Many converters believe that digital printing technology is expensive – a perception based not just on the higher initial investment for the technology but also its reputation for high consumable costs, as the cost per label remains the primary consideration for many converters assessing a new printing process.
While providing a convenient head-to-head comparison, converters making a purchase decision based on consumable cost alone might disregard hidden costs associated with analogue technologies and could miss out on the added-value opportunities a digital printing press might generate.
Converters assessing the total cost of ownership and ROI for a new label press should consider the bigger picture, including potential new opportunities, running time, market challenges, as well as hidden costs in their current workflow.
Factors Impacting Return on Investment
Just-in-time printing
According to FINAT, the main driver for digital printing requests from brands is shorter print runs, and customer demand is growing, with brand waste reduction and sustainability objectives driving a move towards just-in-time production.
Digital printing’s short-run abilities and short turnaround times effectively eliminate the need for brand customers to rely on large label orders that risk obsolescence and overrun to meet demand. Conversations with brand owners have shown that often, more than 30% of labels printed are discarded because of legislation or ingredient changes, making existing label designs obsolete and necessitating the creation of new print runs with revised information.
Just-in-time label production using digital printing technology enables brands to print only what they need to fulfil demand and quickly and easily respond to label change requirements, helping to reduce waste.
Printing digitally can benefit brands from a financial as well as sustainability point of view. Placing more frequent orders for shorter runs at a higher price could still save brands significant amounts, provided the overall price paid for the digitally printed labels is lower than the value of the labels that converters or brands would have discarded. Considering that, it’s possible to justify a higher price per label.
What’s more, just-in-time printing enables converters to effectively use their digital printing assets to respond to increasing demand for shorter runs at short notice, securing new business and retaining existing customers with the flexibility of delivering stock as and when needed.
Digital presses can also add value by meeting brands’ variable data printing needs and will play a key part in meeting the increasing demand for variable 2D codes as brands prepare for Sunrise 2027, bringing together promotional, supply chain, and point of sale information in QR codes powered by GS1.
Press downtime
Time is money, and maximising press running time is key to how many labels converters can effectively produce daily. Any machine downtime is a serious issue for converters looking to maximise the return on their press investment.
When compared with analogue technology, digital presses require minimal set-up. Inline, real-time image processing facilitated by digital technology can also be a great asset in minimising press downtime and maximising productivity, enabled by convenient set-up via the DFE. With digital, there is no need for printing plate creation, the time spent on mechanical set-up is minimal, and it is easy to rearrange the production schedule to accommodate another run at short notice.
In comparison, flexo press set-up can be time-consuming. Each job changeover on a flexo press will not only take time for mechanical set-up but will also increase the volume of consumables used, as ink and material is wasted in the setup process to test and ensure print quality, colour, and registration.
Flexo converters producing a variety of jobs might find that set-up for changeovers exceeds the running time required for printing a job, making changeover time rather than press speed the critical factor for maximising total output.
Converters using both technologies know that digital and flexo will deliver the best results when used as complementary technologies, with digital printing technology a very effective tool to boost the productivity and profitability of existing flexo assets. Digital technology can be used to free up flexo capacity to focus on more profitable longer runs while opening doors to new, shorter-run opportunities.
Printing press operator skills
Labour often accounts for the most significant proportion of a converter’s total operating costs. Indeed, recent interest rate increases and inflation have made wage pressures the top business concern for 71% of printing service providers surveyed in the BPIF Printing Outlook Q1 2025.
In addition, skills shortages in the print industry have increased the costs of hiring skilled professionals experienced in setting up flexo technology and have also presented challenges in finding personnel with the correct skills.
By comparison, many converters find recruiting operatives to run their digital printing and finishing equipment easier. Digital printing technology is typically much easier to run than traditional flexo technology, and technologically savvy candidates often find it easy to adapt with minimal training needed.
Issues in recruiting suitable staff are driving a change in mindset in the industry, with converters that might not have the local labour required to run another flexo line turning instead to digital technology.
Indeed, one quarter of the respondents in the BPIF survey are planning to invest in digital technology in 2025, while half of respondents are investigating automation and workflow improvements that could help them mitigate labour shortages and enhance efficiency.
Print workflow management
Once a converter has decided to invest in digital printing technology, particularly where the digital asset will increase printing speed, it is important to consider all steps involved in creating the finished label to determine which digital roll-to-roll or hybrid press will deliver the best results.
While a new hybrid printing and finishing line will typically deliver a process where all elements work together with optimum performance, adding a digital roll-to-roll press to an existing multi-step process is more complex, requiring a closer look at the complete label production workflow.
A multi-step process could include several pieces of upstream and downstream equipment connected by manual handling processes. While upstream converting equipment can typically maintain a constant supply of prepared substrate to a label press, downstream equipment could cause bottlenecks, lowering productivity and reducing the return on investment. Converters looking to take advantage of higher press speeds should ensure that finishing equipment always matches or exceeds the production speed of the label press, maximising the number of finished labels produced.
Converters purchasing a high-speed press should also be confident that they will be able to generate the orders needed to make use of the additional capacity – as a press that is underutilised will not be able to deliver the desired return on investment. This can also be an issue in digital hybrid label printing processes, where integrated digital print engines – the most significant investment in the line – can be subject to considerable periods of downtime during flexo-station set-up. Where suitable offline finishing equipment and personnel are available, a roll-to-roll press could be the more efficient choice, delivering a faster payback thanks to near-continuous production and offline finishing.
Conclusion
Converters investing in a new digital label printing press need to consider the bigger picture, focusing on the overall value a press could deliver to their business as well as the initial investment, consumable cost, or press speed.
A digital printing press supplier offering reliable solutions, backed by a service offering tailored to a converter’s needs, will be a strong partner that can support converters in scaling their business and maximising the return on their investment.
Keep an eye on the bigger picture and ask about the Domino total cost of ownership calculator! Our Digital Solutions Programme team will be happy to assist.