Jet Technologies has completed the installation of a second Screen Truepress Jet L350UV SAI at PDQ Labels, making it the first converter in the ANZ region with two machines, doubling its inkjet output capacity for the next phase in its digital production strategy.
Having integrated its first Screen L350 in 2021, PDQ has since seen a structural shift in customer ordering behaviour.
Shorter runs, increased stock keeping unit (SKU) counts and just-in-time inventory models are now the norm, placing pressure on traditional flexographic workflows.
“Since installing our first Screen a number of years ago we have noticed a massive shift in how people are ordering and the limitations that flexo was putting on us,” said Paul Bentham, managing director at PDQ Labels.
“Customers are increasingly working with a just-in-time approach and don’t want to worry about how artwork changes will affect plate costs.” he said.
While flexo remains suited to high-volume adhesive labels and wide web flexible packaging, it is increasingly impractical for mid-volume, multi-SKU work where plate production, changeovers and material waste add time and cost.
In contrast, the L350’s plate-free digital workflow enables seamless job transitions and inline variable data printing at speeds of up to 60 metres per minute.
Jet Technologies’ Print & Finishing Product Manager, Darryl Wilson, says the installation reflects a broader shift in how the label industry approaches digital production.
“Ten years ago, running a 10,000-metre job digitally would have been unconventional. Today, for much of the label market, it’s standard practice,”
“The addition of a second Screen L350 positions PDQ to be at the forefront of this change and a market leader in the digital label shift.” explained Wilson.
PDQ regularly produces jobs comprising 40 to 50 product variations in the same format. Under a flexo model, each changeover could result in five to 15 minutes of downtime and significant substrate waste.
With two L350 presses operating side by side, the company can now transition between SKUs without stopping the press, helping to reduce waste while improving throughput and cost efficiency.
“By investing in next-generation UV inkjet technology, we’re strengthening our ability to deliver predictable, high-quality label production at scale,” said Bentham.
The second press more than doubles digital output per shift and expands PDQ’s capability across flow wrap, shrink sleeves and other flexible packaging formats, positioning the business to respond to ongoing SKU proliferation and evolving brand demands.
Director of Jet Technologies, Jack Malki, said the installation reflects a broader inflection point in label manufacturing.
“Digital inkjet has moved beyond being an alternative to flexo. For many converters, it is now the production backbone,” Malki said.
“As SKU complexity increases and lead times tighten, advanced inkjet provides the consistency, speed and flexibility required to compete.” he said.
With its expanded Screen platform now fully operational, PDQ Labels is scaling a digital model designed for modern supply chains, where agility, repeatability and efficient changeovers are no longer advantages, but expectations.
