We develop and create the products we bring to market
MS Printing Solutions and JK GROUP are brands under Dover Industries Italy Srl. United as a group, the companies leverage their synergies to drive innovation and efficiency. MS Printing Solutions specialises in the design of digital printing machines and has been a pioneer in digital textile printing since 2000. The company is currently focused on expanding its operations and enhancing efficiency and production capacity, with the aim of reducing downtime and costs for the benefit of its customers. JK GROUP, on the other hand, has been developing eco-friendly digital inks since the 1990s. Its mission is to provide customers with safe and sustainable solutions that seamlessly integrate into their workflows, offering all the advantages of digital technology. The combined portfolio of the two companies includes scanning and single-pass digital printing machines, software, dryers, and a complete range of inks for various substrates, including dye-sublimation, reactive, pigment, and disperse inks. In an interview with Fibre2Fashion, Matteo Forte, Global Product Marketing Manager, MS Printing Solutions and JK Group discusses digital textile printing.
How has digital textile printing evolved over the last decade, and what key factors have driven these changes?
Digital textile printing is constantly and rapidly evolving. Global markets are shaped by consumers’ transformations, technological advancements, growing awareness towards sustainability, and ever-changing socioeconomic dynamics. Consumer behaviour nowadays is influenced by a multitude of factors such as changes in the geography of globalisation, leading to a reshaping of fluxes and global interchanges.
E-commerce is also a factor influencing consumer behaviour, as it has noticeably increased the available offer in the market. Personalisation helps consumers make purchase decisions faster. Consumers are also more aware of the environmental and social impact of their purchasing decisions, reflecting their willingness to support companies that align with their values and actively reduce their carbon footprint. This growing awareness combines with the pressure exerted by regulations. The fashion industry is undergoing a significant transformation, moving from having no legal framework to countless sustainability regulations around the world—all in just a decade.
Technological advancements are a key element in the path towards innovation in the textile printing market. Digital textile printing has revolutionised the textile industry, allowing on-demand printing, intricate designs with minimal setup time, customisation, and a decrease in consumption. Additionally, digital textile printing has made various steps towards sustainability possible. For example, waste reduction: traditional printing wastes a lot of fabric when changing designs or colourways and when starting to print, whereas such waste is extremely reduced with digital printing. Moreover, digital printing eliminates the need to create and stock engraved cylinders—a huge advantage. Advancements in the technology behind digital printing have expanded the range of fabrics, and this versatility has led to the exploration of different applications in various industries. The next step in the evolution of digital printing will be to further reduce water, energy, CO2, and space consumption.
In what ways has the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning technology influenced the digital textile printing processes?
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technology has influenced digital textile printing processes in multiple ways, making the process more manageable and automated. AI’s integration with the textile industry signifies a major transformation, moving from labour-intensive methods to automation and data-driven decision-making. AI is becoming an integral part of every aspect of textile manufacturing, from production to quality control, contributing significantly to improved efficiency, cost reduction, and enhanced product quality.
During ITMA 2023 in Milan, we presented the SP400 to the world. This machine aligns precisely with the direction of AI thanks to the implementation of an automated flaw control system. It can reduce the error rate and improve ink and textile consumption while also reducing alienation for printers.
Are there any significant regulatory changes on the horizon that could impact the digital textile printing industry? How should companies prepare for these changes?
The fashion industry is facing significant regulatory changes. The European Union (EU) has adopted some of the most impactful measures, including a new Circular Economy Action Plan in 2020, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation proposed in 2022, and the EU’s digital product passport (DPP). Notably, the DPP will “electronically register, process, and share product-related information amongst supply chain businesses, authorities, and consumers.” This is expected to increase transparency for both supply chain businesses and consumers, as well as enhance efficiencies in information transfer. The regulatory text states that this data will be essential to boost traceability: “The DPP is an important tool for making information available to actors along the entire supply chain, and the availability of a product passport should significantly enhance end-to-end traceability of a product throughout its supply chain.”
Another significant step forward is the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, which addresses the production and consumption of textiles while recognising the importance of the textiles sector. Companies should prepare by ensuring that their products are produced in accordance with circularity principles throughout the entire production chain. To survive in today’s market, companies must prioritise sustainability, adopt responsible sourcing practices, and communicate transparently.
We are on the verge of a shift that could lead to technological changes in the long term and an increase in the conversion from traditional to digital printing. It is also important to note that compliance with well-known textile standards, such as ZDHC or OEKO-TEX, is now a non-negotiable pre-requisite, paving the way for additional requirements.
How are changing consumer preferences towards sustainable and customised products shaping the future of the digital textile printing industry?
Changing consumer preferences towards sustainable and customised products are undoubtedly shaping the future of digital textile printing. A newly developed focus on sustainable and ethical consumption, coupled with the desire for personalisation, is driving this transformation. Increasing awareness of environmental issues, social responsibility, and ethical considerations influences consumer behaviour, leading to a growing demand for sustainable, eco-friendly products. Worldwide, 64 per cent of consumers reported high levels of concern about sustainability. According to Bain & Company, Inc., consumers in the US are willing to pay an average premium of 11 per cent for products with a minimised environmental impact. Consumers in fast-growing markets, where Bain found environmental concerns to be highest—such as India, Indonesia, Brazil, and China—are willing to pay an even greater premium, between 15 and 20 per cent. In contrast, consumers in the UK, Italy, Germany, and France are only willing to pay between 8 and 10 per cent extra.
Simultaneously, there is a surge in personalisation, which helps consumers make purchase decisions faster and navigate the immense variety of products available today. Initially, personalisation caused the fragmentation of printed metres requested by customers, distributed across more and more designs. This translated into extreme difficulty in recovering the costs paid for engraving and sampling, as more design changes in a collection meant more money needed and smaller, more frequent orders. Such requests do not align well with traditional printing but are ideal for digital printing. As personalisation grew in popularity, fashion also developed an inclination towards continuous and ever-changing drops in collections, leading to an increase in print houses turning to digital printing for their production.
With the increasing complexity of global supply chains, what strategies should digital textile printing companies adopt to ensure efficiency and resilience in their operations?
With the increasing complexity of global supply chains, digital textile printing companies should aim for efficiency, speed, and cost optimisation. Digital printing offers significant advantages in these areas, and its latest technological innovations are even more beneficial. Consider digital pigment printing, which has reduced the printing process from 15 to 5 steps, drastically reducing time to market and increasing the ability to print on demand. Additionally, the impact of AI on quality control processes, which will be conducted directly during the printing phase, will further shorten the time needed to print. Print houses that invest in new and advanced printing systems will be one step ahead of the competition.
Dover has been investing in digital technologies since 2018 with the establishment of the Dover Digital Labs. How do these advancements influence the marketing strategies at MS Printing Solutions and JK Group?
The keyword is synergy. A synergy that enables us to design and develop solutions that benefit from the know-how of both brands and therefore achieve total control of the printing process, thanks to a unique partner – as seen with the pigment solution. This same synergy has driven the creation of a large Research & Development centre. Since last year, after joining forces with Markem-Imaje, part of Dover Corporation, we have seen a huge beneficial effect on our activities. We are confident that we can provide excellent solutions to those who choose our printing solutions to keep up with the global textile market’s demands.
Both MS and JK emphasise sustainability in their operations. Could you elaborate on how sustainability is integrated into your product development and marketing strategies?
Both MS and JK have embedded sustainability into their work since the beginning. MS started by designing digital printing machines instead of traditional ones, and JK began creating water-based inks. JK usually starts with chemical design, creating a formula with the least achievable environmental impact, and then makes it real with automated plants capable of semi-automatically managing production, reducing waste to a minimum. Another practical way to reduce environmental impact is the optimisation of stock to avoid unnecessary space use and obsolescence. MS designs its machines precisely to avoid waste of raw materials and space, while the use of high-quality materials guarantees a product destined to last over time.
MS functionally designs its machines with sustainability in mind. This is evident in JP7’s latest innovations, created to deliver the best achievable results in combination with our new water-based pigment ink. The aim was process sustainability, which we achieved, as the digital pigment printing process shows a reduced environmental impact, on average by 95 per cent compared to the reactive printing process for all impact categories analysed by the method.
We implemented a new zero-wastewater recirculation system (soon available) that will internally recycle a previously filtered, fixed amount of water in a dedicated tank. Pigment printing is already a waterless process; the only water involved is used to clean the belt, and we eliminated that. The first studies showed that 150 litres of water, including both the machine and the recirculation tank, are enough for 40 hours of work on average. Without the recirculation system, the average water consumption is around 195 litres per hour, while with its implementation, the average water consumption is around 3.75 litres per hour, making it 50 times more efficient. (Results are still draft and under evaluation. Data in comparison with digital reactive process, environmental study developed by NEXT TECHNOLOGY TECNOTESSILE srl Società Nazionale di Ricerca Tecnologica. Following ISO 14040 “Principles and Framework (practice, application, limits)” e ISO 14044 “Requirements and Guidelines (preparation, management, critical review)”.)
Additionally, the machine has been upgraded with the Ink Recirculation and the Nozzle Shooting System, both developed to work while idle and during printing. These upgrades help customers keep the ink running, avoiding sedimentation, keeping the nozzles active for improved printing quality, and enhancing and maintaining sustainable printhead lifetimes. Such enhancements also increase the life of filters and degassers (since the recirculation is within the first and second tank, passing through filter and degasser) and allow consistent printing quality and nozzle performance across different printing jobs or designs, as the Nozzle Shooting System keeps the nozzles active even when not in use or during the night. We can call this ‘automatic maintenance’.
Easy-Clean, the new carriage plate, is another upgrade developed by the R&D team. It improves the cleaning process of the carriage plate, significantly avoiding damage, while also enhancing printing quality and efficiency. We also increased the space within the printheads to allow easier cleaning of the printheads themselves. Last but not the least, the new casing is lighter, with an interior space layout that is more rational than before, ensuring the best positioning of the new electronic and mechanical components.
Another example of sustainability embedded in our operations is BIB (Bag-In-Box) packaging. It consists of a flexible PE or multi-layer plastic bag inside a cardboard box used to store inks. Not only does the BIB result in an 80 per cent reduction in plastic use compared to traditional HDPE containers, but it also has many other advantages. First, it ensures better ink maintenance thanks to the packaging’s enhanced physical and mechanical protective properties. BIB is smaller than usual containers, translating into lower storage and shipping costs and a decreased effect on the supply chain's environmental impact. Moreover, BIB’s outer cardboard shell can be easily recycled, leading to another step towards circularity in this industry.
The digital textile printing industry is highly competitive and rapidly evolving. What are the most significant challenges currently facing MS and JK, and how are you addressing these challenges?
Challenges are embedded in our industry; the most urgent ones are related to sustainability and competition. The most effective solution in both cases is quality. MS and JK continue to design and produce high-quality products that give value to the customers. We constantly pursue excellence, ensuring that what we do is functional and continues to improve. High quality produces a higher return on investment (ROI) because fewer defects or failures result in lower manufacturing and service costs, reflecting reliability, durability, and performance. As long as these gains remain, profitability will improve.
In today’s competitive market, consumers are ever more demanding, and good quality ensures that our company’s products exceed customer expectations. Producing high-quality products is essential from a sustainable point of view too, since quality products are designed to last longer, perform better, and provide greater value to the consumer. We promote environmental innovation by creating and using new approaches to protect the environment and encourage sustainability through the development of eco-designed products, optimising resource usage, and reducing waste or emissions. Quality also leads to better resource management, reduced waste, and improved product quality, resulting in more environmentally friendly processes and products.
You stress the importance of listening to customers. Can you share an example where customer feedback directly influenced a new product development or an existing product improvement at MS or JK?
Customer feedback played a fundamental role in the creation of Anot. This product allows for rethinking production areas, as it uses less surface space, consequently having a positive impact on the environment. Moreover, we have implemented a new AI system to exponentially increase print quality output through automated mistake checks.
MS is known for its innovative approach, notably with the LaRIO single pass technology. What’s next in the pipeline for MS and JK in terms of technological advancements?
At MS and JK, we develop and create the products we bring to market. Everything is possible when you are in charge of the development of inks, machines, and software, as we are. We truly believe that the creation and development of integrated solutions is the future. Our integrated system is a game changer because machine, ink, and software work in synergy to deliver the best quality. Moreover, having a unique partner to discuss machines, inks, and software with is a significant added value for our customers. It ensures efficiency and sustainability in the supply chain, maintenance, and assistance.
With the proliferation of digital printing technologies, how do MS and JK differentiate themselves in a crowded market?
In today’s context, digital printing presents itself as an attractive alternative to traditional printing, hence the recent proliferation of digital printing technologies. We differentiate ourselves through various elements embedded in our DNA. First of all, our heritage: we started working in this market at the beginning of the new millennium when we decided to design only digital printing machines. At that time, it was a hazardous choice, as the digital market was in its infancy and very few companies were taking their first steps into this new world.
Secondly, we see ourselves as a complete system. We truly believe that the creation and development of integrated solutions is the future. Our integrated system is a game changer because machine, ink, and software work in synergy to deliver the best quality. Having a unique partner to discuss machines, inks, and software ensures efficiency and sustainability in the supply chain, maintenance, and assistance. Our integrated system allows us to fully exploit the synergies existing in our R&D departments, creating a 360-degree expertise in the solutions we design. We are well aware of all the processes and the deep synergies from both sides: machines and inks. This is certainly a strength for us, as it fosters extensive mutual knowledge and collaboration between our R&D teams, leading to incredible results.
Moreover, we boast a unique software—Color Pack—which has been specifically designed for us. Color Pack is our new calibration and management software that offers mathematical parameters to describe colours and evaluate variance, aiding in the correct colour reference communication. Another important characteristic is the aftersales service we have built— and continuously improve—for our customers, which includes warranties and maintenance programmes.
How does being part of a global conglomerate like Dover affect MS and JK’s approach to local markets? Are there any particular strategies you employ to cater to diverse global demands?
Being part of a global conglomerate has enabled us to truly embrace the ‘think local and act global’ concept. The synergies with Markem-Imaje, also part of Dover, have allowed us to access a highly developed and extensive network of local people who speak the local language, know the local markets, understand their wants and needs, and are well aware of the local socioeconomic dynamics. This helps us in sharing knowledge, ideas, methods, and approaches.
Thanks to our synergies with Markem-Imaje and other companies within the Dover Group, we have improved our logistics with touch points all over the world and gained significant negotiation power. Additionally, being part of Dover provides us with a sense of security, as we have the support of a solid group that invests in our long-term plans. This support enables us to create new and innovative projects and products.
Could you tell us about the MS Academy and its role in shaping the skills and knowledge of your team and partners?
We created MS Academy as a training centre where people could deepen their expertise and reach their full performance potential—a hub for generating solutions. We provide technical expertise to help our customers achieve the best possible return on their investment. The goal is to give our customers the most personalised experience by creating ad hoc training sessions each time. It is a place for exchanging knowledge with our customers, where the richness of information comes from them as well.
We also provide this knowledge to our sales network and employees by organising internal courses aimed at training our teams. A well-informed team is capable of transmitting knowledge in various ways. Additionally, we recently evolved the concept of a ‘demo-centre’. We have moved our demo centre to an actual print house close to our Guanzate (CO) headquarters, where all of our machines are printing every day. This new and innovative concept allows us to show how our solutions truly work in a real-life productive context.
Looking ahead, what major trends do you foresee impacting the digital textile printing industry, and how is your team preparing to leverage these trends?
Personalisation, sustainability and cost-efficiency, automation, and flexibility are the major foreseeable trends that could impact the digital textile printing industry. The demand for personalised products has been around for a while, but it is only in the past few years that it has surged. Consumers today are more aware of their individual interests, lifestyles, and tastes, with over 50 per cent of consumers globally preferring goods or services uniquely tailored for them.
Sustainability is another significant trend. In recent years, we have witnessed a surge in attention towards sustainability and ethics in the textile printing industry. The drivers of this tendency are increased consumer awareness and regulatory pressure. Digital textile printing offers a more sustainable alternative, with lower water consumption, reduced waste, and the ability to use eco-friendly inks and dyes.
Process cost-efficiency is another major trend, meaning products and services are optimised to achieve great quality at the right price. Another foreseeable trend is an innovative textile supply chain where systems are interconnected to optimise processes and where printing systems must design new methods to work on new fabrics, such as those derived from textile waste.
Our team is preparing to leverage these trends by continuing to develop and improve personalised, sustainable, and cost-efficient solutions. We are investing in R&D to create advanced automation and flexible systems that can adapt to new fabrics and interconnected supply chains. By staying ahead of these trends, we aim to meet and exceed the evolving demands of the digital textile printing industry.
Finally, as a leader in a dynamic field, how do you foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship within your teams at MS and JK?
We try to imagine the world of tomorrow and move in that direction. For example, open communication is essential for fostering a culture of innovation, so we encourage our employees to speak up and share their ideas, thoughts, and concerns. From these insights, we develop initiatives. We also empower our employees by giving them the autonomy and resources they need to innovate, allowing them to take ownership of their projects and make decisions independently, and providing them with training, tools, and support to help them succeed.
We recognise and reward our employees’ innovative efforts, celebrating their successes and acknowledging their contributions to the company’s overall growth and success. Last but not the least, we maintain a diverse and inclusive workplace, which fosters a culture of innovation and inclusion by bringing together different perspectives, ideas, and experiences.
