HP Indigo champions India’s digital packaging leap

The conversation around digital transformation takes a decisive turn at the Labelexpo Europe 2025 show. Arnon Goldman, general manager for Asia-Pacific at HP Indigo, outlines how India’s converters are not just adopting digital technologies but driving a global shift in how labels and packaging are produced.

“India’s label market is dynamic, diverse and rapidly evolving,” Goldman says. With a value exceeding INR 10,500-crore, it reflects a new confidence among converters embracing agility, quality and sustainability. “Our portfolio is uniquely positioned to support both emerging converters and established high-volume players, thanks to our scalable technology and deep understanding of market needs,” he adds.

From short runs to smart runs

Goldman says the evolution of India’s label sector is visible in how converters define short-run work. “The idea of a short run has changed. It no longer means 1,000 or 5,000 labels. For many converters, it now means 1,00,000 labels divided into 40 or more unique designs,” he explains. “That level of complexity and versioning is where Indigo truly shines.”

The HP Indigo 6K Digital Press continues to anchor the market for converters handling intricate, high-value designs with tight turnaround requirements. “As demand grows for faster delivery and SKU proliferation, especially in sectors like food and beverage, our newer presses such as the HP Indigo V12 and 200K are designed to meet higher throughput needs while maintaining the same benchmark of quality and agility,” Goldman says.

Central to the portfolio is Indigo’s proprietary Liquid Electro Photography (LEP) technology, which delivers offset-like print quality through liquid inks and precise image control. “LEP allows converters to reproduce fine detail, vivid colours and smooth tonal transitions that stand out on the shelf,” he says. The process enables consistent output across multiple substrates, making it ideal for converters competing on design and differentiation.

Agility meets profitability
The shift to digital is not simply about shorter runs, Goldman notes. It represents a complete rethinking of converter economics. “With new brands entering the market and established players expanding their portfolios, digital printing is no longer a luxury but a necessity,” he says. “HP Indigo is empowering Indian converters to adopt agile workflows, personalise packaging and deliver to market faster.” He believes the growth of digital is reshaping how converters perceive value.

“This shift is changing not just how converters print, but how they think about profitability and differentiation in an SKU-driven economy.”India’s position in the Indigo ecosystem is increasingly strategic. “Indian converters are no longer testing digital in pilot projects; they are scaling it for high-volume, mainstream applications, including digital flexible packaging.”

Goldman says. “With its expanding economy, a surge in new brands and the rapid rise of SKU diversity, the country is now one of the biggest growth engines in our transformation." The company’s philosophy, he adds, can be summed up simply: “Small is the next big.” As brands launch new SKUs tailored to regional preferences, Indigo technology enables converters to meet this pressure with flexibility and precision. 

“The pressure to deliver variety and quality quickly has never been higher,” Goldman says. “Our presses give converters the tools to meet that demand confidently.”

Automation as the next frontier
For HP Indigo, the next phase of transformation lies in automation and AI. “Our strategy is focused on efficiency, predictability and profitability,” Goldman explains. “The roadmap is built around automation, AI and sustainability.”

Real-time analytics, predictive maintenance and remote diagnostics form the foundation of this vision. “These tools reduce downtime, improve utilisation and give converters insights into how their operations perform,” Goldman says. AI-driven software further optimises job sequencing, identifies upselling opportunities and enhances workflow precision.

“These systems are particularly relevant for Indian converters managing frequent job changes and shorter runs,” he adds. “With these efficiencies, converters can achieve global quality benchmarks and confidently serve export markets in regions such as the Middle East and Europe.”

Automation, Goldman says, goes beyond efficiency—it drives scalability. “The goal is not just to automate processes but to help converters scale sustainably, without adding disproportionate costs or complexity.”

Sustainability in practice
Sustainability sits at the centre of HP Indigo’s strategy, both globally and in India. “Our presses are built using a CO2-neutral process and designed to reduce waste through efficient short-run production,” Goldman says. “By avoiding overproduction and excess inventory, converters can align their environmental goals with smarter business economics.” This approach, he believes, resonates strongly in India. 

“With fast product cycles and an expanding SKU base, converters need to stay flexible while reducing waste. HP Indigo supports the use of recyclable substrates and food-safe certified inks that meet both local and global compliance standards.” By combining environmental responsibility with operational agility, Indigo presses allow converters to make sustainability a business advantage. 

“It is not just about meeting regulations,” Goldman notes. “It is about creating packaging that is better for the planet and more relevant for today’s consumers.” HP Indigo’s sustainability ecosystem extends to its supply chain and service infrastructure. “We want to reduce the carbon footprint across the full lifecycle of our presses, from manufacturing to end-of-life,” Goldman says. “Every press shipped today represents progress towards that goal.”

The next leap
Goldman sees the company’s next major growth phase in flexible packaging. “While labels remain a strong growth engine, Indigo’s next big leap is in flexibles,” he says. “The HP Indigo 200K Digital Press is redefining the space by offering a cost-efficient and scalable solution for high-demand applications such as pouches, sachets and flow wraps.” The press delivers a productivity of up to 6,00,000-sqm per month and a wider web width, enabling converters to diversify into adjacent packaging markets without compromising on speed or quality. 

“It gives converters the flexibility to handle both small customised jobs and industrial-scale production within the same ecosystem,” Goldman says. This vision is already visible in India through Spectalpack, a Bengaluru-based converter that invests in two HP Indigo 200K presses at Labelexpo Europe 2025 to expand its digital packaging capacity. “We are already running the first press at maximum capacity,” says Pritesh Dalmia, co-founder and director of Spectalpack. “The second and third were planned to meet a constant demand and a business model that we see as scalable.”

Dalmia describes short runs as the new volume driver. “Short run does not just mean 1,000 or 5,000 pieces. It could be a job of 1,00,000 pieces split into 40 designs. With new brands launching regularly, packaging becomes their most important differentiator,” he says. Spectalpack’s growth model is built on turnaround speed, with service hubs planned to ensure seven-day pouching and one-day national transit. “We are not selling packaging; we are selling time,” Dalmia notes.

A Appadurai, country manager for HP Indigo India, calls the investment a milestone. “If they were not successful, no one would invest in three engines within a year,” he says. “They have redefined our idea of plug and play into plug and profit.” He adds that HP Indigo is nearing double-digit installations of its wide-web presses in India, signalling that converters are beginning to scale digital flexible packaging for mainstream use.

Goldman sees such examples as validation of the company’s long-term strategy. “The growth of converters like Spectalpack proves that the digital flexible packaging revolution has begun,” he says. “It demonstrates how scalability, speed and quality now go hand in hand.”

A connected digital future
With over 300 Indigo presses installed across India, HP’s digital footprint now reaches beyond metropolitan cities into tier-two and tier-three markets. “That is India’s real strength,” Goldman says. “The speed at which digital is expanding beyond metros is remarkable.” He believes that collaboration will be key to sustaining this momentum. “Our role is not only to sell machines but to support the ecosystem—through training, customer service and workflow integration,” he says. 

“The future of digital packaging is collaborative, automated and sustainable, and India is leading that change.” As the halls of Fira Barcelona close after a record-breaking Labelexpo, Goldman reflects on the bigger picture. “Digital transformation is not a one-time shift,” he says. “It is a continuous journey. Every label, every converter and every brand in India is part of that story.”