Flexible Packaging Inkjet Printing Enters the Industrial Era

High-speed inkjet technology is growing faster than expected, moving beyond commercial printing into packaging and industrial production. Recently, SCREEN launched its Truepress PAC 830F water-based single-pass inkjet system. This marks a major breakthrough as digital inkjet directly challenges traditional film printing methods on industrial packaging lines.

Designed for flexible packaging, the Truepress PAC 830F prints directly on various films like PET, BOPP, and MDO-PE. It offers a resolution of 1200×1200 dpi, speeds up to 75 meters per minute, and a 5-color setup (CMYK plus extra-white). Using food-safe water-based inks, it meets strict safety standards for food and daily chemical packaging. In July 2026, it won the EDP Award for "Best Flexible Packaging Printing System," recognizing its technological value.

The world’s first Truepress PAC 830F is already running at Chiyoda Gravure in Japan. As a traditional gravure printer, Chiyoda uses inkjet to handle small and medium orders with many product variations. Going digital eliminates printing plates, cutting job setup time by about 70% and significantly reducing material waste. It also supports variable data printing for customized packaging. Chiyoda aims to increase its digital printing share to 10% by 2030, reflecting a broader trend where traditional printers combine traditional and digital methods.

Looking at the market, inkjet is no longer just competing with offset printing. Gravure still leads packaging with thick ink layers and rich colors, while flexo grows with water-based inks and low energy use. However, inkjet is filling market gaps thanks to zero plate costs and great economics for short runs. In China, gravure holds 48.3% of flexible packaging and flexo holds 36.7%. Although digital printing accounts for only 6.1%, it is the fastest-growing segment with an annual rate of 24.8%. Globally, digital packaging is growing by 8.4% yearly, with inkjet producing over 58% of digital packaging output.

Beyond graphic printing, high-speed inkjet is expanding into functional industrial coatings. With precise ink control and non-contact printing, it can deposit materials for security coatings, conductive lines, sensors, and functional films, replacing traditional screen and gravure coating methods. This shift from simple printing to functional manufacturing elevates inkjet into a core technology for advanced manufacturing.

Several factors drive this trend. First, brands increasingly need small batches, multiple product versions, and faster market launches. Second, stricter environmental rules are pushing out solvent inks, giving eco-friendly water-based inkjet a huge advantage in reducing VOC emissions and waste. Third, advancements in printheads, inks, and media handling allow inkjet to match traditional printing in speed, quality, and material flexibility.

While challenges remain—such as higher equipment costs and gravure’s cost advantage for huge production runs—inkjet technology continues to improve its speeds and ink performance. High-speed inkjet is rapidly transforming from an optional extra into a standard industry capability, reshaping the future of packaging and industrial printing.