Written on: June 6, 2026 by SprayTM
As brand owners demand ever more differentiation at the point of sale, the decoration of cylindrical packaging is undergoing a significant technological shift. German machinery manufacturer Hinterkopf GmbH is addressing this evolution by positioning three complementary printing technologies—Dry Offset, HD-Print and Digital Printing—within a unified production approach for cans, tubes and other cylindrical hollow bodies. All three printing processes are already being used successfully in the market and are well established in the industry, said the company.
For decades, Dry Offset has been the industrial backbone of direct-to-shape decoration. However, increasing demand for photorealistic designs and finer gradients has driven the development of enhanced offset-based approaches. Technologies such as HD-Print—a process-capable, waterless offset variant—extend traditional Dry Offset by enabling CMYK-based image reproduction directly on cylindrical substrates. This allows brand owners to achieve near-photographic quality without leaving the efficiency domain of offset printing.
A key feature of HD-Print by Hinterkopf is its hybrid approach: two systems work in tandem within a single printing process. Four printing units operate in the CMYK color space, delivering photorealistic print results. Up to five conventional offset printing units apply vibrant solid color areas to the substrate. Additionally, users have the flexibility to switch between Dry Offset and HD-Print and to convert existing printing units to HD-Print, depending on the product, design requirements and print run size.
Furthermore, with HD-Print, existing printing units can be retrofitted and upgraded, enabling converters to expand capabilities without replacing installed equipment. This reduces capital expenditure while opening new application and design opportunities, noted the firm.
At the same time, Digital Printing introduces flexibility, enabling short runs, rapid design changes, variable data printing applications and late determination, which are increasingly relevant for targeted campaigns and product personalization.
Rather than positioning these processes as competing alternatives, Hinterkopf emphasizes their complementary strengths within a single production ecosystem:
• Dry Offset: maximum efficiency and industrial throughput
• HD-Print: enhanced design complexity, photorealistic quality and hybrid flexibility
• Digital Printing: flexibility and customization
With this portfolio, Hinterkopf enables packaging producers to select the optimal technology depending on application requirements. Mass-market products benefit from the speed and cost efficiency of Dry Offset. Premium brands gain new creative freedom through HD-Print and marketing-driven applications leverage the agility of Digital Printing, noted the company.
