PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2025- “Inkjet Takes the Strip”
By Holly Steedman, IST Intech
Welcome to Vegas for PACK EXPO - surprisingly with not an Elvis impersonator in sight!
Let me set the scene -With over 2,300 exhibitors the show has everything needed in the world of packaging, processing and the “packaging floor” showcased everything from product handling, filling and closures, through to decoration and digital finishing. What I was looking out for was how the digital print applications were being highlighted as part of the packaging value‑chain — not just simple coding and marking, but complex variable data, short‑run customisation and late‑stage print.
The show had a record number of exhibitors but even that being you can still notice how inkjet printing is more widely seen and there are new exhibitors coming from that area. A few years ago, digital print was seen mainly in continuous inkjet systems as a simple way of applying a best before date in recent years there has been a rise in DOD inkjet being used in a broader range of applications. This year, it was impossible to miss from single colour variable data to full-colour applications, inkjet DOD technology is clearly becoming a strong focus and contributor to this show. This year the technology is even higher on the agenda thanks to one of digital prints old friend – New regulations.
Understanding the New Regulation (EU) 2025/40
For anyone working in packaging, one acronym is dominating conversations right now: PPWR. Formally titled the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU) 2025/40, this legislation replaces the older Packaging Waste Directive and introduces a single, directly applicable set of rules across all EU Member States. It was formally adopted in 2025 and will start taking effect from 2027, with phased implementation through to 2030.
The regulation’s purpose is simple: to ensure that by 2030, all packaging placed in the EU market is recyclable or reusable. It introduces clear design-for-recycling criteria, mandatory reuse and refill targets for specific formats, and minimum requirements for recycled content in plastic packaging. The PPWR also aims to reduce unnecessary packaging, limit the use of composite materials, and introduce clearer consumer labelling on recyclability and disposal.
Perhaps most significant for our industry is its emphasis on ‘traceability and transparency`. Packaging will need to communicate more information—through labels, digital identifiers, or QR codes, about its material composition, reusability, and end-of-life route. This is where digital printing steps in to enable these requirements.
For converters and brands, this means packaging specifications will need to change — fewer mixed materials, simplified structures, and more transparency in the recycling process. So inkjet will be there to support its old friend new regulations, with its natural advantages, short runs, regional versioning, and variable data without the waste associated with traditional printing. Flexibility will be essential as regulations evolve, and inkjet printing systems can provide exactly that especially when integrated into existing processes.
Even for companies outside Europe, the PPWR will have a effect. Many global brands standardise packaging specifications across regions, and suppliers serving multinational customers will need to align with these rules. So the PPWR is not just a European story—it will create a worldwide change and could cause a rethink of how packaging is designed, printed, and managed.
Show Highlights – Digital Solutions on Display
Each year, the digital print presence has grown—the expansion of digital print is clear and the conversation has moved beyond whether digital print is reliable to how easily can it be implemented and scaled. This year saw also an increase in low cost waterbased systems for use on absorbent where UV inks are not necessary. Norwix who develops single colour black print presented the established UV IM series but also showed a HP based waterbased solution.
At Buskro I saw the newly launched “Argo” modular waterbased HP TIJ 4.0 technology promoted for packaging and personalisation applications. The design of the systems means they slot together its modular compact nature means you can integrate engine into a packaging line and also extended easily.
Bell- Mark announced there new InteliJet HD 3R Reel-to-Reel Piezo Inkjet Printing System. Which is designed for applications like pharmaceutical l foils.
XiJet and GSI were both demostrating colour inkjet systems for packaging and labels for not only single colour marking and coding but also logos and variable data and late-stage customization.
Industrial Inkjet (IIJ) one of the first in the industry to develop digital print engines for industrial inkjet applications continued to highlight its modular print engines that retrofit onto existing presses, a sustainable approach that extends the lifespan of installed equipment while offering digital versatility and follows the trends of upgrades rather the investment on new presses.
Moving further away from the traditional Marking & Coding inkjet applications at this show it is interesting to note that Konig and Bauer and Hinterkopf were demonstrating their full scale industrial direct to container applications which show how diverse the inkjet applications are becoming now at this show.
Final Thoughts -Looking Ahead to 2026– Düsseldorf and Chicago
Leaving the lights of Vegas behind, next year there are two important events for this market- Interpack 2026 in Düsseldorf and across the Atlantic, the International Pack Expo 2026 in Chicago.
Interpack will be a key show for European brands and suppliers to showcase their solutions for the new regulations while the International Pack Expo 2026 in Chicago is expected to highlight the global adaptations and how the brands have adapted.
If I took one thing away from PACK EXPO this year, it’s that in this industry digital print is more than making packaging prettier, The EU PPWR gives even more urgency in creating more innovative, leaner, and legally compliant packaging and inkjet will be at the heart of that journey. This time I also got to experience the sphere from the inside and what a fantastic display of technology that was! Be sure to see it when you’re in Vegas next time.
Sources and References
1. European Commission – Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on Packaging and Packaging Waste (PPWR): https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/waste-and-recycling/packaging-waste_en
2. Official Journal of the European Union – Regulation (EU) 2025/40 text: https://eur-lex.europa.eu
3. European Parliament Press Release, April 2025 – 'EU adopts new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.'
4. Packaging Europe – 'PPWR Explained: What the new rules mean for brands and converters' (2025)
5. PMMI – PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2025 Exhibitor Directory and Sustainability Overview: https://www.packexpolasvegas.com
6. FuturePrint – Industry Insights: Sustainable Printing and Packaging Trends (2024–2025)