Highlights of the 2025 Beijing International Printing Exhibition: Post-printing: Digitalization and intelligence are the inevitable trends, and domestic brand products are flourishing

The 11th Beijing International Printing Technology Exhibition (CHINA PRINT 2025 Beijing) is about to open. Major exhibitors have been gearing up and striving to bring the latest technological products to audiences from all over the country and even the world.

Similar to major printing exhibitions at home and abroad, at the Beijing Grand Printing Exhibition, apart from the offset and digital printing equipment that stand out as highlights, the post-press equipment with numerous brands and diverse products actually constitutes the main body of the exhibition. In terms of both the number of participating enterprises and the exhibition area, it has obvious advantages over pre-press and printing equipment. Meanwhile, unlike international brands that dominate the fields of offset printing and digital printing equipment, a large number of dynamic domestic post-press brands have not only become the main characters in major domestic printing exhibitions including the Beijing Grand Printing Exhibition, but also have been venturing overseas, showcasing the strength of Chinese brands on the international stage.

From the perspective of technological development trends, the post-press process, which originally had a relatively low degree of automation and required the largest number of workers, has become the focus of digital and intelligent transformation for printing enterprises in recent years. In response to this trend, an increasing number of equipment manufacturers have launched new products integrating highly digital and intelligent technologies.

At the Beijing Grand Printing Exhibition, the post-press equipment on display continued the themes of digitalization and intelligence. However, post-press equipment for books and periodicals and post-press equipment for packaging still present different characteristics and highlights.

Post-press of books and periodicals: From high-speed adhesive binding lines to flexible variable digital post-press

In recent years, with the transformation of the downstream publishing industry, the book and periodical printing market has increasingly shown three major development trends:

First, the delivery time for large-scale orders represented by primary and secondary school textbooks and teaching AIDS is getting shorter and shorter. Second, small and medium-sized batch orders based on digital printing technology and adopting on-demand printing models have grown rapidly. Thirdly, high-end books with exquisite designs have put forward higher requirements for printing and binding quality.

In line with the development trend of the book and periodical printing market, in recent years, breakthroughs have been made in three key directions for post-book printing equipment.

The first is the glue-bound production line and the hardcover production line that meet the demands of large-scale and short-lead production, with their efficiency and capacity constantly improving.

Second, the digital post-press equipment that is compatible with digital printing has developed rapidly.

Thirdly, the special process equipment that meets the requirements of fine printing and fine binding has become increasingly complete.

Due to the limitation of booth area, large-scale production lines are rarely seen at industry exhibitions. However, at the Beijing Danyin Exhibition, Domestic brands represented by Precision (W1-007), Pinghu Yinghou (E1-081), and Shenzhen Gaodeng (E1-110), etc. It has been clearly stated that they will launch their own large-scale interlocking line products.

Among them, Precisprecision plans to launch the newly developed ultra-high-speed adhesive binding production line for the first time. This product adopts a brand-new industrial design concept and can produce up to 15,000 copies per hour. Pinghu Yinghou plans to launch its flagship model of high-speed adhesive binding production line – the Stellar(Star River)12000e high-speed adhesive binding production line – to meet the high requirements for efficiency and production capacity in the printing of textbooks and teaching AIDS. Shenzhen Gaodeng plans to launch a brand-new 12000 adhesive binding production line for the first time. This product features full servo adjustment and can be precisely controlled according to production requirements.

Compared with large-scale production lines, digital post-press equipment that is compatible with digital printing attracts more attention.

As the global leader in post-press equipment for books and publications, Martini (E1-010) recently joined hands with HP to hold a factory Open Day event at Shengda Printing on April 28th, highlighting its digital post-press solution that is compatible with digital printing and can achieve rapid adjustment and individual variability.

At the Beijing International Printing Exhibition, Martini will showcase the compact Sigma Sigmaline book core production line and the intelligent three-sided knife products that combine adhesive binding and hardcover binding on site. In addition to the new adhesive binding production line, Precisionda also plans to launch a brand-new post-press large-format full-line solution for the digital printing field, to meet the demand for efficient post-press binding capabilities of digital printing equipment represented by rotary inkjet. Pinghu Yinghou plans to launch its self-developed intelligent book core hardcover equipment at the Beijing Grand Printing Exhibition with the theme of “Digital hardcover, starting from one book, and variable book”. Combined with the SPADA(Sparta) digital thread sewing machine launched as a supporting product, it can be seamlessly integrated with subsequent processes. The entire process from thread locking, ring lining to fabric loading is fully automated. In addition, Pinghu Yinghou also plans to launch an innovative three-sided knife product first, which can well meet the production requirements of one-click plate transfer after digital printing. Dongguan Haosin (E1-111), positioned as a “fully intelligent post-press solution provider”, plans to debut its “digital binding, seamless post-press” full post-press solution at the exhibition site. We present comprehensive solutions including digital brochures, digital wireless adhesive binding, digital thread locking adhesive binding and digital hardcover binding, to meet the customized production needs of printing enterprises for “minimum order of one book and uniqueness of each book”.

Beyond the large-scale adhesive binding production lines and the highly anticipated digital post-press equipment, there are many new types of equipment for book and periodical post-press at the Beijing Grand Printing Exhibition that are worth noting.

For instance, a bookend printing press that meets the high-end demands for fine printing and binding of books and periodicals. It is learned that in addition to Zhiyi Technology (E2-015) bringing its newly upgraded Bookhead Fish Bookhead aesthetic printing press, other new entrants will also showcase their bookhead printing press products on site.

For instance, intelligent cutting production lines that can significantly reduce the labor intensity of workers, such as the HPM137GS22 from Zhejiang Huayue (Zhan W3-001-C) and the 137 intelligent cutting system from Zhejiang Guowei (W4-003), etc. Intelligent palletizing equipment, such as Gordon robot palletizing machines, etc.

Post-printing packaging: from die-cutting, enhancement, molding to quality inspection

Compared with post-printing equipment for books and periodicals, there are more brands and more diverse categories of post-printing equipment for packaging.

However, on the whole, post-press equipment used for paper packaging mainly addresses the issues of die-cutting and forming during the production process of packaging products. In recent years, with the continuous improvement of the requirements for process effects and product quality of packaging products, surface efficiency enhancement and quality inspection equipment have also achieved rapid development.

The Beijing Great Printing Exhibition brings together mainstream packaging post-press equipment enterprises from home and abroad. In particular, domestic brands have performed outstandingly and will bring rich and diverse packaging post-press solutions to industry insiders.

In the field of die-cutting equipment, Evergreen Group (W1-002), the leading post-press equipment manufacturer, will launch the brand-new MK3920FFCSB three-unit full waste die-cutting and hot stamping machine and MK1060CB waste die-cutting machine at the exhibition. The former integrates multiple processes such as hot stamping, embossing and debossing, and full waste die-cutting, which can effectively enhance the production efficiency and product quality of high-quality packaging and finishing processing, and meet diverse process requirements. The latter is specially designed for the production of medicine packages, featuring high cost performance and flexible production. It can easily handle both long-term and short-term orders.

Zhejiang Guowei, which originally focused on cutting systems, will debut a fully automatic flatbed die-cutting machine at the Beijing Danyin Exhibition. This product can meet the different production requirements of thin paper and thick paper. The new paper collection blow risk control system can ensure that thin paper is effectively collected even under high-speed operation. Meanwhile, the plate installation and adjustment operations are convenient, which can greatly save manpower and time.

In addition, as one of the leading enterprises in the domestic die-cutting machine field, Guowang Group (W2-002) will also participate in the exhibition on a large scale, comprehensively showcasing its latest products including die-cutting machines.

In the field of forming equipment, several manufacturers have been the first to disclose the latest products they will launch at the exhibition.

Among them, Haoda Intelligent (W2-012) will participate in the exhibition with the theme of “Intelligent Folding Box: The Future of Packaging”, and will debut its third-generation intelligent folding packaging all-in-one machine during the exhibition. This equipment is equipped with the functions of forming the outer shell of high-quality packaging boxes and precisely processing the folding side wings. It supports flexible adaptation to multiple materials and irregular structures, and can meet the production needs of different products such as tea packaging, electronic product packaging, and luxury goods packaging.

Zhejiang Zhengrun (W3-001-B) will showcase on site the newly upgraded RB380SK fully automatic paper box forming machine, as well as intelligent solutions for the entire production line of top and bottom cover frames and book-shaped boxes.

All three of these devices feature a high level of automation and intelligence, which can effectively enhance the production efficiency of packaging boxes.

In response to the packaging requirements of various products such as tobacco and alcohol, cosmetics, and electronic products, Jingang Machinery (W3-007) will showcase products including the JG-WK1200 fully automatic frame production line, the JG-FMLD780 fully automatic high-speed leather shell assembly production line, and the JG-ZXLDX wine box assembly production line. And an innovative one-stop solution for wine bags.

Shengtu Intelligent (E1-031) will launch a brand-new pull-type folding box forming machine for the gift box packaging market at the exhibition site.

In the field of surface efficiency enhancement equipment, Evergreen Group will introduce the brand-new MK920DVF digital efficiency enhancer. This equipment can achieve personalized digital post-printing processing on the basis of digital varnishing and digital hot stamping. The maximum UV varnishing speed can reach 60 meters per minute, and the hot stamping speed can reach 15-30 meters per minute.

Guangzhou Saibo (B5-680) plans to showcase on-site the DMS single-sheet digital efficiency hot stamping equipment and the DMS roll-type digital efficiency hot stamping equipment from Demanshi. These two devices adopt a fully digital process and can achieve functions such as local varnish, 3D embossing, laser transfer, hot stamping, and Braille.

Shengtu Intelligent also stated that it will showcase its latest surface efficiency enhancement solutions on site.

In the field of quality inspection equipment, Lingyun Guang (E3-004) will introduce offline quality inspection systems for box gluing, offline quality inspection systems for cigarette packs, online quality inspection systems for offset printing, and plate alignment inspection systems for color box packaging. Diversified quality inspection solutions such as offline quality inspection systems for soft packages and labels for web printing.

In addition to products such as the 550 small sheet inspection machine and static sampling inspection machine, Daheng Image (W4-028) will showcase an automated cigarette package production line centered on a quality inspection system.

Huaxia Vision Technology (W1-011) plans to launch new intelligent detection products on site and organize the audience to visit the cooperative factory for on-site production demonstration and observation.

Post-press stage: The importance of intelligent construction is increasingly prominent.

In fact, the post-press equipment at the Beijing Grand Printing Exhibition is all-encompassing and diverse, making it difficult to list them all in one article.

There will also be many outstanding enterprises and products at the exhibition site. For instance, the intelligent bag-making machine of Zhejiang Onuo (W4-001), the high-speed eco-friendly bag-making machine of Zhejiang Zhengbo (W2-004), and the slitting machine of Zhejiang Seri (W1-009) And many intelligent products such as AGV carts, industrial robots, and intelligent palletizers that numerous manufacturers will bring.

The wide variety of post-press equipment, especially the rise of many domestic brands, demonstrates the vitality of China’s printing industry and the richness of its industrial ecosystem. At the same time, it also highlights the strong demand of domestic printing enterprises for high-level post-press equipment during the process of industrial transformation and upgrading.

In recent years, digitalization and intelligence have become important directions for the transformation and upgrading of the printing industry. Many printing enterprises have devoted themselves to the construction of intelligent workshops and intelligent factories.

In the process of the printing industry moving towards intelligence, the pre-press stage started earliest due to its close integration with digital and network technologies. The printing process has achieved remarkable results as more and more digital and intelligent technologies have been integrated into printing machines.

Under traditional production conditions, the post-press stage has the greatest demand for labor and relatively heavy physical labor. However, due to the processing and production requirements of diverse products, the promotion of digitalization and intelligence is the most difficult.

In recent years, with the continuous investment of post-press equipment manufacturers in technological research and development, the digitalization and intelligence levels of various products have been significantly enhanced. Particularly, the application of equipment such as quality inspection, intelligent cutting, AGV carts, and industrial robots has greatly reduced the number of workers and labor intensity in the post-press process.

However, the development of some post-press supporting equipment still cannot fully meet the production demands of the printing process, which to a certain extent restricts the release of the production potential of printing enterprises.

For instance, without flexible and adaptable digital post-press equipment that can achieve flexible production, the advantages of digital printing in customization and small-batch production would be difficult to be fully exploited.

Thanks to the efforts of domestic and foreign enterprises such as Martini, Goodutilization (E1-102), and Precision, this difficult problem is gradually being solved. However, there is still much room for improvement in further reducing the investment costs of printing enterprises.

For instance, as high-speed, high-capacity wide-format inkjet printing equipment matures, if the post-press processing equipment that goes with it fails to make rapid breakthroughs, it will restrict the speed of its application and popularization.

At the same time, how to achieve data integration among the numerous types and brands of post-press equipment, and on this basis, integrate the pre-press, printing and post-press processes into an integrated system with smooth data flow, is also a problem that determines the success or failure of the construction of smart workshops and smart factories and remains to be solved.

In conclusion, in the process of printing enterprises moving towards intelligence, the importance of the post-press stage is increasingly prominent.

As the largest professional exhibition in the global printing industry this year, the Beijing Printing Exhibition will comprehensively present to industry insiders the latest achievements made in the digitalization and intelligence of post-press equipment. Bring a feast of technology.