a company that has long prided itself on innovation and adaptation, it’s no surprise that Lappí is further along than most when it comes to one of today’s defining technologies: artificial intelligence.

Lappí’s open-arm embrace of AI means the company is embedding it into its culture and building the digital foundations needed to scale, while at the same time preserving its customer and employee centric focus.

Lappí has appointed Carmen Lappí Moreno to lead AI adoption across the company. She encourages AI experimentation, and is using it to improve processes and reduce manual work. (See boxout)

‘We have always understood that growth is not only about expanding capacity, technology or markets, but about building a company prepared for the future while remaining faithful to the values and industrial discipline that have brought us to where we are today,’ Lappí Perea says.

‘AI is another step in that evolution. Not as an end in itself, but as a tool that will help us improve, make better decisions and continue building a stronger, more competitive and future-ready company.’

Carmen Lappí Moreno has established a dedicated committee of AI ‘champion users’, whose aim is to focus on practical use cases, while managing cultural shifts in the workforce. The goal, leadership says, is to enhance productivity, not replace people.

‘I think that AI is about redefining the work and the skills of the people doing it,’ she says. ‘Our focus is not on removing people, but how we can sell more, produce more, and be better.’

Carmen Lappí Moreno

Carmen Lappí Moreno spoke at Finat’s European Label Forum in Seville this spring and described how any AI project at Lappí gets off the ground. Before embarking on any proposed AI project, the project must answer a key question. ‘Does it help us work better, and what impact will it have on how we compete?’ she explains. ‘We prioritize based on impact and feasibility.’

For businesses exploring AI in their companies, her advice was simple: ‘Start where it really hurts, do it properly, and then scale, learn, measure, govern and test.’

Lappí’s expansion into flexible packaging and its early embrace of AI are rooted in the same philosophy: staying ahead of change rather than reacting to it. Whether the company is broadening its portfolio to meet evolving customer needs or leveraging AI to make its people and processes more efficient, the company continues to invest with the future in mind.

AI agent transforms order entry

For Lappí Labels and Flexible Packaging, order intake was once viewed as a largely labor-intensive administrative process. Not anymore, thanks to an AI-powered agent developed in-house.

Nearly all of Lappí’s orders come via email and often in inconsistent formats, such as PDFs, Excel files or even text messages. This variability creates opportunities for human error.

The company’s head of AI, Carmen Lappí Moreno, says that roughly 10 percent of its orders contain some type of mistake that could lead to production issues, incorrect quantities or additional work.

The AI agent created by Lappí reads incoming orders, validates the information, applies customer-specific knowledge and predefined business rules, and converts unstructured data into reliable, structured information for the production system.

Importantly, the system is designed with what Carmen Lappí Moreno calls ‘human in the loop’, meaning its AI agent can still verify missing information or inconsistencies and flag the issue for human review rather than simply making assumptions. The goal here is not to replace employees, but to allow them to focus on higher-value tasks outside routine order processing.

The result is improved data quality, fewer errors reaching production and a more efficient process that gives Lappí a clearer view of customer behavior and business trends.

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Blue Label Packaging expands with direct-can printing

Piotr Wnuk — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 03:19:45 +0000

Market trends 13 October 2026

Blue Label Packaging expands with direct-can printing

The Ohio converter invested in a Velox digital inkjet direct-can printing machine to meet the evolving needs of the beer industry.

The year was 1978. Norman Boyd, a so-called ‘counter-cultural revolutionary’, decided to climb Mount Everest. He hadn’t brought the right equipment, so he wasn’t able to reach the summit, but during the climb, he became good friends with his Sherpa, Ratna. When it was time for Norman Boyd to return to the US, he gave Ratna a parting gift: his brand-new pair of Nikes. The shoes didn’t fit, but rather than accept that he couldn’t wear them, Ratna used a knife to cut off his calluses and make his feet fit.

This is a story that Norman’s son, Andrew Boyd, now president of Blue Label Packaging, often returns to, believing it offers valuable lessons for running a company.

‘Your customers are going to be who they are,’ he says. ‘You can’t change people’s behavior, but what you can do is accommodate who they are and try to make your foot fit the shoe. That’s where we’ve been as a business.’

This mentality has guided Blue Label throughout its nearly 70 years of operation. The converter has adapted and invested in new technology more than once to meet its customers’ needs and wants. In its early days, it invested in digital label technology to fulfill the high-customization expectations of its client base, primarily churches at the time. More recently, Blue Label invested in direct-can printing technology to meet the evolving sustainability-driven needs of the beer industry.

Today, the bulk of Blue Label’s work, about 85 percent, is in the beverage industry. Labels make up about 80 percent of its revenue, while shrink sleeves account for 10 percent and tags for five percent. Its newest segment, printed cans, make up the remaining five percent and are a rapidly growing part of the company.

Direct-can printing

Early this year, Blue Label Packaging officially began producing direct-printed cans with its Velox IDS-NC 500 inkjet machine.

Andrew Boyd made the decision to invest in direct-can printing because he believes that’s the direction the beer industry is going in. Consumers are already familiar with direct-printed cans for sodas and large beer companies. Plus, direct-printed cans don’t require a secondary piece of packaging, making them a more sustainable option. A few years ago, Quebec went so far as to ban plastic labels on aluminum cans, as they disrupt aluminum recycling streams.

This puts pressure on breweries to adopt alternative labeling methods. And for breweries needing multi-SKU work or runs shorter than 200,000 cans, digital printing makes sense.

‘Customers are making a choice for their packaging mix due to a number of factors; some we can control, most we can’t, be it cost, be it environmental reasons, be it application set-up, be it the performance of the drink itself,’ Andrew Boyd says. ‘In our mind, we wanted to be a part of that conversation, regardless of the direction they went, and we knew that, in order to do that, we had to provide something in the direct-object realm.’

“Customers are making a choice for their packaging mix due to a number of factors; some we can control, most we can’t”

Blue Label’s direct-can customers generally have runs ranging from 6,000 to 50,000 cans, with some exceeding 100,000. These orders are larger than Blue Label’s other products. Most of these customers are brands that Blue Label has never worked with before.

A handful of Blue Label employees have been trained to operate the Velox system. Each of them applied for the position and worked alongside the installation engineers to learn how to use it. The Velox machine requires more maintenance from Blue Label employees than the converter’s other digital presses and finishing technology. ‘They have a master’s degree on that machine,’ Andrew Boyd says.

Journey with Velox

Blue Label Packaging has been on a several-year-long journey with Velox to get to where it is today with digital direct-can printing.

At the time Blue Label was looking to invest, there were a few companies with digital direct can printing technology on the market, but Velox, an Israeli company, stood out to him because several former HP employees worked there. So, while on a trip to Israel in 2022 to visit HP, Boyd stopped by Velox’s facility to see
its machinery and meet the owners.

Six months later, Boyd cut the check.

Then, just a few months afterward, on October 7, 2023, Israel went to war, delaying the Velox machine.

The year after, in the fall of 2024, Velox began dealing with financial issues that have impacted its ability to produce more machines. This also delayed the Velox machine, which finally arrived at Blue Label’s facility in 2025.

After nearly three years of navigating geopolitical obstacles and the supplier’s situation. Boyd is relieved that the machine is finally operational. When he watches it run now, he does so smiling from ear to ear.

The Velox machine itself is massive, with 700 printheads, measuring 40x11x12ft and weighing 30 tons. It costs the equivalent of three or four label converting lines.

BW Integrated Systems robotic arms load blank aluminum cans onto a conveyor belt, also from BWIS. After the cans are printed on the Velox machine, the robotic arms load them onto pallets, and a Signode machine places bands around the pallets.

The machine is housed in a 30,000sqft room that was renovated for the machinery. Specific flooring had to be installed, and a wall had to be removed to move the Velox into the space. The room
had previously been a warehouse for extra rolls of material. Next
to the direct-can printing system, tall stacks of blank aluminum cans fill the room. Blue Label keeps a few million blank cans on hand to fulfill orders quickly.

Boyd is pleased with the quality the Velox machine produces.

‘It prints 900x900 DPI. The color consistency is great. Color-matching abilities are great,’ Boyd says. ‘It’s creating a product that for the industry is really top of the line.’

A family business

Family-owned Blue Label, then called One Write Company, was founded in 1957 to produce envelopes and forms, primarily specializing in church offering envelopes. As the company grew, the church offering envelope business was split off from the rest of the company, which produced commercial envelopes. The family sold the commercial envelope company in 2002 and retained the church offering-envelope segment.

Robotic arms load and unload cans onto and off the Velox machine

With the rise of internet donations, the company looked into what other services it could provide to its 10,000 church customers. The company decided to start producing labels for these churches and invested in early digital printing technology with an HP Indigo 4K and an A B Graphic Digicon Omega, for micro-runs as small as 100 labels.

‘For us as digital label printers, it’s been about how do you economize on all the similarities between the work, so keep your costs in line, yet still be able to deliver a piece of custom packaging for each and every small business, which is far too small for somebody that has million-dollar accounts,’ Andrew Boyd says. ‘It’s not uncommon for us to have a couple-thousand-dollar accounts. That’s a huge part of our business in terms of volume.’

Around 2012, when Andrew Boyd joined the business, Blue Label decided to focus on digital label production. It invested in an HP Indigo 6K and a Series 2 ABG Digicon Omega with hot-foil stamping. The company also decided to pursue the beverage market, specifically craft beer, an emerging industry at the time that didn’t require long runs for its bottle labels.

With Andrew Boyd, then vice president of the label division, the company expanded into labels for craft spirits, wine and cannabis, as well as specialty foods and nutraceuticals.

The company added shrink sleeves to its offerings in 2018, and in January of 2026, it officially began manufacturing its newest product: printed cans.

Digital technology

Blue Label has always been a fully digital label-printing company, using only HP label presses and ABG finishing equipment.

Its facility, located on the outskirts of Lancaster, Ohio, houses an HP Indigo 200K, four HP Indigo 6Ks, an HP Indigo 69K, a sheet-fed HP Indigo 5600 for tags and an HP Indigo 20K and 25K for shrink sleeves.

Blue Label uses the 200K, its newest label press, for labels and shrink sleeves. By taking advantage of its wider width and in-line slitting, Blue Label can print labels at double the speed.

Blue Label’s facility also houses 10 ABG finishing machines, primarily Series 3 Digicons.

Boyd prefers to work with just a few suppliers, as it allows his team to develop greater expertise on the machinery. He says that HP and ABG have both been excellent partners, and he appreciates that both suppliers invest in R&D and are forward-thinkers.

Blue Label uses Cerm for its workflow software. Boyd says that Cerm has enabled the converter to scale quickly, including for its direct object printing operations. The software supplier already had a direct-to-object workflow.

With the number of SKUs Blue Label handles, having a seamless workflow system is crucial.

Cerm also invests in R&D, and the company constantly adds
new capabilities.

‘They want to be a one-stop shop for a packaging company for an ERP system,’ Boyd says. ‘They’ve grown so much, and they’ve added so much capability. It’s good to see them profiting, and the money is going back into the business. Every year, you have more service techs, you have more capabilities possible with them. With Infigo, we launched e-commerce last year, and for the service side of it, they were able to get a lot done. We have a successful web storefront that actually hooks all the way into our MIS, and it’s giving you live, real pricing.’

“It prints 900x900 DPI. The color consistency is great. Color-matching abilities are great”

Now with the Velox machine, Boyd believes that digital direct-can printing could make up a quarter of the Blue Label’s revenue within a few years. However, he’s not sure he would recommend it for other label converters because of how much work it’s been to implement.

At the same time, Boyd notes that direct-object printing may eventually serve as a disruptive force in the label industry, particularly in a segment like beverage cans.

‘People are going to make a decision either way,’ Boyd says. ‘You either have a solution for them, or you don’t. It’s hard to convince a customer to change; it is much easier to meet them where they are.’

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Selah Zighelboim

North American Editor

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Edale appoints VBR All Service as distributor for Italy

Akanksha Meena — Wed, 07 Oct 2026 10:13:13 +0000

Edale, a Canon company and UK-based manufacturer of flexographic printing and converting equipment, has appointed VBR All Service as its distributor for Italy, strengthening local sales and support for label and packaging converters.

VBR All Service will represent Edale’s printing and converting portfolio across the Italian market. Alongside the supply of Edale presses, it will provide consultancy, installation, operator training, technical assistance, preventive and corrective maintenance and genuine spare parts.

The agreement combines Edale’s engineering expertise and focus on innovation with VBR All Service’s knowledge of the Italian market and responsive local service. Together, the companies aim to support Italian converters in their efforts to improve productivity, enhance operational efficiency and strengthen long-term performance.

Lachlan Buirds, managing director at Edale, said: ‘Italy has one of Europe’s strongest label and packaging sectors, and we are seeing converters increasingly look at how they can automate more of their production, reduce complexity and improve efficiency.

‘VBR All Service gives us the local knowledge and technical expertise to build on that opportunity. For Italian converters, it means access to Edale technology supported by experienced local expertise, from the initial conversation through to installation, training and ongoing service.’

The partnership began when VBR All Service sought a partner that shared its commitment to innovation and could offer technology that help customers transform the way they manufacture. Edale stood out for its engineering expertise, forward-thinking approach and ability to develop technologies that respond to the evolving needs of the packaging and label industry.

The CartonLine FL6p will form an important part of the partnership. The platform brings printing and converting into a single integrated workflow, which, for certain applications, can replace what has traditionally required several machines and production stages. This approach can help simplify production, reduce handling and support efforts to optimize production time and operating costs.

Corrado Voghera, owner and sales manager at VBR All Service, said: ‘We are proud to become Edale’s partner in Italy. This agreement represents an important milestone for VBR All Service and reinforces our commitment to bringing innovative technologies to Italian label and packaging converters.

‘We are particularly excited about the opportunities offered by the CartonLine FL6p. Its integrated printing and converting workflow can, for certain applications, replace what has traditionally required multiple machines and production stages, bringing these capabilities together in a single manufacturing platform. Combined with our expertise in sales, installation, technical support, maintenance and spare parts, we are confident this partnership can deliver significant value to our customers.’

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Edale appoints VBR All Service as distributor for Italy

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VBR All Service will represent Edale’s printing and converting portfolio across the Italian market.

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VBR All Service will represent Edale’s printing and converting portfolio across the Italian market.

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