Xaar Group company, Engineered Printing Solutions (EPS), has announced the sale of its 100th single-pass direct-to-object (DTO) inkjet production system, which the company says reflects wider trends in the shift from analogue to digital product decoration.
According to EPS, the milestone highlights changing requirements among manufacturers, including shorter production runs, faster changeovers and increased demand for customisation. The company noted that traditional analogue methods such as pad, screen and offset printing can struggle to meet these needs cost-effectively due to tooling, setup times and labour requirements. Single-pass digital DTO, by contrast, removes the need for plates and screens, enabling variable data printing and rapid artwork changes at production speed.
EPS also pointed to rising labour costs and workforce shortages as factors driving digital adoption. The company stated that single-pass UV inkjet systems can significantly reduce labour input and support automated workflows, including robotic loading and inspection, while maintaining consistent print quality.
Ken Stack, executive chairman of EPS, said: “Reaching our 100th single-pass DTO system is more than a sales milestone – it marks a turning point in how manufacturers think about product decoration. Digital DTO has moved from early adoption to mainstream production, driven by the need for agility, automation, and measurable ROI. Our next 100 systems will help shape the future of manufacturing for brands that demand reliability, flexibility, and world-class engineering support.”
EPS said experience from its installed base has underlined the importance of fully engineered production systems, including pre-treatment, ink chemistry, colour management and part handling. The company works with customers to develop application-specific workflows and emphasises reliability and uptime for continuous production environments.
The 100th system was sold in partnership with Kingston Aluminium Technology (KAT) in Canada. EPS engineered a single-pass system for KAT’s Alumishape aluminium bottle technology, enabling containers to be printed before forming without distorting the artwork. The system is capable of producing up to 80 containers per minute.
Ben Pilon, president of BPE Group, KAT’s parent company, commented: “Working with EPS was a completely different process compared to other solutions. EPS provides quick response times, creativity, and the ability to problem solve. They worked with us to develop something new and I felt confident that together it would be a great solution. Our current printer has been working great, support has been very good and most importantly, our customers are happy.”
