The label and package printing industry has emphasized greater speeds, efficiency, and environmental friendliness, and these demands fit symmetrically with LED curing. The early generation LED systems primarily touted energy savings. However, the newest LED curing equipment delivers higher dose at press speeds that match or exceed conventional UV, particularly for narrow web label applications.

Adoption is taking place at a brisk pace, too. “From GEW’s viewpoint, LED system manufacturing has now reached over 50% of our production and shows no signs of slowing down,” states Amir Dekel, vice president of sales, GEW. “The benefits of UV LED are numerous and well documented.”

The technology offers several benefits, which have spurred the trend in the label and package printing industry. “A key trend is the move toward more powerful LED platforms that allow converters to increase line speed without sacrificing cure performance,” remarks Mark VandenBosch, technical sales specialist, IST America. 

In the LED space, power is key. “The trend within UV LED curing technology itself is toward the development of ever more powerful, more efficient, and more reliable LED arrays,” notes Dekel. “As an example, GEW’s market-leading AeroLED2 model now delivers over 30% more electrical power, over 30% extra UV dose, and over 40% more UV irradiance than its predecessor model, AeroLED. To put this into context, this level of improved efficiency was achieved in a little under two years, and this continual development goes on. Air-cooled AeroLED2 is now available for web widths up to 70cm, and is therefore suitable for the vast majority of label and narrow web applications.”

Additional trends are making an impact in the LED curing space. According to Excelitas, sustainability, artificial intelligence, smarter manufacturing processes, expanded range of inks and substrates, and the integration with digital and flexographic workflows are all impacting this process.

The assumed sacrifices that once existed with LED curing are no longer the case, adds VandenBosch. “Overall, LED curing has shifted from being viewed as a ‘low-energy alternative’ to becoming a production-driven technology designed to support speed, stability, and repeatability on modern narrow web presses.”

LED curing technology now supports a much broader range of printable substrates, too. “Printers can reliably run materials, such as shrink sleeves, various films, and other heat sensitive substrates, that were previously challenging due to the high heat output of traditional mercury lamps,” remarks Stacy Hoge, Phoseon marketing manager, Excelitas. “The cooler, more controlled curing environment provided by UV LED systems opens the door to new applications and higher value products.”

Sustainability is inherent with LED curing. These systems are known for producing far less heat and contain no mercury, making them safer and more environmentally responsible. LED curing also helps the industry align with global regulatory trends and the sustainability commitments of their brand owners.

“Converters are increasingly drawn to UV LED curing as they seek out technology that aligns with their sustainability strategies while delivering higher, more stable press speeds with lower maintenance requirements,” comments Anna Niewiadomska, marketing manager, Narrow Web, Flint Group. “Industry-wide progress in recent years has highlighted how far UV LED curing technology has advanced, proving that high-speed, mid-web flexo with LED-curable, food-contact material (FCM) inks is now a practical, robust solution for short-run packaging.”

“As companies continue to prioritize eco-friendly printing processes, UV LED curing stands out as a technology that supports both environmental goals and operational efficiency,” adds Hoge.

According to GEW, the higher electrical efficiency of LEDs and purity of UV output allow typical energy savings of over 60%, compared to a mercury UV system of similar specification.

Inks serve as a key catalyst in the shift to LED curing, too. “Advances in photoinitiator systems enable printers to use inks that cure faster and are more compatible across a broader range of presses and substrates,” notes Niewiadomska. “Operator comfort on the production floor has also improved, thanks to lower heat generation and greater press stability provided by this technology.

“In terms of waste reduction, the instant on/off nature of LED lamps eliminates the standby time and warm-up typically required by conventional curing, helping printers save energy and time,” adds Niewiadomska. “Similarly, the dual-cure formulation of EkoCure inks enables converters to operate across mixed press fleets – UV Hg and UV LED – using a single ink system, reducing unused stock and
simplifying inventory.”

“There is no warm-up or cool-down cycle, as is the case with conventional Arc lamps,” remarks Dekel. “Unlike Arc curing, the UV LED process does not produce any ozone as a by-product and there are no air extraction requirements (other than air extraction to keep the lamps cool). LED also eliminates the need for mercury Arc lamps. While it is recommended to replace conventional mercury Arc bulbs every 1,000 hours, GEW’s LED diodes have a life expectancy of up to 40,000 hours, dependent on the model.”

Flint Group has also engineered inks with stronger adhesion properties and deeper curing. These features make UV LED an even more compelling choice for printing flexible packaging. “The latest formulations perform well at high speeds and across wider web widths, enabling converters to tackle short-run packaging with confidence,” adds Niewiadomska.

Additionally, a growing number of converters are exploring how to integrate LED technologies with digital workflows. “There is increasing interest in coatings and primers that can protect digitally printed materials, bridging the gap between flexographic and digital printing environments,” says Niewiadomska.

Today’s label converters are exploring UV-C LED technology, too, as the industry looks for a mercury-free way to achieve strong surface cure. “While this is an active area of research, current UV-C LEDs remain limited by cost, efficiency, and output levels that are not yet viable for high-speed production environments,” says VandenBosch. “IST America is making significant progress in UV-C LED technology, but practical commercial solutions are still developing.”

Automated Curing

Much like other aspects of narrow web label printing, LED curing has seen an influx of automated features to fine-tune the process. For example, AI is starting to play a meaningful role in UV LED curing for narrow web printing, even though the technology is still emerging. 

“AI is making UV LED curing systems smarter, more efficient, and more predictable,” explains Excelitas’ Hoge. “One of the most impactful uses of AI is analyzing real-time press data. By analyzing data from the press, such as lamp output and substrate temperature, AI can fine-tune curing parameters instantly. This ensures stable curing even when conditions fluctuate, reducing waste and improving overall print quality. Another major benefit is predictive maintenance. Although UV LED systems already require far less upkeep than mercury lamps, AI can detect early signs of wear or performance decline.

“Industry 4.0 integration is a major trend shaping the next generation of curing platforms,” adds Hoge. “As manufacturing environments become more connected and data driven, UV LED systems designed with smart features will enable printers to operate more efficiently, reduce downtime, and better align with the demands of advanced, automated production workflows.”

GEW has unveiled a new product that features closed loop control, which automatically maintains the oxygen level to a customer set point (measured in parts per million), and ensures this set point is not exceeded. OxyGuard is GEW’s next generation oxygen control system, which rapidly achieves and maintains the optimal curing atmosphere for low odor, low migration production, siliconization and other high performance curing applications.  

“The OxyGuard system adapts the input of inert gas accordingly, regardless of machine running speed,” states GEW’s Dekel. “Throughout the process, gas consumption is optimized for maximum efficiency.”

In addition, GEW’s DoseGuard greatly improves the UV curing process by automatically adjusting the power of the UV lamps to maintain a target UV dose, independent of speed or UV lamp condition, even for multiple lamps on a single print or coating station. This ensures that product is cured to exactly the correct level, every time. Operational data can be exported so that compliance documents or certificates can be generated by the customer.

For IST, the integration of automation and intelligent control into curing systems has been critical. “Software-driven platforms, such as IST’s SMARTcure, introduce AI-supported process optimization, helping converters run closer to the actual curing window required for each job rather than relying on conservative, fixed settings,” says VandenBosch. “This improves consistency while reducing energy consumption and unnecessary thermal load.”

LED Adoption

LED has seen significant adoption in recent years. What once was a novel installation that had pros and cons has now evolved into mainstream acceptance.

“UV LED curing is rapidly becoming the dominant technology in label and narrow web printing, especially in applications that utilize heat sensitive substrates like shrink sleeves and thin films,” states Excelitas’ Hoge. “The adoption of UV LED technology is accelerating because it delivers lower operating costs, higher reliability, sustainability, and compatibility with a wide range of substrates. Traditional mercury lamps are still used, but their share is shrinking as converters retrofit older presses or specify LED on new equipment.”

LED curing has also become a popular choice when printing shrink sleeves. According to AWA Alexander Watson Associates, shrink sleeves represent 19% of labeling volume worldwide. The advantages to shrink sleeve printing include 100% coverage across the bottle, whereas PS and glue-applied amount to patch technology that only covers 30-40% of the bottle.

“LED has become the preferred solution for heat-sensitive substrates, with shrink sleeves being a prime example,” explains IST’s VandenBosch. “The ability to deliver controlled energy with minimal heat makes LED especially well-suited for materials that can distort or shrink under conventional UV exposure.”

According to Flint Group, UV LED curing is proving particularly well suited for food packaging applications. This has led to increased adoption, as well. “Unlike conventional UV-based systems, LED lamps deliver consistent output over time, without the decline associated with lamp aging or contamination of reflectors,” states Niewiadomska. “For converters, these benefits translate to more reliable curing, reduced downtime, and improved process control, helping them more easily achieve compliance with FCM regulations.”

While adoption has gained steam day by day, there are still some applications that don’t lend themselves to LED. “There are certain processes and applications that are not yet truly ready for UV LED, such as certain coatings, varnishes, and special colors,” explains GEW’s Dekel. “While these are either prohibitively expensive or just plainly unavailable in LED-compatible form, GEW can offer the perfect solution for label and web printers, which we refer to as ArcLED. This patented, interchangeable technology enables UV LED and conventional UV Arc lamps to be run side by side on a press, for ultimate flexibility.”

Given some challenges, there is still a place for conventional curing methods, though. “Conventional UV still plays an important role, particularly when surface properties such as scratch resistance, chemical resistance, or durability are critical,” states VandenBosch. “Many coatings benefit from the broader UV spectrum provided by mercury lamps, which is why hybrid press configurations remain common.”

Therefore, narrow web adoption often occurs in a hybrid setting, where LED is used throughout most of the press, while conventional UV is applied selectively, often at the end of the press, to ensure proper surface cure. “Rather than replacing UV outright, LED is increasingly integrated alongside it to create more flexible, application-specific curing strategies,” says VandenBosch. “One of the most frequent requests from converters is for greater flexibility, particularly the ability to move between LED and UV based on job requirements. This is driving strong interest in HotSwap configurations, where LED and conventional UV cassettes can be exchanged within the same press position.”

Product Innovation

Excelitas most recently launched the Phoseon Nexus II UV LED Curing Platform, which has been designed for flexo printing and offers several enhancements over its predecessor, including increased system reliability, improved performance in high-temperature environments, and an optional high-airflow model for enhanced cooling. 

From an ink perspective, Flint Group continues to support printers with its EkoCure range, including the EkoCure ANCORA line, designed specifically for printing food contact materials. 

GEW has engineered numerous products in this space. For the highest performance applications, such as low migration labeling and flexible packaging, GEW has developed its highest power, water-cooled UV LED model, LeoLED2. GEW has introduced the DoseGuard Laboratory Unit, as well. Meanwhile, IST’s newest LED offering is LEDcure NX, a next-generation platform developed and manufactured in-house in Germany for narrow web production environments.

LED Curing for Silicone Release Coatings

The label and release liner industry is undergoing a fundamental shift as UV LED curing moves decisively from emerging technology to established industrial standard. While LED is already widely used for curing inks and pressure sensitive adhesives, silicone release coatings – the last essential element – are now fully compatible with LED processes. 

Through most recent UV LED curable silicone technologies, the industry can rely on LED curing as a robust, predictable, and efficient solution that delivers clear processing, with economic and environmental advantages.

One of the most powerful drivers behind this transition is the unprecedented volatility in platinum pricing. Thermal silicone systems rely on platinum catalysts activated by heat, and the rapid increase in platinum costs has reshaped the financial landscape for silicone coaters. UV curable silicone systems eliminate this dependency entirely, since they use no platinum at all. As a result, switching from thermal ovens to UV LED curing is no longer simply a technological upgrade but a strategic move that stabilizes cost structures, reduces exposure to global raw material fluctuations, and improves financial resilience. Eliminating both high temperature ovens and platinum catalysts also contributes to lower operating expenses and reduced energy consumption, offering an immediate and measurable performance advantage.

The transition from mercury lamps to LED is accelerating just as quickly. UV curing already provided benefits over thermal processes, including compact equipment and a faster curing profile. However, mercury lamps brought intrinsic limitations such as high heat generation, ozone production, limited lamp life, and the presence of mercury itself. 

LED curing directly resolves these issues and significantly improves the overall process. For example, Elkem’s UV silicone technologies use photoinitiators that work effectively under both broad spectrum UV and narrow LED wavelengths, ensuring identical curing behavior across both approaches. This compatibility allows coaters to move to LED without altering reactivity, anchorage, and release performance on paper and film substrates.

LED curing delivers substantial operational gains. Energy consumption is reduced by about half compared to mercury systems. LED lamps last significantly longer and turn instantly on and off, removing downtime linked to warm-up or cooling phases. Their design eliminates mercury, avoids ozone generation, and requires no external cooling, all of which simplifies compliance and makes integration into coating lines easier. These advantages, already validated in the curing of inks and adhesives, are now fully demonstrated for silicone release coatings, including on high speed lines and in linerless label constructions.

Sustainability goals across the label value chain further reinforce the adoption of LED technology. Reduced energy consumption, elimination of hazardous substances, and simpler equipment design directly support the ambitions of coaters and brand owners. 

At the same time, LED curable silicones support the expansion of linerless labels, one of the fastest growing segments in the industry. By removing the liner entirely, these constructions reduce raw material use, increase the number of labels per roll, and significantly decrease waste, transport weight, and storage requirements. LED curing enhances these benefits through rapid, low temperature, solvent free processing that fits perfectly with linerless substrates. In direct thermal applications, solutions such as SILCOLEASE UV POLY 126 illustrate how LED curing can combine productivity with excellent abrasion resistance, release and printing performances.

LED technology also contributes to Elkem’s broader sustainability strategy. By lowering electricity consumption, it helps reduce Scope 2 emissions at customer facilities. It complements Elkem’s initiatives to reduce Scope 3 emissions through the integration of recycled raw materials and lower carbon silicone technologies. Elkem has already introduced solvent-free thermal silicone systems incorporating recycled materials to promote circularity within release liner chains. When such innovations are combined with LED curing, the carbon savings extend across both manufacturing and end of life stages.

Today, LED curing for silicone release coatings is fully proven, reliable, and aligned with market dynamics. With rising energy prices, intensified sustainability requirements, and extreme volatility in platinum costs, the move to LED is increasingly unavoidable. LED curable silicones now offer the performance, stability, and environmental advantages the industry has been waiting for. For coaters aiming to secure long-term competitiveness while reducing operational and environmental impact, LED curing is a smart choice and the right choice. – Sebastien Marrot, product manager, Elkem