Digital Flexible Packaging Reaches a Turning Point as Speeds Surge to 270 Meters per Minute

For a long time, flexible packaging has been dominated by traditional gravure and flexographic printing presses designed for high speeds and massive production runs. However, as consumer markets demand shorter delivery times, faster turnarounds, seasonal promotions, and personalized QR code tracking, traditional printing methods show clear drawbacks for small, frequent orders due to long setup times and high plate costs. Facing these industry challenges, high-speed water-based inkjet printing is rising rapidly. Moving from a minor technical patch to the center of the production line, the combination of inkjet and flexo printing marks the arrival of a new digital era in flexible packaging.

The huge leap in inkjet technology allows more and more orders to move smoothly from traditional printing processes to digital workflows. Fujifilm introduced its flagship digital inkjet press, the Jet Press FP790, positioning it as a main machine for everyday flexible packaging production. Built specifically to meet converter needs, this machine prints efficiently at 50 meters per minute with sharp detail on film or paper up to 790 millimeters wide. Crucially, it uses water-based inks that meet strict food safety standards, works seamlessly with existing finishing processes, and delivers high quality without environmental burden. This allows packaging makers to stay flexible when taking short-run orders from smaller clients while maintaining brand consistency. In Europe, installations of the Jet Press FP790 are reaching double digits. UK packaging leader Eco Flexibles installed its first machine in 2023 and ordered a second one just a few months later after seeing faster turnarounds, less waste, and greater flexibility. This proves digital inkjet is quickly growing into a mainstream production solution.

SCREEN is also pushing forward in high-speed water-based inkjet printing. Its Truepress PAC 520P focuses on recyclable paper substrates, while the Truepress PAC 830F prints directly on plastic films like PET, BOPP, and MDOPE at speeds up to 75 meters per minute across an 830-millimeter width. Industry experts at SCREEN note that discussions among packaging printers are no longer about whether to adopt digital inkjet, but rather when to do so. With the first commercial machines successfully installed, this technology effectively balances fast delivery, large-scale personalization, and environmental rules, giving converters a strong tool to capture market share.

While some manufacturers focus on pure digital printing, traditional machinery giant Koenig & Bauer takes a hybrid approach combining digital and flexo printing. Its RotaJet press achieves impressive speeds of up to 270 meters per minute with web widths up to 88 inches. Currently used widely for fiber-based packaging, most market installations operate in a hybrid inkjet-flexo mode. For instance, packaging leader Sealed Air installed a custom OptimusJet film press based on RotaJet technology. It integrates two flexo units alongside the digital system, running smoothly on OPET, BOPP, PE, and paper at 135 meters per minute. As European regulations require variable QR codes for product traceability, the trend toward small orders and shorter setup times is clear. However, at high printing speeds, the cost balance between flexo and digital remains sensitive and depends heavily on ink coverage. To lower operational costs, Koenig & Bauer offers an open ink policy, allowing converters to buy certified inks directly from third-party partners to achieve a competitive total cost of ownership.

High-speed flexo printing and flexible digital inkjet are not replacing each other, but rather working together. As water-based inks mature, printing speeds increase, and operating costs drop, digital inkjet is breaking the stereotype that it is only good for small samples. For future flexible packaging converters, building a hybrid system that uses flexo for large runs and digital inkjet for fast, targeted jobs will be the strongest way to meet changing market demands and strict environmental rules.