From sleeve storage to on-demand production with Hinterkopf.

With its digital printing machines, Hinterkopf offers an economical alternative to offset printing. This technology enables efficient decoration of steel cans, especially for small batch sizes. The process saves time, reduces costs, and makes manufacturers significantly more flexible.

Three-piece steel cans – also known in the industry as tinplate cans – are primarily in demand for chemical and technical applications. The market is huge. Every year, around ten billion of these cylinders are produced worldwide to package, for example, cleaning agents, paints, varnishes, oils, and lubricants in aerosol cans. Batch sizes are usually large, which is why offset printing traditionally dominates when it comes to decorating containers.

Small print runs, big challenge

But there are exceptions. "This market also includes products that are only manufactured in relatively small quantities—for example, when new items are launched on test markets," explains Alexander Hinterkopf, managing director of the mechanical engineering company of the same name. And it is precisely these batch sizes that are now the focus of Hinterkopf. Based in Eislingen, the company has established itself as the market leader over the past ten years with its digital printing machines and is changing the rules of the game with its technology.

Digital printing as an economical alternative

Digital printing offers advantages over offset printing when it comes to small batch sizes. Many of the time-consuming and costly steps involved in offset printing are done away with. There is no need to produce printing plates or stop machines for conversion. The print quality remains consistent from the first to the last copy, with virtually no rejects. "The cost per unit is always the same with digital printing, regardless of the print run. This also greatly simplifies calculations," emphasizes Hinterkopf.

Another advantage of digital printing: if demand for a product in a tinplate can unexpectedly rises, manufacturers can respond flexibly. "I simply take the unprinted cylinders from the shelf and start printing without any lead time – on demand, so to speak, instead of expensive warehousing," explains the managing director. In the best case scenario, an order received in the morning leaves the factory in the evening and is on its way to the customer.

Sleeves and labels: warehousing with disadvantages

This is a significant improvement over previous processes. In the past, sleeves and labels were pre-printed for possible reorders, which then had to be stored and applied to the cylinders as needed. There were several drawbacks to this. On the one hand, stockpiling incurred additional storage costs; and on the other hand, special facilities were required. In series production, the sheets are printed in a flat state, whereas sleeves and labels must be applied to the already formed cylinder at a later stage. External print shops often took care of this step, with corresponding waiting times and a loss of added value. "It often takes two to three weeks from order to delivery," Hinterkopf calculates. However, for print runs of less than 100,000 copies, the higher costs of digital printing inks are quickly amortized.

New markets in sight

To date, Hinterkopf digital printing machines have primarily been used in the cosmetics and beverage industries. In these segments in particular, the technology facilitates the production of special editions. Although the monoblock cylinders used often have smaller volumes than the three-part versions, "the diameter is usually 66 millimeters in both cases," explains Hinterkopf. Adapting to cylinders with a capacity of 400, 600, or 750 milliliters is therefore no problem.

The company will be demonstrating this at an in-house exhibition in Eislingen at the beginning of September, where the process will be demonstrated using 400-milliliter cylinders. Hinterkopf is also presenting its advanced digital printing technology at Pack Expo in Las Vegas and is already in talks with several packaging manufacturers who want to use the technology for three-piece steel cans.