Over the past decade, parts of the label industry have promoted a compelling narrative: that digital printing is not only growing but set to become the dominant force in industrial label production. The language is familiar – nonstop production, AI-driven automation, workflow intelligence, and exponential growth. It is an attractive storyline.

But when we look at global production realities rather than marketing narratives, a different picture emerges. Digital printing has been commercially available for more than a decade. It has secured a position in short runs and applications involving variable data and high SKU complexity. Yet despite sustained investment and refinement, it still represents a limited share of total global label production.

So the question is clear: are we witnessing dominance, or simply growth from a smaller base? Flexo, by contrast, continues to produce the vast majority of the world’s labels. That is not coincidence. It is industrial logic. L&NW sat down with Carsten Clemensen, CTO, Nilpeter, to learn more.

L&NW: Why does flexo continue to dominate?
CC: Label production is industrial manufacturing, governed by throughput, repeatability and cost efficiency at scale. Flexo aligns directly with those fundamentals.

In medium and long runs, it delivers strong production economics. It operates at high, stable speeds. It handles a broad range of substrates. It ensures consistent, verifiable color performance. And in volume production, it maintains a competitive cost per meter. These are structural advantages. As long as converters must protect margins and brands demand reliable supply chains, those fundamentals remain decisive.

L&NW: How should capacity be measured?
CC: “Nonstop production” is often presented as innovation. In reality, industrial flexo presses have operated continuously for decades. Capacity is measurable output: economically viable meters per hour, per shift, and per year. It is cost per label, energy efficiency, and overall equipment effectiveness in real production environments.

On those criteria, modern, highly automated flexo platforms remain exceptionally competitive. In many segments, they deliver higher total throughput and stronger cost structures than alternative technologies. Nonstop production is not a breakthrough. It is an industrial baseline.

L&NW: Is automation exclusive to digital?
CC: Automation and data integration are reshaping the industry. But automation is not exclusive to one technology. Advanced flexo platforms incorporate automated registration, closed-loop color control, servo-driven systems, rapid changeovers, and full workflow connectivity. They reduce manual intervention, minimize waste, and increase predictability.

The real transformation is not analog versus digital. It is manual versus intelligent manufacturing.

Flexo is evolving – within a framework already proven at scale.

L&NW: Are we seeing replacement – or segmentation?
CC: Digital technologies serve defined needs, particularly in short runs and highly variable applications. But as volumes increase, cost pressure intensifies or substrate demands expand, flexo continues to demonstrate economic strength.

Converters building resilient operations are not betting on a single process. They prioritize scalable platforms capable of handling the full production spectrum profitably. The relevant question is not which technology will replace the other, but which platforms deliver sustainable competitiveness across the widest range of industrial demands. In that equation, flexo remains central.

L&NW: What will define the future?
CC: Installation figures and growth percentages are relevant indicators, but they are not the full measure of industrial impact. Growth from a smaller installed base does not equal dominance in total production output.

Measured in global production volume, flexo remains the backbone of label manufacturing. The future will be defined by sustainable profitability, operational resilience, and scalable manufacturing models.

Flexo aligns with those requirements. It combines industrial throughput with technological advancement. It integrates automation without compromising economics. It scales efficiently. It delivers the cost structures global supply chains depend on.

At Nilpeter, we see the next phase of flexo as fully integrated production environments. Vision systems, AI-driven monitoring, and real-time data are becoming embedded elements of press architecture.

When automation, analytics, and workflow connectivity operate as one ecosystem, converters move closer to highly automated, self-correcting environments where human intervention becomes strategic rather than operational.

Digital printing serves defined applications. But the industrial core of label production — high-volume, performance-driven manufacturing,  will continue to rely on integrated, intelligent flexo platforms built for scale.

Beyond the hype, the fundamentals remain clear: Flexo is not legacy technology. Flexo is industrial technology. Flexo remains the future of industrial label printing – and an enabler of the dark factory.