Health, Hope and Inkjet: How Dursun Acun’s Eco-Driven Innovation is Unlocking New Markets for Digital Print
This article is inspired by a podcast interview with Dursun Acun, you can listen to the podcast here.
For years, the dream of digitally printing on flexible packaging and other complex substrates with water-based inks has hovered just out of reach. Too expensive, too technical, not robust enough — those were the common refrains. But now, thanks to the relentless drive and clear-headed vision of Turkish born, Netherlands based innovator Dursun Acun, that’s starting to change.
Dursun’s work may not yet be widely known, but it’s beginning to ripple through the industry. At the heart of his company, O&PM Europa BV, lies a big idea: that sustainable, safe chemistry can unlock real, commercially viable applications for water-based inkjet across a much wider range of substrates than was previously thought possible — including the elusive flexible packaging segment.
His story begins not in a lab or a boardroom, but with a practical request. “One of my customers asked me if I could develop a machine to print directly onto objects like bottles,” Dursun recalls. That question sparked a journey that led to the creation of the “label saver” — a direct-to-shape printer using water-based Memjet ink on plastics and metals. But early on, he hit a problem familiar to anyone working with water-based inks: adhesion.
Water-based ink doesn’t naturally stick to plastics or metals. To solve that, Dursun began developing his own primers — coating formulations that help the ink bond to the substrate. It took him three years to crack it. But he didn’t stop there.
As he shared updates on LinkedIn, Dursun noticed interest coming not just from people looking for direct-to-object solutions, but from the flexible packaging world too. “That’s when I realised we were solving two really big problems,” he says. “One: enabling digital direct-to-shape with water-based inkjet. And two: making flexible packaging printable with water-based too. That second one in particular felt like a big deal.”
He’s right. Flexible packaging is a vast market — estimated at over €30 billion — but it’s also one of the most challenging for digital print. The films are tricky to work with, often requiring expensive coatings or specialist machines. And while some large players have made inroads, the majority of converters have been priced out or limited to a narrow range of substrates.
That’s where Dursun’s primer technology comes in. Unlike thicker, more costly coatings on the market, his solution uses an ultra-thin layer to create excellent adhesion — not just on a handful of materials, but potentially on any substrate, including polyethylene, PET, paper, and even previously problematic surfaces. More importantly, converters don’t need to switch materials or change suppliers. “They can use what they’ve already got,” he says. “We can either coat it for them or help them coat it themselves.”
It’s not just technically elegant — it’s a game-changing commercial proposition. Lower costs, more flexibility and broader compatibility. In short: a way for converters to take back control and digitally print on their own terms.
But it’s not just about technical performance. For Dursun, this is personal. His drive to create safe, water-based solutions is rooted in the real-world. Decades ago, in his local Dutch community, workers at a nearby facility were exposed to toxic paints containing chromium-6. Sadly some later died of cancer. “That really stuck with me,” he says. “I don’t want to build something that harms people. I believe we can do good — and still build a strong business.”
That ethos runs through everything at O&PM. Ingredients flagged as carcinogenic? “We won’t even test them,” he says. And while he’s open to partnerships, he’s not willing to compromise on the safety and sustainability standards that underpin the business.
It’s a refreshing approach in business that often places performance and profit ahead of people and planet. But Dursun’s making the case that you don’t have to choose. In fact, by starting with health and sustainability, you can actually design and create stronger commercial opportunities.
Water-based inkjet, once dismissed as too difficult and problematic, is beginning to look like a smart bet. Cleaner, safer, and increasingly capable — especially when paired with the right chemistry. Dursun points out that many companies are still comparing water-based solutions to UV or solvent systems without recognising that it’s a fundamentally different category. “For some strange reason, when it comes to water based inkjet printing, people touch the print and start scratching it. But you wouldn’t do that to a paper label,” he says. “They’re just not seeing it as its own technology.”
The future, he believes, belongs to solutions that are safe, scalable, and versatile. But there’s still a large gap. The machines needed to deliver this vision are expensive and limited in substrate range — often upwards of €2 million. That’s why O&PM is now working to create a complete ecosystem: their primer chemistry plus mid-range digital printing systems that offer wide format capability for under €1 million. “The goal is to make this accessible. You shouldn’t need a huge budget to participate,” Dursun says.
He’s under no illusions. Scaling this will require partnerships — with OEMs, material suppliers, and converters who can see the opportunity and help bring it to life. “Nobody succeeds on their own,” he says. “Even Elon Musk had a team.”
But what Dursun does have is clarity — and a proven technology that can deliver. The primer works. The machines are in development. And the conversations are happening. What he needs now are the right collaborators to take the next step.
“I ask myself every day: am I doing the right thing?” he says. “And every time, I get confirmation. This is real. It’s proven. It’s not just a nice idea anymore.”
For converters and partners seeking a safer, smarter, and more flexible route into the future of print — the time to call Dursun might be now.