53 www.printmonthly.co.uk Issue 361 - July | August 2026 DIE-CUTTING | ROB FLETCHER reads registration marks in X and Y, while the PFi Blade B2 combines automated registration and changeovers with Duplo PC Connect software. That gives printers better consistency, fewer reprints, and much less dependence on one highly experienced operator. “In a market where labour pressure is real and margins are tight, workflow integration is what turns die-cutting from a manual finishing step into a reliable production process.” So, how should PSPs be looking to use their die-cutters to expand over the coming years? For Harry the biggest opportunity is that more commercial printers can move into profitable short-run packaging and shaped work without taking on the overhead of a traditional converting setup. He says there is “real headroom” for PSPs that can produce high value work quickly and consistently. “That is why the DSM-1000 matters,” he says, adding: “It gives PSPs a B2, 40-ton, steel rule die-cutting platform for cartons, folders, point-of-purchase (POP), and premium shaped work, with the automation needed to make that work commercially viable. “Alongside it, the PFi DI-CUT 310 will remain attractive for faster repeat work, and the PFi Blade B2 is a strong route into samples, prototypes, and short-run innovation. The challenge will be skills, capital confidence, workflow discipline, and meeting sustainability expectations as UK EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) and the EU PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation) reshape how packaging is designed, produced, and finished. “The businesses seeing the most success are the ones treating die-cutting as part of a connected production workflow rather than a standalone finishing step. The market is moving towards shorter runs, faster changeovers, and more customised applications, and printers need systems that can adapt to that profitably.” Balancing Turnaround with Costs and Productivity Also active within this sector is Plockmatic Group, which counts Morgana among its A report by Smithers suggests packaging runs below 1,000sq m are set to grow fastest through 2027 1,000 ▼ Ed Hudson, UK general manager for Plockmatic Group, says the outlook for diecutting is “highly positive” family of finishing brands. Ed Hudson, UK general manager for Plockmatic, says the die-cutting market is being shaped by sustainability requirements, shorter run lengths, increasing personalisation, and the continued shift towards digital production. As digital printing technology has evolved, customers now expect finishing equipment to deliver the same levels of flexibility, responsiveness and efficiency as their presses. “Traditional production models based on long runs and dedicated tooling are increasingly being challenged by a market that demands rapid turnaround, versioned products, and economically viable short-run production,” he says, adding: “This is particularly evident in growth sectors such as packaging, greetings cards, labels, point- ▲The FB9550 Pro-T from Plockmatic is a fully automated, tangential creasing and cutting digital die-cutter The outlook for the die-cutting sector remains highly positive, particularly in areas such as digital packaging, folding cartons, personalised products, web-to-print fulfilment, and short-run production
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