With over 650 exhibitors filling four halls and spread over approximately 1.3 million sq.ft. of exhibition space at the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona, and over 35,000 visitors expected to attend, next month’s LabelExpo Europe (16th to 19th September) enjoys its’ own label as the largest label and package printing industry event in the world.
LabelExpo Europe 2025 will boast 1.3 million sq.ft. of exhibition space at the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona
While the name Labelexpo suggests this is purely a label show, this year, folding carton and flexible packaging print and converting have been added, demonstrating the growing convergence between offset/digital print technologies and new flexible packaging solutions.
The show also looks to highlight the trend towards wider ‘mid-web’ press widths between 26-30ins (670-850mm). This wider format size is optimised for cost-effective printing of shrink sleeves, in-mould labels, wraparound labels, flexible packaging, and lightweight folding cartons.
Examples of mid-web presses at Labelexpo Europe 2025 will include the Omet X7, Mark Andy Performance Series S9, Lombardi Invicta i1, Spande AC and Nilpeter FA-26. Bobst and MPS will also promote their mid-web technology, although without actual presses on the show floor.
Visitors to the show will also see a range of hybrid flexo + UV inkjet press configurations, offering an almost unlimited combination of digital and conventional print, decoration, and converting units. One example of this on the show floor will be the 9-color 420mm-wide Durst KJET, incorporating the company’s LED-UV inkjet print engine, four flexo units, two multi-purpose lamination units, turn-bar and semi-rotary die-cut.
Gallus is keeping its new technology launch under wraps until the show, but it is expected to be built around its ‘System to Compose’ hybrid technology combining the Gallus One digital press and Labelmaster flexo platform.
Intermittent/semi-rotary will be the most common offset technology on show at Labelexpo Europe 2025, with equipment on show from Miyakoshi, Weigang, Zonten and Wanjie, amongst others. Rotary offset will also be represented, with Rotatek showing a print module from its redesigned Universal 850 rotary offset press. The company promises more information about the relaunch of the Brava semi-rotary press and work on AI modelling of ink-water balance. Comexi, meanwhile, promotes the latest version of its unique offset CI Evolution technology.
Heidelberg dominates the footprint for sheetfed offset technology, promoting the latest automation and inline coating and foiling technologies and post-processing systems for its Speedmaster presses, dedicated to wet glue and in-mould labels.
For folding cartons, inline flexography and rotary offset represent a disruptive alternative to the multi-stage sheetfed offset process, bringing the ability to produce a finished carton from the reel and to add multiple decoration and reverse printing steps inline.
Canon will demonstrate the Edale CartonLine UV flexo press at the show, configured with turnbar cold foil, lamination and flatbed die cutting.
Key digital trends at Labelexpo Europe 2025 include faster and higher resolution presses, a growing presence of water-based inkjet and a continued move towards LED-UV curing.
Looking at new launches, HP Indigo introduces the 6K+ digital press, incorporating the new SmartControlSystem, which combines AI-powered tools and press self-monitoring to increase machine uptime. This is shown alongside the high-speed HP Indigo V12.
Xeikon will showcase its TX500, running live demonstrations with in-line metallisation from Kurz. This is also the Labelexpo debut of Xeikon’s PX3300HD high-definition Panther inkjet press.
Durst is keeping the details of its new press launch under wraps until the show, describing it as a ‘compact, scalable’ 8-colour LED-UV press.
Konica Minolta presents the prototype of a new AccurioLabel press with an added IQ unit for in-line quality control.
Canon showcases its UVgel Factory for Labels, featuring the wide format Colorado M-series, Fotoba Jumbo Roll JRL 17 and Colex flatbed cutting table for automated roll printing and digital finishing of kiss-cut self-adhesives and labels.
Water-based inkjet presses are carving a niche, particularly in food and other migration-sensitive applications. Epson marks the commercial launch of its SurePress L-5034, operating at 13.5 m/min, while Canon promotes the LabelStream LS2000 CMYK+W water-based press. Arrow Systems’ new Memjet-based ArrowJet Bolt Hybrid Pro M includes inline priming and varnishing, operating at up to 150m/min.
Screen Europe launches its Truepress Label 350UV SAI-S with an inline primer unit to improve ink adhesion, reduces graininess, and allows for creative texture effects.
Another interesting launch is Epson’s D3000 UV-UIR PrecisionCore printhead, capable of imaging at 1200 DPI.
