Gavin Watson expands digital packaging capacity

Scottish print and packaging specialist Gavin Watson Ltd has installed an HP Indigo 35K Digital Press at its Blantyre facility near Glasgow, launching a new on-demand packaging service aimed at short and ultra-short production runs.

The installation was completed in July 2026 and builds on the company’s existing HP Indigo 6900 platform, giving Gavin Watson additional capacity for digitally printed folding cartons, prototypes, multiple design versions and personalised packaging.

Short-run packaging becomes commercially viable

The investment is designed to help emerging and challenger brands access premium packaging without committing to the high minimum order quantities traditionally associated with conventional printing and converting.

Digital production reduces make-ready requirements and allows more individual jobs to be produced within each shift, helping converters handle smaller quantities while retaining commercially viable unit economics.

Brands manage more SKUs and shorter product cycles

Gavin Watson says demand for short-run folding cartons is increasing as brands launch products more quickly and manage a growing number of SKUs.

Consumer trends and social media can shorten product lifecycles, creating situations where companies need to update graphics, launch limited editions or test new products without producing large volumes of packaging that may become obsolete.

Personalisation expands creative possibilities

The HP Indigo 35K enables the company to produce variable-data and personalised applications alongside conventional short-run work.

This capability can support regional campaigns, individualised packaging, multiple artwork versions and promotional editions without requiring separate printing plates for every variation.

Digital production can reduce excess inventory

Producing packaging closer to actual demand can also help brands reduce overproduction and inventory risk.

Unused packaging can become obsolete when product formulations, regulatory information or visual identities change. Shorter digital runs can allow companies to order smaller quantities more frequently and reduce the amount of material discarded before use.

Investment develops new production skills

The installation is also expanding technical expertise within Gavin Watson. Employees are developing additional capabilities in colour management, variable-data printing, workflow automation and digital press operation.

Closer collaboration between production and design teams can also make it easier to develop packaging concepts that would be more difficult or expensive to execute using conventional processes.

Digital and conventional printing become complementary

Rather than replacing conventional packaging production, digital presses increasingly provide converters with an additional production route for applications where run length, versioning or speed-to-market make traditional methods less efficient.

This hybrid manufacturing model allows larger stable volumes to remain on conventional equipment while shorter, personalised or rapidly changing work moves to digital platforms.

Packaging economics shift toward agility

The investment reflects a broader change in packaging procurement as brands seek greater flexibility and shorter lead times alongside print quality.

For smaller businesses in particular, being able to order commercially viable quantities can reduce working capital tied up in packaging stock while making professional folding carton formats more accessible.

Digital packaging becomes a growth area

Gavin Watson expects digital production to play a larger role as SKU proliferation, faster product launches and sustainability pressures continue to reshape packaging demand.

By adding the HP Indigo 35K, the company is positioning on-demand digital packaging as a central part of its next phase of growth while giving customers greater flexibility over quantity, artwork and production timing.