In the era of AI and ubiquitous connectivity, the label industry is rapidly evolving from simply “printing beautifully” toward “connecting intelligently and generating data with greater precision.” The convergence of digital printing and smart labeling with AI, 5G, big data, and blockchain is creating a digital trust framework for every product—from manufacturing to the point of consumption—bringing anti-counterfeiting, traceability, and marketing together into an integrated lifecycle.
Against this backdrop, Shenzhen Ulink Media Co., Ltd., together with Redink Media and the Shenzhen Anti-Counterfeiting and Traceability Association, launched the Digital Printing & Label Applications Exhibition alongside IOTE 2026 Shenzhen and the AGIC General Artificial Intelligence Exhibition. The initiative provides an integrated platform for product showcases, technology exchange, and business matchmaking, helping accelerate innovation and collaboration across the digital printing and labeling industry.
On August 26, the IOTE 2026 Shenzhen | Digital Printing & Label Applications Forum & Exhibition was successfully held concurrently with the exhibition.
Talk 1
The “Green Loop” for Labels | End-to-End Solutions from Material Innovation to Recycling
Speaker: Deguang Liu
Marketing Director, Guangdong Youhua New Material Technology Co., Ltd.
Deguang Liu, Marketing Director of Guangdong Youhua New Material Technology Co., Ltd., delivered a presentation titled “The Green Loop for Labels | End-to-End Solutions from Material Innovation to Recycling.”
Liu first introduced Youhua New Material and then explored its approach to building a complete sustainability pathway, covering both regulatory and sustainability requirements and label types and material solutions designed to facilitate recycling.
The presentation highlighted how innovation in label materials can extend beyond the printing stage and contribute to the entire product lifecycle—from material selection and label application to recovery and recycling.
Talk 2
Unlocking New Growth Markets with Digital Labels
Speaker: Huaming Yu
Label Sales Manager, Konica Minolta Business Solutions (China) Co., Ltd.
Huaming Yu, Label Sales Manager at Konica Minolta Business Solutions (China) Co., Ltd., presented “Unlocking New Growth Markets with Digital Labels.”
Yu began by examining changing market dynamics and emerging opportunities for business expansion. He noted that rapid shifts in the market—including changes in brand owners’ purchasing models and the operating environment for printing companies—are creating new growth opportunities for digital printing.
The label market is also undergoing a fundamental transformation. Print runs are becoming shorter, demand for short-run and highly diversified orders is increasing, delivery cycles are becoming shorter, quality requirements are rising, and brand owners are placing greater emphasis on innovation. At the same time, the number of SKUs held in inventory continues to grow.
Against this backdrop, digital printing offers distinct advantages over conventional printing processes, particularly in terms of flexibility, short-run production, variable content, and faster turnaround. Yu also introduced Konica Minolta’s digital printing solutions for the label industry.
Talk 3
Multiple Applications of XEIKON Digital Presses
Speaker: Yi Zhang
Sales Director, Greater China, Flint Group Packaging Solutions
Yi Zhang, Sales Director for Greater China at Flint Group Packaging Solutions, delivered a presentation on “Multiple Applications of XEIKON Digital Presses.”
Zhang first reviewed the development of Xeikon, followed by an overview of the printing principles and advantages of Xeikon’s dry-toner digital presses.
The presentation covered a broad range of digital printing and embellishment technologies, including Titon digital embellishment and hot-foil solutions, the Xeikon TX500 + KURZ inline digital hot-foiling solution, applications of Xeikon digital presses in food packaging, environmentally responsible and safe digital printing, and the VariOne personalization software.
Together, these technologies demonstrate how digital printing can extend beyond basic variable-data production to support a broader end-to-end workflow encompassing printing, embellishment, personalization, packaging, and value-added applications.
Talk 4
Post-Press Innovation for Pressure-Sensitive Labels | Integrating Conventional and Digital Processes
Speaker: Jianzhou Huang
Sales Manager, Shenzhen Reborn Precision Machinery Co., Ltd. / Guangdong New Remix Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd.
Jianzhou Huang, South China Sales Manager at Shenzhen Reborn Precision Machinery Co., Ltd. and Guangdong New Remix Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd., shared insights on “Post-Press Innovation for Pressure-Sensitive Labels | Integrating Conventional and Digital Processes.”
Huang outlined Reborn’s 23-year approach to the label post-press industry through what he described as four core “business pillars.”
The first is traditional hot-foil stamping and die cutting, which remains the company’s core business. The second is functional combination machinery, using modular configurations to integrate different production processes. The third is digital UV embellishment, reflecting the industry’s shift toward digital manufacturing. The fourth is small-batch creative and cultural-product production, a segment the company entered in 2017 and which has since become an important growth area.
So, what is changing in label post-press production?
Huang identified three major trends driving equipment manufacturers to rethink their traditional business models:
- High-volume production remains the foundation of the market.
- Short-run and personalized production is growing rapidly.
- High-end embellishment is emerging as a new growth segment.
For Reborn, the strategy is straightforward: strengthen the traditional capabilities while building new ones for the digital era. By responding directly to evolving customer requirements, the company aims to ensure that both conventional and emerging production needs can be addressed.
Talk 5
DMS Digital Embellishment Technology | Rebuilding Competitiveness in the Label & Packaging Industry
Speaker: Jingjing Chen
Marketing Manager, Saibo Intelligent Technology (Foshan) Co., Ltd.
Jingjing Chen, Marketing Manager at Saibo Intelligent Technology (Foshan) Co., Ltd., presented “DMS Digital Embellishment Technology | Rebuilding Competitiveness in the Label & Packaging Industry.”
Chen noted that the label industry is facing increasingly intense competition as equipment, production processes, and product offerings become more homogeneous. In this environment, digital embellishment technology is emerging as a key differentiator for companies seeking to move beyond price-driven competition.
Technologies such as digital hot foiling, 3D embossing, and selective varnishing are creating a new avenue for product enhancement and innovation. DMS digital embellishment solutions are already being applied across pressure-sensitive labels, flexible packaging, shrink sleeves, gift packaging, washi tape, and other applications.
By combining digital embellishment with existing production capabilities, the technology enables label and packaging companies to enhance product value, differentiate their offerings, and identify new opportunities for growth.
Talk 6
Architecture + AI | A Dual-Engine Approach to Digital Transformation in the Printing & Label Industry
Speaker: Bing Lin
Head of Marketing, Shanghai XLY Software Co., Ltd.
Bing Lin, Head of Marketing at Shanghai XLY Software Co., Ltd., presented “Architecture + AI | A Dual-Engine Approach to Digital Transformation in the Printing & Label Industry.”
Lin first introduced XLY Software and then presented its digital transformation framework from three key perspectives:
- Digital transformation objectives
- Product architecture and implementation tools
- Customer case studies
The presentation explored how printing and label companies can use an integrated combination of software architecture, AI capabilities, and practical implementation tools to build a more connected digital operating environment.
By integrating business management systems with intelligent applications and production workflows, printing companies can progressively move toward greater automation, data visibility, and operational intelligence—laying the foundation for a more agile and AI-enabled printing industry.