Annual Review | Digital Printing, Resource Integration, RFID… Eight Keywords to Recap the Label Industry in 2024
Standing at the starting point of 2025, based on our industry and expertise, we've compiled eight major hot topics in the label industry for the year. We hope these insights will help label printing companies better understand the current state and future trends of the industry.
Let's look back at the highlights of the label industry in 2024!
01 Digital Printing: New Breakthroughs in Label Digital Printing
In 2024, digital printing remains the most noteworthy technology in the label industry, with substantial progress in both technology upgrades and printer deployments.
Technology upgrades:
1. Inkjet digital printing has achieved process innovation in label printing by using RIP software to simulate the new form of traditional amplitude-modulated screening, which further improves the printing quality of inkjet digital printing. For example, the large Coca-Cola label, an entry in the 2024 “Aida Cup” Label Awards, won the Best Digital Printing Award with this innovative technology.
2. Using digital printing to achieve medium and long-run business printing is no longer just a slogan. The launch of the HP Indigo V12 label digital press has accelerated this new trend. It is reported that the equipment can achieve a printing speed of 120m/min.
3. Inkjet digital printing equipment with a wider web width has emerged, making the web width no longer limited to about 350mm. For example, the Obida Jingang series 850mm wide one-pass UV inkjet press can achieve 850mm to 1500mm wide printing, which further refreshed the industry’s limit on web width.
4. Higher-resolution print heads have achieved innovative applications in label digital printing equipment. For example, the Label Modular 330 HD launched by Tongyin Technology adopts a 1200dpi high-definition print head, which further improves the printing accuracy of inkjet digital printing.
5. The "digital printing + digital post-press" inline process is becoming more mature. At present, the equipment launched by many equipment manufacturers such as Weigang, Runtianzhi, and Hongyuan Digital are no longer limited to adding color printing units in the digital printing module, but adding modules such as cold/hot stamping, varnishing, and metal enhancement, which are completed at one time, which greatly improves the registration accuracy and production efficiency.
Enterprise Adoption:
With the continuous acceleration of the localization process of label digital printing equipment, more cost-effective and more diversified equipment models provide more choices for label printing companies. Label printing companies have followed up and deployed digital printing equipment. At present, the diversified process layout of “digital + traditional” has become the “new standard” for label printing companies. In addition, some leading label printing companies have also begun to deploy and build special digital printing workshops. For example, Shengda Printing invested heavily and introduced 5 Durst Tau 510 RSCi digital label presses in one go, planning to build a digital printing workshop.
In short, with the continuous advancement of digital technology and the continuous expansion of domestic market capacity, digital printing will continue to shine in the field of label printing.
02 Going Global: Label Industry Companies Accelerate International Market Expansion
Throughout 2024, under the wave of globalization, “going global” has gradually become a new direction for the development of Chinese manufacturing. More companies in the label industry chain, both upstream and downstream, are actively involved in this trend, taking the initiative to conquer the international market.
First look at upstream enterprises. Many domestic label equipment brands have the technical strength to compete with international brands on the same stage, and have demonstrated the innovative power of Chinese label printing machines in the international market. Weigang, as one of the earlier domestic printing machine brands to carry out foreign trade business, not only continued to look for demonstration factories and establish exhibition halls around the world this year, but also further improved the layout of overseas after-sales outlets; Pulisi appeared at exhibitions in the United States, South Korea, Vietnam, India, and Mexico, building a “high-frequency magnetic field” for interaction with customers, making the Obida brand shine on the international stage. In addition, some domestic equipment brand owners (such as Hongyuan, Runtianzhi, etc.) and raw material brand owners (such as Guanhua, Zhongshan Fuzhou, Jinda, etc.) have also accelerated their global layout through exhibitions, agents, and other methods, allowing foreign customers to gradually understand, become familiar with, and recognize the high cost-performance products and professional services of domestic brands. Looking at label printing companies again, this year many label printing companies have already expanded their overseas business through cross-border e-commerce. For example, Chengdu Huicai, Shanghai Mingli, etc. have established Alibaba international stations, and have slowly opened up their overseas ideas by taking orders online; there is no shortage of label printing companies that have built factories overseas, such as Zhengmei Group, Baoshen Technology, and Saiwei Precision, which have been building factories in Vietnam and Southeast Asia for many years. All signs indicate that the pace of label industry chain enterprises to expand the international market is accelerating.
With the acceleration of the "going global" pace of label industry chain enterprises, a more open and dynamic industrial ecosystem is gradually being established. This can not only enhance the adaptability of domestic label enterprises to the global industrial chain supply chain but also promote the upgrading of the overall industry. In the future, label enterprises will continue to "update" the global label market with higher-quality goods, services and technologies, and make the "China Intelligent Manufacturing" brand continue to shine on the international label stage.
03 Digitalization and Intelligence: Label Printers Accelerate Digital Transformation
Currently, the label printing industry has shifted from "expanding volume" to "competing for existing market share". Market competition is becoming increasingly fierce, and promoting the construction of intelligent digital workshops has become an irreversible development trend in the label printing industry. This trend not only profoundly affects the production methods and management models of label workshops, but also quietly changes the pattern of market competition.
At present, some leading label printing companies that have taken the first step have gradually advanced the process of digital and intelligent construction through modular approaches. For example, Saiwei Technology has given full play to the application of digital systems such as MES and WMS in production management, and continuously optimized data collection and data analysis capabilities; Suzhou Jiangtian has established an intelligent material and finished product storage platform and plans to build digital workshops in the future. In addition, some small label printing companies are also constantly introducing software systems and achieving digital and intelligent breakthroughs through the introduction of digital systems such as ERP and MES.
Throughout 2024, every label printing company is striving to explore and practice how to embrace the era of digital intelligence. Although the construction process of digital intelligence in the label printing industry is still in its initial stage, it has obviously pressed the "acceleration button". The future has come. If label printing companies want to avoid falling behind, they must follow the new track of digital and intelligent construction.
04 Green Transformation: The Label Industry Advances Green Transformation
In August 2024, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued the Opinions on Accelerating the Comprehensive Green Transformation of Economic and Social Development. In December, the Central Economic Work Conference clearly required "to accelerate the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development". The release of a series of policies has provided guidance for all walks of life to accelerate green transformation.
In 2024, for the label printing industry, enterprises in the upstream and downstream of the label industry chain are actively adapting to the situation, deeply promoting green transformation through innovative research and development of materials and continuous optimization of processes. Raw material suppliers such as Avery Dennison, UPM Raflatac, Fojet Gorni, and Zhejiang Guanhua have continued to launch recyclable and repeatable solutions. For example, Avery Dennison launched the CleanFlake™️ water-wash label solution, and UPM Raflatac launched the New Wave paper label; Epson launched a new generation of SurePress L-5034 water-based digital label printing machine at Drupa; CCL launched a new version of EcoFloat low-density polyolefin sleeve label material, and Suzhou Yali actively practiced green transformation through specific ways such as building solar photovoltaic panel factories and using LED curing lights... These actions all indicate that the green productivity generated by green and low-carbon technological innovation is poised to take off and reshape the market competition pattern of the label industry.
Green transformation is a gradual and progressive process. How to make green become the "background-color" of high-quality development in the label printing industry is inseparable from the technological development and application innovation of each link in the label industry chain, as well as the concerted cooperation of upstream and downstream enterprises. Green transformation is not achieved overnight, and sustainable development has a long way to go.
05 Resource Integration: Resource Integration Trends Emerge in the Label Industry
Driven by both policy promotion and market demand, the label printing industry ushered in an active period of resource integration in 2024. Some large comprehensive printing enterprises began to enter or expand the label printing market, which is bound to once again stir the increasingly competitive label printing market. In May, Zhongrong Co., Ltd. announced a strategic cooperation with Yali Label and acquired shares in Guangzhou Yali, opening a new journey towards the label printing market; during the Drupa exhibition, Shengda Printing reached a strategic cooperation with Durst and invested heavily to introduce 5 Durst Tau 510 RSCi digital label presses, further enhancing its competitiveness in the label printing field. In addition, large comprehensive printing enterprises such as Yutong and Century Kaiyuan also have layouts in the label printing business, hoping to achieve business expansion.
Although the entry of large comprehensive printing enterprises may bring some competitive pressure to label printing enterprises, it also brings opportunities. Small and specialized label printing enterprises often have high flexibility and innovation capabilities, are closer to customer needs, and can provide customized products and services. In the future, increasing investment in research and development, promoting technological innovation and product upgrades, learning from each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and leveraging new market demands with differentiated products will be an effective measure for label printing enterprises to cope with market competition.
06 RFID: RFID and Label Printing Integration Accelerates
Under the wave of digitalization, the global RFID tag market continues to expand. In 2024, the integrated application of RFID technology and label printing shows an accelerated development trend.
From the application level, benefiting from the advancement of chip technology and the continuous reduction of manufacturing costs, the application range of RFID tags is becoming wider and wider, and the demand is increasing. For example, leading brands such as Anta and Bosideng have begun to fully apply RFID tags to improve inventory turnover and sales efficiency; SF Express has begun to pilot RFID tags on some of its express packages to achieve more accurate package tracking and management.
From a technical level, benefiting from the comprehensive development of label materials, composite process innovation, printing technology upgrades, and the application of combined anti-counterfeiting technology, the types and functions of RFID tags are becoming more diverse. For example, at this year’s 14th Label Innovation Technology Development Forum, Fojet Gorni launched an environmentally friendly water-based adhesive innovation solution to help stabilize and reliably perform RFID composite processes; Aida launched a one-stop RFID tag production solution integrating antenna design, chip selection, binding, printing, lamination, die-cutting, encoding, and packaging.
Overall, with the continuous development of various technologies, the integrated application of RFID technology and label printing will continue to innovate and upgrade, and will continue to expand to more fields and scenarios. In the future, with the promotion and support of relevant national policies, and the further maturity of RFID technology and the further reduction of costs, the application of RFID tags in China is expected to usher in a broader development prospect.
07 Combined Anti-Counterfeiting: Combined Anti-Counterfeiting Technologies Mature
With brand owners increasingly demanding product anti-counterfeiting, more combined anti-counterfeiting solutions have been implemented on labels. From the perspective of anti-counterfeiting technology providers, in addition to professional combined anti-counterfeiting solution providers, more label printing companies, such as Shandong Taibao and Wenzhou Haoge, are also providing customers with combined anti-counterfeiting solutions with unique technical characteristics, making the application of combined anti-counterfeiting technology on labels increasingly mature. In terms of specific label applications, the current application of combined anti-counterfeiting technology is mainly reflected in material anti-counterfeiting, design anti-counterfeiting, process anti-counterfeiting, ink anti-counterfeiting, IT anti-counterfeiting, etc. In addition, some new technologies such as RFID and NFC are also being applied to anti-counterfeiting labels, making combined anti-counterfeiting technology continue to achieve innovative applications on labels. Taking the winning work of the 2024 “Aida Cup” Label Grand Awards Intelligent Application Award - the Year Old Wine NFC Detection Line Partially Fragile Label as an example, the main innovation points of this label are: First, the surface layer adopts multiple anti-counterfeiting process designs such as special color printing, digital printing, hot stamping and screen printing; Second, the Inlay antenna adopts a partially fragile design; Third, the surface layer partially adds an anti-transfer knife to open the fragile design; Fourth, the overall use of multi-layer anti-lifting technology.
It can be seen that the application of combined anti-counterfeiting technology on self-adhesive labels has made further breakthroughs. With the continuous upgrading and innovation of technology, it is believed that more new combined anti-counterfeiting labels will emerge in the future, providing consumers with a safer and more convenient shopping experience.
08 Flexography: Flexography's Intelligent and Digital Advantages Emerge
Flexographic printing, as the second most popular technology in the label printing industry after digital printing, can be said to occupy half of the label printing industry. In 2024, with the continuous advancement of technology, flexographic printing is constantly breaking boundaries and becoming more intelligent and digital.
First, flexographic printing presses are becoming more powerful and flexible. At present, the mainstream modular flexographic printing machines on the market mostly adopt a modular design, which can flexibly replace the unit configuration according to customer needs, combined with "menu memory call function, pre-registration device, ultra-short paper path, etc., which greatly shortens the setting and adjustment time and improves the productivity and printing level of existing flexographic printing machines. , more flexible.
Secondly, the "digital printing + flexo printing" integrated machine has a lot to offer. It refers to the simultaneous configuration of flexographic printing and digital printing units on the same device, which can not only meet users' long-run printing needs but also meet users' personalized and customized short-run printing needs. At present, many equipment manufacturers have launched "digital printing + flexo printing" integrated machines, such as Weigang Technology's ZJR S350PRO series digital flexo combination printing machine, and Tongyin Technology and Spande jointly launched the Label Modular 330 HD, etc.
In addition, the integration of flexographic printing + offset printing, flexographic printing + screen printing and other processes is also more widely used, bringing more possibilities for innovative design and realization to label printing enterprises, and enhancing the competitiveness of label printing enterprises. Looking forward to the future, with the continuous deepening of the digital reform process, flexographic printing will provide label printing enterprises with more diversified, automated, and digital label production, and its technical advantages will become increasingly prominent.
The article is from the WeChat official account Tag Technology