Press release submitted on behalf of Mark Andy

The annual Student Open House, organized by Mark Andy at its Technology Center in Warsaw (Poland), was a resounding success.  This year’s event, which took place on April 11, gathered a record number of participants, with more than 170 students attending from print-oriented high schools and technical universities, accompanied by faculty representatives.  Five institutions were represented: the Department of Printing Technology at the Institute of Mechanics and Printing at Warsaw University of Technology, the Armia Krajowa Printing and Mechanical School Complex in Katowice, the Center for Vocational and Continuing Education in Pionki, the Ignacy Moscicki School Complex in Zielonka, and Technical School No. 11 named after Piotr Wysocki in Warsaw.

You can watch a video of the event on Mark Andy’s LinkedIn profile

“Events devoted to young people entering the world of print are always special to us,”  said Lena Chmielewska-Bontron, European Marketing Manager Mark Andy, who welcomed guests to the Technology Center.   “We’re thrilled to announce that this year’s event exceeded our greatest expectations.  We enjoyed record-breaking attendance, with more than 170 students and pupils visiting us in a single day.  That’s 50% more than we hosted last year in two separate events.  

Chmielewska-Bontron adds that the attendance reflects the growing appeal of the printing and labeling industry and an increasing awareness among educational institutions that practical experience is as important as theoretical knowledge.
Mark Andy prepared live demos for two of the narrow-web printing presses installed at its Technology Center.  The presentations, led by Sales Manager Lukasz Chruslinski, introduced students to the unique features of each press.  The demos included Mark Andy’s Digital Series HD HighSpeed 1200 – the world’s fastest hybrid UV inkjet press dedicated to label production; and Mark Andy’s ProSeries flexo model.  The ProSeries demos were supported by DuPont, a partner for the event, who supplied the flexo printing plates.

Lukasz Chruslinski explained the construction of each press, their target markets and applications, and how these impact on Mark Andy’s diverse product portfolio.  In his introduction, he also referred to the current trends in the label industry.  “Our lives, both personal and business, are driven by constant change.  We’re bombarded with stimuli and factors beyond our control.  This naturally affects our behavior as consumers responding to packaging and labels.  Ultimately, technological change affects production for printers and converters.  That’s why we’re seeing the growing popularity of linerless labels, fueled by increased demand for food-to-go/ready-to-eat meals, and RFID tags, which are becoming standard in a wide range of retail stores.”  

He adds that as a leading manufacturer of narrow-web presses and complementary solutions, Mark Andy is focused on staying ahead of these changes, aligning with its belief that ‘Your Growth is Our Growth’.   

 Mark Andy sales, printing, and service specialists made themselves available for several hours to engage with students, and the interest was high: “To see so many students and pupils actively engaged, asking questions, joining discussions, and looking closely at the presses made for a great day, adds Chmielewska-Bontron.”  The samples of various designs of printed labels, substrates, and finishing/embellishment options also attracted huge interest.  One of the highlights was real-time label printing on Digital Series HD HighSpeed 1200 hybrid press, with plenty of photos taken during the event.  

Przemyslaw Polkowski, General Manager at Mark Andy Europe concluded:  “We’d like to thank all the students, pupils and faculty staff for their attendance.  Their interest, enthusiasm and engagement were of a truly high level this year.  This fills us with pride and gives us hope for the future development of our industry.  Training and education are key factors in this process, and we are committed to playing an ongoing role, which means we are already looking forward to welcoming print-oriented schools and universities to the next Students Open House in 2026 – so, see you then!”

For more information, visit

Press release submitted on behalf of Duplo USA Corporation

Duplo USA Corporation, Santa Ana, California, is excited to announce its participation in the ISA Sign Expo 2025, taking place April 23–25 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Attendees are invited to visit booth #3255 to experience live demonstrations of Duplo’s latest advancements in on demand print embellishment, packaging, and finishing technology.

Designed to help print providers elevate their business capabilities, Duplo will showcase a powerful lineup of automated solutions that deliver precision and versatility across a range of applications.

Featured equipment includes:
• DuSense DDC-8000 B2 Raised Spot UV Coater – Adds stunning tactile enhancements for prints that stand out.
• DSM-1000 B2 Platen Die Cutter – Engineered for efficient packaging and high-precision shape cutting.
• DPC-600 PKG Digital Die Cutter – Ideal for cutting thicker substrates such as corrugated, chip, and PVC boards.
• DC-648 Slitter/Cutter/Creaser – A versatile solution for precision finishing of digital print applications.
• Multigraf Touchline CF375 Creaser Folder – High-speed creasing and folding for high-volume workflows.
• DFL-700 Foil/Laminator – Applies toner and polymer foil as well as laminate for budget-friendly embellishments.

Print providers interested in attending the show can register for complimentary passes using promo code 134761 at www.signexpo.org.

Press release submitted on behalf of LabelExpo Mexico

Part of the Labelexpo Global Series, the Informa Markets event attracted industry delegations and experts from 52 countries in Latin America.

Labelexpo Mexico 2025 in Guadalajara delivered a larger event, with double the machinery, higher foot traffic and greater show floor sales than the previous edition. The move from Mexico City, strategically placed to better serve a fast-growing region and a thriving and dynamic hub for label and packaging converters, has been positively welcomed by the industry in the region.

Held at the Expo Guadalajara between 1-3 April, the event attracted 6,655 label and packaging converters and industry professionals, representing a 15% increase in visitors since the 2023 event in Mexico City. Attracting visitors beyond the host country, Labelexpo Mexico welcomed the wider Latin American community from countries such as Colombia, Guatemala, Brazil, Costa Rica, Peru and Argentina with the total international presence spanning 52 countries.

Labelexpo Mexico Event Manager, Mirco Mazzarella, said: “Guadalajara has enabled us to expand Labelexpo Mexico to be our largest and most influential to date, providing the Latin American industry with the innovation, technology and intelligence necessary to bolster this fast-growing market. The location and scale of the 2025 edition, combined with a high quality of visitors in attendance, ensured more meaningful connections were formed and, consequently, the necessary links to evolve and transform the industry.”

Nearly doubling in size from the previous edition, the 2025 exhibition hosted more than 200 exhibitors representing all aspects of the label and packaging supply chain, including press manufacturers, material suppliers, pre-press specialists, and finishing technology companies.

This year’s event also marked a significant increase in technology on display, where visitors saw equipment from digital press manufacturers Domino, Durst, Flora, HanGlory Group, Konica Minolta, Sun Digital representing HP, Pulisi and Wiegang. Etirama, Flexi Vel, Mark Andy, Nilpeter and Rotocon brought flexo equipment, giving visitors to Labelexpo Mexico 2025 the opportunity to see live demonstrations of the latest printing and converting technologies.

Héctor Yáñez, Director of Marketing, graphic arts at Fujifilm de Mexico, said: “The event has gone very, very well. [We noticed] there have been many more visitors than the previous edition in Mexico City, with a strong, continuous flow.”

Amir Dekel, VP of Sales at GEW, Inc., commented: “Labelexpo Mexico this year was larger than previous shows in the region and showed the growth of this market in Latin America. The GEW booth was busy with existing customers and new prospects throughout the show. We successfully closed a significant amount of business in the booth and opened several new opportunities for the near and far future.”

Finishing and converting suppliers like A B Graphic, Brotech, Cartes, Dimatra, Hontec, Golden Laser, Lemorau, and Rhyugan showcased equipment for coating, die-cutting, slitting and embellishment, helping converters add value to their labels and packaging. Key materials suppliers presented innovative substrates, adhesives and coatings, offering converters new technologies to enhance print quality performance with companies such as Arclad, Avery Dennison, Fedrigoni Self-Adhesives, Cosmo Films and UPM Raflatac represented. Software and ancillary suppliers also had a strong showing with innovations on display to help converters streamline operations and boost productivity.

Jade Grace, Managing Director of Labelexpo Global Series, said: “Labelexpo continues to be the preeminent event for the label and package printing industry around the world, providing our regional communities with the most comprehensive showcase of suppliers, technology and contacts indispensable to drive the industry forward. Seeing this edition nearly double in size and an increase of 15% in visitors is a testament to the relevance of having the entire value chain represented at the event. We will continue to serve our industry and bring the best and most relevant players in the industry.”

Labelexpo Mexico, a biennial event, alternates between Mexico City and Guadalajara. In 2027, it will return to Mexico City from 26-28 May at Centro Banamex. For more information, visit www.labelexpo-mexico.com.

Amplify is where print and packaging designers, commercial printers, print finishers, binders, mailers and creatives come together with the equipment and suppliers to those industries. Join us for an immersive three-day experience and gain the inspiration, knowledge and network to amplify your business.

Amplify, the Print Finishing & Embellishment Event, a collaborative venture of WhatTheyThink and the Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA), Topeka, Kansas, will include an exhibition and educational program spotlighting the entire print finishing and embellishment value chain. The three-day experience will take place June 10-12, 2025, in Rosemont (Chicago), IL, at the Rosemont Convention Center.

Amplify Print has announced the latest program and demonstration on the show floor in the Technology Zone. The program will take place on the Sakurai Maestro MS-80DDS cylinder screen press for spot UV coating with its ScreenFoil LQM-105 hot foil stamper. The fully automated, labor-saving DDS press was designed for easier operation and a scratch-free conveying function, even for difficult materials. New features to improve operability and efficiency include a larger LCD touch screen operating panel, a presetting mechanism for sheet size and plate positioning and a remote access function to simplify operation and maintenance. Sakurai’s exclusive CCD optical camera registration system checks register marks for sheet alignment to improve productivity and performance. The ScreenFoil LQM-105 hot foil stamper improves productivity and allows both screen coating and hot foil technology as an optional processing function in one system. High accuracy of registration with the foil on multiple impositions will be on display and discussed. The Sakurai Screen Coater program and demonstration will take place June 10th at 3:30 p.m. on the show floor.

“The live programming and demonstrations in the Technology Zone provide education for the attendees right on the show floor,” stated FSEA Executive Director, Jeff Peterson.

For a complete line of speakers, Technology Zone programming and presentations, as well as registration, hotel and a list of exhibitors, visit www.amplifyprint.org.
To register for Amplify, please visit: https://amplifyprint.org/attend.

ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK
WhatTheyThink is a non-profit membership organization serving the broader printing industry. As the independent voice of the industry, it is the go-to information source with both print and digital offerings, including WhatTheyThink.com, WhatTheyThink Email Newsletters, and the WhatTheyThink magazine. Our mission is to inform, educate, and inspire the industry as well as provide a platform that can support our members in making better business and buying decisions. We provide cogent news and analysis about trends, technologies, operations, and events in all the markets that comprise today’s printing and sign industries including commercial, in-plant, mailing, finishing, sign, display, textile, industrial, labels, packaging, marketing technology, software and workflow. We also work to attract a new generation of print enthusiasts to the industry as well as striving to build and nurture an essential community for print excellence. For more information, visit Whattheythink.com or (412) 716-6565.

ABOUT THE FOIL & SPECIALTY EFFECTS ASSOCIATION
The Foil & Specialty Effects Association (FSEA) has worked toward industry awareness and growth since its inception in 1992, providing a wide range of resources to help print-finishing companies remain profitable today and in the future. From tangible benefits offered through cost-saving programs to educational opportunities (conferences, webinars, case studies and articles) to green initiatives proving the sustainability of foil decorated paper/board, the FSEA strives to provide its members with ideas, data and solutions to grow in today’s marketplace. The association serves as a resource and educational platform for traditional and digital print decorating technologies, including foil stamping, embossing, cold foil technologies, specialty coatings, laminates and laser cutting.

Learn more about Amplify, visit amplifyprint.org, or contact us at info@amplifyprint.org.

Press release submitted on behalf of Mark Andy and Esko

Esko, Ghent, Belgium, a graphic arts company producing prepress software and hardware for the packaging and labels, sign and display and publishing industries, and Mark Andy, Chesterfield, Missouri, a pioneer of the graphic arts and printing industry, held an Innovation Day in March. The main topics discussed at the recent meeting were production process optimization, cost reduction and increased efficiency which are the key challenges facing label printers in the current market.

The special Esko – Mark Andy Innovation Day, devoted to European label printers and converters, took place at the Mark Andy Technology Center in Warsaw on March 5th. In addition to technology presentations from Esko, attendees had the opportunity to take part in the live print demonstrations of Mark Andy presses. These included the flexo Evolution Series E5 and UV inkjet hybrid, the Digital Series HD HighSpeed 1200. Labels printed on both presses utilized advanced software solutions created by Esko, including Equinox, a tool dedicated to label and packaging production.

“The event opened our series of meetings scheduled in the Warsaw-based Technology Center for this year. Some are organized in cooperation with our technology partners,” said Lena Chmielewska-Bontron, European marketing manager for Mark Andy. “This time we partnered with Esko, which offers a wide range of advanced hardware and software solutions used by our mutual customers. The meeting attracted many attendees from Poland, Turkey, Croatia, Czech Republic and other countries. For us, it was a great opportunity to showcase the new presses in Mark Andy’s portfolio, including the fastest UV inkjet hybrid press on the market dedicated to label production, Digital Series HD HighSpeed 1200.” The international guests were welcomed by Mariusz Geras, sales manager at Esko, Lukasz Chruslinski and Antony Cotton, European sales managers at Mark Andy.

Market trends and technological innovations
The first speaker was Jan De Roeck, marketing director Esko, who highlighted the dynamic global changes and uncertainty affecting both businesses and consumers. He cited research results that outlined major business risks, the degree of preparedness for external crises, as well as preventative strategies implemented by companies. He emphasized the importance of digital transformation in the label production market, addressing issues such as shorter print runs and faster delivery time pressures. He identified key trends and technologies including automation, AI/machine ​​​​​learning and cloud computing, that will have significant impacts on the label and packaging industries. De Roeck also illustrated the value chain specifically for packaging and label makers, pointing out the role of Esko. As he underlined, Esko solutions are used in the production process of 9 out of 10 consumer packaging jobs. Some of these were presented in subsequent presentations and in context of their application in label production as demonstrated on the Mark Andy presses.

‘Revolution in prepress with Esko: From concept to print’
This was the title of the presentation given by Sam Coussens, application sales manager at Esko. He showed a complete workflow of a sample job file, from submission to final print, based on the Esko Automation Engine server. He covered successive stages of job processing: prepress, file approval, platemaking and printing. As he emphasized, over 3,000 licenses of the Esko Automation Engine are already being used worldwide, helping companies to reduce errors by up to 80%, increasing efficiency and workflow, and achieving time and financial savings. Coussens talked ​​​​​​about selected workflow modules: Equinox – designed for job preflight; ArtPro+ – dedicated to variable data printing (VDP); and quality control tools. He highlighted the importance of cloud-based job approval, remotely accessed by all process participants.

Innovations in Platemaking and Screening
The final Esko presentation was given by Nils Otto, solution architect for color & print. He presented Esko solutions for flexo platemaking and screening processes. He showcased optimized workflow for file preparation process, designed to bring measurable financial and environmental benefits. He also highlighted Esko’s flexo platemaking systems from numerous implementations worldwide. Finally, he spoke about standardization and calibration processes using the Esko Print Color Wizard tool. When combined with the Equinox module, it creates a complete ​​​​​​solution from press calibration to verification of final print. This offers cost savings while reducing the negative environmental impact of the print production process.

Mark Andy Presses Demo
After the theory came the practical, with attendees taking part in a ‘live’ demonstration of two of the narrow-web printing presses installed at the Mark Andy Technology Center in Warsaw. The demonstrations were led by Chrusliński and Cotton.

The hybrid Digital Series HD HighSpeed 1200 press attracted special interest from the event’s guests, owing to its recent global debut. Described by Mark Andy as the world’s fastest UV inkjet narrow web press dedicated to label production, it operates at twice the speed of its predecessor, the Digital Series HD model, which has been a sales success story for Mark Andy in many countries. It addresses the current market trends and customer requirements, as indicated in Esko’s earlier presentation: reduction in print run lengths; increasing demand for versioning/VDP; and a growing need to update or reprint previous jobs after necessary modifications.

Mark Andy is currently the market leader in sales of narrow web hybrid presses for label and package printing. “Moreover, our flagship models in this segment, the Digital Series HD and recently introduced Digital Series HD HighSpeed 1200, were developed entirely in-house. This means that our customers receive a complete end-to-end solution, including DFE software, from a single source. The package is assisted by a comprehensive Mark Andy 360 Support service care program,” stated Cotton.

The second demo featured the well-proven Evolution Series E5 flexo press, offering production speeds up to 230 m/min. As a scalable solution, it can be expanded and upgraded as user needs grow. Evolution Series E5 is available in 330 mm and 430 mm web widths and its application range includes labels, shrink sleeves, and IML. “This highly versatile press aligns perfectly with current market trends and flexographic applications,” said Cotton. “Its versatility is evidenced by the different types of work it produces, from specialized cosmetic tubes using unique technology to high-volume self-adhesive labels or shrink sleeves. Its range of applications can extend even further, depending on user specialization and target markets.”

Q&A Session
The event concluded with a Q&A session featuring representatives from Esko and Mark Andy. The questions covered technical aspects of the solutions presented as well as general topics including the current state of the market and the upcoming Labelexpo Europe trade fair, being held for the first time in Barcelona.

“We’d like to thank all customers who participated in the Esko – Mark Andy Innovation Day and hope they gained valuable theoretical and practical knowledge. Our Technology Center was designed as the place of learning, inspiration, experience exchange, competence building and knowledge sharing. In a few weeks’ time, we will be hosting students and pupils from printing colleges and high schools, and in June we are planning an Open House for customers from all over Europe. We hope that all these events, scheduled for the first half of the year, will be a great prelude to the forthcoming Labelexpo Europe in September,” concluded Chmielewska-Bontron.

For more information, visit www.esko.com or www.markandy.com.

Press release submitted on behalf of Harris & Bruno

Harris & Bruno International, Roseville, California, announced its participation at DSCOOP Edge Long Beach, where the company will spotlight cutting-edge advancements in digital embellishment and high-speed web coating. While no equipment will be displayed, Harris & Bruno will present a wide range of premium print samples that demonstrate the performance and impact of its ZRX and ZRW solutions.

ZRW: High-Speed Coating for Digital Web Presses
The ZRW is engineered to integrate seamlessly with HP’s PageWide Web Presses, delivering high-speed coating that keeps pace with press output, no slowdowns required. In many cases, printers can actually increase their production speeds while reducing ink usage simply by adding coating. This efficiency-focused solution is ideal for operations prioritizing speed, consistency, and cost-effectiveness.

ZRX: The Next Big Thing in Digital Embellishment
The ZRX is redefining what’s possible in digital embellishment. By combining precision inkjet technology with Harris & Bruno’s proven chamber-anilox coating system, the ZRX enables digital spot coating and foil stamping directly onto uncoated media; no lamination or external processes required.
Dscoop attendees will also get a chance to explore the exclusive xMatte effect, a distinctive finish that mimics embossing without the need for dies. It delivers a premium tactile experience and visual impact that adds instant value to any print.

See the Results Up Close and In Hand
While Harris & Bruno will not be showcasing live equipment, booth visitors will have the opportunity to interact with a wide range of high-impact samples, including:
● Digital embellishment on uncoated media
● The stunning xMatte emboss-like effect
● High-speed coating finishes that match the speed of HP web presses

Whether you’re looking to enhance throughput or elevate the sensory experience of your printed pieces, Harris & Bruno’s ZRX and ZRW platforms offer powerful solutions that are shaping the future of print.

For more information, visit www.harris-bruno.com.