Episode 353 - Printing Against the Grain: How Vislo and HP Are Bringing Digital Production to Metal Packaging

What happens when an innovator refuses to accept that digital printing with HP Indigo technology on metal packaging is impossible?

In this episode of the FuturePrint Podcast, Marcus Timson speaks with Augusto França of Vislo and Amir Raziel of HP about the development of InnoCan: an indirect digital-printing process designed to bring the quality, flexibility and responsiveness of HP Indigo technology to three-piece metal packaging.

Augusto traces his journey from growing up around Brazil’s printing industry to confronting the limitations of conventional can decoration. Working with canmaker Brasilata, he recognised that lengthy offset set-ups, ageing machinery, large production batches and costly inventories created a compelling need for digital production.

The conversation explains how InnoCan prints onto a transparent film using HP Indigo ElectroInk before transferring the image to metal. A specialist coating developed with ACTEGA creates the required bond, producing a durable, high-quality result that can pass through established can-forming processes.

Amir discusses why the project attracted HP’s attention and why customer-led innovation is so powerful. Because the concept emerged from a genuine production environment, it addressed the complete application—including forming, slitting, coating, economics and market requirements—rather than focusing only on whether an image could be printed.

The guests also examine how digital production can reduce waste, inventory and working capital while allowing conventional offset equipment to focus on longer runs. Most revealingly, they explain why the greatest barrier was not the technology but the willingness of people and factories to change.

It is a story of curiosity, persistence and complementary expertise, and a compelling example of how collaboration can unlock entirely new industrial applications for digital print.

‍