The advancement of digital and flexographic printing presses has transformed the industry. The modernization of this equipment – which often includes automation and enhanced software – has simplified operation and positioned label converters for future customer demands. There are, however, tasks that standalone digital and flexographic presses cannot perform on their own. Enter hybrid presses.

Hybrid presses are touted for their combined digital flexibility and flexographic efficiency, taking place in one pass, with one operator and one web. Converters gain versioning speed, inline decoration and embellishment, along with waste reduction. These are critical advantages when turnaround time expectations shrink and SKU counts grow.

In fact, hybrid printing represents the innovative spirit often seen in the label and package printing industry. What once was a great idea has turned into a practical option for many companies.

“Looking at our industry, I’m continually encouraged by the level of innovation and ingenuity emerging across the sector; even in the face of challenges and volatility, print businesses continue to adapt and evolve,” says Dario Urbinati, CEO, Gallus Group. “Naturally, as these digital technologies have evolved, so too has hybrid printing – and the real challenge in recent years wasn’t in the capabilities of the technology itself, but in bridging the gap between the promise of digital and the reality of implementing it effectively on the printshop floor, whether as a standalone solution or part of a hybrid workflow.”

Label converters have bought in to this technology – and their improvements – as more and more continue to adopt hybrid. “Hybrid has matured from a concept to a true one-pass production solution – with integrated control, color management, and uptime that match standalone digital,” states Steve Lynn, executive director, North America, Durst. “Early hybrids were mechanical marriages. Today’s platforms are engineered from the ground up – digital and flexo working together as one system, not two separate machines inline. The early hybrids were also lower resolution that struggled to match the needs of the prime label market in terms of quality and cost. 1200 dpi inkjet raised quality and speed while lowering cost. That, twinned with tighter integration in hybrid, has made it a more viable or alternative solution compared to flexo.”

“With inline finishing and embellishment, converters can deliver shelf-ready products straight off the press,” adds Ken Brown, product and business development manager, Bobst. “For many printers, hybrid is the most cost-effective way to handle short and mid runs while keeping operations streamlined with the flexibility and time-to-market offered by digital technology.”

Hybrid press technology has also proven beneficial when dealing with the newest substrates on the market. Materials have evolved to meet brand owner demand for eye-catching labels – especially with embellishments – and the converting process is critical here.

“Enhancing labels is simple thanks to inline, end-to-end finishing such as varnishes and diecutting. Even increasing printing technology capability through primer applications on challenging material is also an end-to-end process on a hybrid machine,” explains Brown. “There is a high variety of embellishment inline, such as foil, lamination, screen printing and additional applications, such as multi-layer, with future-proof upgradability.”  

For Gallus, hybrid printing also represents a shift in mindset as much as in technology. Hybrid isn’t about replacing digital or conventional, it’s about bridging the two technologies intelligently. This gives businesses the ultimate flexibility to play in the spaces they are required.

“The real benefit of hybrid technology today is flexibility without tradeoffs,” comments Urbinati. “It gives converters the freedom to take on a wider range of work – from high-quality, short-run digital jobs to longer, more cost-sensitive flexo runs – all within a single, efficient platform. That means more uptime, less waste, and faster changeovers. But more than that, it’s about being able to take the best parts of each technology and combine them in a way that makes sense for your business. Every converter’s needs are unique, and hybrid printing allows you to build a workflow that truly fits those needs, with the quality, speed, and efficiency you require, without having to lock yourself into one fixed approach.”

The results are available out in the market, too – and digital is not always a core feature. Masterpress, an international label provider, has relied on hybrid printing to meet the demands of discerning brands. While hybrid often refers to the combination of analog and digital technologies, Masterpress utilizes multiple analog print technologies within one press line, offering greater flexibility.

“Masterpress uses hybrid presses that integrate analog print technologies in a single press such as flexo and gravure or flexo and offset,” states Gabriel Magdaleno, marketing director, Masterpress. “It evolved because this hybrid setup provides more flexibility in the press configuration. Masterpress can put multiple gravure units in different orders, as opposed to sticking to a set configuration.”

Currently, Masterpress boasts seven hybrid presses in its machine park, which are primarily used for shrink sleeve label printing. In the area of R&D, Masterpress uses an ultra-hybrid press that supports all of the company’s product developments. The ultra-hybrid press integrates UV flexo, gravure, and screen printing in any order, with a mid-web configuration up to 430mm wide.

“At our core, we envision a future where hybrid thinking seamlessly converges with hybrid printing, revolutionizing the landscape of packaging and labeling solutions,” he adds. “We’re not just about adapting to change – we’re about driving it.”

Masterpress has benefited because hybrid allows different ink and print technologies, such as solvent, UV flexo, and gravure, to be combined to solve real challenges. These could include creating retentive ink systems that prevent bleeding and improve recyclability.

“Masterpress can combine the best of each printing technology and adapt it accordingly,” comments Magdaleno. “For example, the company can print multiple designs in one single run – increasing flexibility and cost-efficiency, while delivering the quality gained from each of these technologies. The flexibility gained with hybrid printing expands the scope of what can be developed while also remaining economically competitive.”

Process Selection

Depending on a label converter’s book of business, any one of digital, flexo, or hybrid presses could make sense when exploring new technology.

Standalone digital label printing tends to dominate in fast-turn, short/medium runs. Meanwhile, hybrid printing is selected when a large share of work is medium/long run quantities (>15k feet) and requires varnish or lamination, or cold foil and diecutting in one pass.

According to Durst, hybrid makes the most sense if converters are running longer, versioned campaigns, where consolidating multiple web passes saves hours of WIP and handling. These jobs might also feature limited material changes and common die patterns but regularly changing graphics.

“A simple rule of thumb: If most jobs are short, fast-turn, and light on embellishment, go standalone digital,” explains Durst’s Lynn. “If complexity and inline decoration are frequent – and you value one pass – go hybrid. Now that 1200 dpi inkjet is becoming a mainstream technology, many successful plants run both, routing by run-length, complexity, and due date.”

Markets served is also a key consideration. “Digital is great for ultra-short runs and variable data,” says Bobst’s Brown. “Flexo excels at mid or long runs. Hybrid shines in the middle, where converters are juggling many SKUs, frequent artwork changes, and short-to-medium runs that still demand high productivity. It’s a smart move for markets like craft beverages, cosmetics and specialty foods, where designs change often, lead times are tight, and brand differentiation matters.

“The importance lies in job repeatability across technologies, to make sure the job is movable across different platforms, and regardless of the initial press where it has been printed,” adds Brown. “Hybrid presses are a great player to switch between flexo and digital, keeping the brand’s needs.”

Masterpress utilizes hybrid technology predominantly for shrink sleeve production. Aligned with upcoming 2030 EU recycling guidelines, Masterpress is also expanding into flexible packaging and mono-material solutions, as well as packaging solutions that include side-gusset envelopes, bottom-gusset envelopes, and paper-padded envelopes for the e-commerce sector.

As Gallus’ Urbinati cautions, however, production demands are always nuanced and constantly evolving, shaped by everything from customer expectations to market trends and business strategy. 

“Broadly speaking, when we start pitting technologies against each other, we risk missing the bigger picture,” he says. “Even within digital, which has traditionally been reserved for short runs, new solutions like our Gallus Five are shifting those boundaries. Breakeven points are moving, parameters are more flexible, and the lines between technologies are increasingly blurred. That’s why we’ve been so focused on both expanding the potential of digital and hybrid printing – making them viable across a broader range of applications – and embedding modularity at the core, so converters can create production platforms that are truly purpose-built, leveraging whatever mix of technologies they need and adapting as those needs change.

“Using our TCO calculator and System to Compose approach, we work closely with customers to identify and configure the most suitable, profitable solution – whether that’s digital, hybrid, conventional, or a combination of all three,” adds Urbinati. “Ultimately, it’s about shifting the conversation from ‘either/or’ to a more holistic approach that considers the entire workflow and builds the right ecosystem for each business.”

Operator Consideration

Given the workforce challenges facing the label manufacturing industry, the skill sets and presence of operators are paramount. Digital printing presses have often been lauded for their simplicity of operation, whereas flexographic press operation has historically been considered an artform. 

“Many of the complexities that once made hybrid setups challenging have been eliminated,” remarks Gallus’ Urbinati. “Intuitive HMIs, automated processes, and unified digital workflows make it simple for operators to switch between – or even combine – print modes seamlessly.”

The inclusion of automation has made hybrid printing far more easy to learn, too. “Hybrid systems today are intuitive – digital calibration, register, and tension are automated, making complex jobs simple to run,” explains Durst’s Lynn. “Work has also gone into making changeovers simpler and shorter with minimal waste.”

“Inline quality control systems automatically alerting operators is the evolution of how technology supports zero-fault label production [for operators],” says Bobst’s Brown.

From the converter standpoint, Masterpress – which utilizes conventional technologies in its hybrid setup – requires its operators to understand multiple print processes and how to sequence them effectively. Operators also need to be aware of ink compatibility and curing parameters.   

Education is key in this endeavor, as well. Heidelberg recently launched Gallus Print Academy, an on-site training program to help customers transition smoothly from conventional to digital and
hybrid printing. 

“It goes beyond basic machine operation, providing comprehensive guidance on workflows, processes, and operational strategies to maximize efficiency, quality, and consistency across the entire production environment,” says Urbinati. “For us, helping operators really embrace the possibilities of hybrid, moving past ‘just digital’ or ‘just flexo’ is key to unlocking the real, powerful potential of truly integrated solutions on the shop floor.”

Product Innovation

To meet demand for hybrid presses, suppliers have introduced a host of new product innovations. Many of these were on display at Labelexpo Europe 2025, as well.

For example, Bobst offers solutions for any converter needs. These solutions are scalable over time due to their future-proof characteristics with the Digital Master series label press, available in 340″ and 510″ web widths. Whether only digital plus embellishments or whether complicated shapes with automated diecutting is needed to produce the label the brand owner needs, Bobst aims to offer converters a one-partner solution for end-to-end label production. 

“As of today, Bobst FlexJet integration as a new module to be added to the Digital Master series label press empowers converters to print in one single pass. They can run complicated jobs, such as multi-layer labels, or print on glue or on the liner in one single pass, having the finished label at the end of the press,” says Brown.

Inline quality control with Bobst Accucheck is also another prominent feature for Durst. This technology allows converters to produce zero-fault labels, thanks to its full inspection after printing. The operator therefore maintains extra continuous control over label production. Bobst Accucheck also performs automatic calibration. Plus, Bobst Connect allows data monitoring and performance analysis in real time, from any device. 

Meanwhile, Durst has developed the KJet Hybrid, which combines Tau RSC 1200 dpi inkjet with advanced flexo units for true one-pass printing, coating, embellishment, and diecutting. 

The KJet is built around Durst’s 1200 dpi RSC print engine and is available in 13″, 17″ or 20″ web widths with plate cylinder or sleeve flexo options and full or semi-rotary diecutting. All these facets are tightly integrated for maximum versatility, productivity, and profitability.

For Heidelberg and Gallus, their recent landmark development in hybrid printing has been the newly-launched Gallus Five. This press represents the next generation of hybrid technology, as a high-performance, fully integrated, and modular press platform within Gallus’ System to Compose concept. Designed from the ground up for industrial production, the Gallus Five combines productivity and print speeds of up to 100 m/m with the quality, flexibility, and reliability that converters require. 

“What’s exciting about the Gallus Five isn’t just the technology itself, but what it represents: a clear signal of where the industry is heading,” states Gallus’ Urbinati. “It embodies our vision for a smart, connected future, where modularity, digitalization, and performance converge to help converters operate more efficiently, profitably, and with far greater flexibility than ever before.”

Complementing this press, the Gallus One underscores the companies’ commitment to scalable digital solutions – a compact yet powerful inkjet press that combines premium print quality with modular flexibility, enabling converters to integrate units for flexo, screen, cold foil, diecutting, and more.

“In terms of our other longstanding hybrid technologies, we continue to see strong, sustained, long-term interest and demand for the Gallus Labelfire, which is a testament not only to its capabilities and performance but also to how effectively hybrid solutions can serve customers and deliver real results on the printshop floor. And they have continued to do so at scale,” Urbinati concludes.