Hinterkopf GmbH has strengthened its position in Direct-to-Shape digital printing after completing an asset deal with the insolvency administrator of UK-based competitor Velox Pure Digital Ltd.

The German machinery manufacturer has acquired assets covered by the agreement, including patents, manufactured machines and components. Velox’s legal obligations have not transferred with the deal.

“My instinct told me that bringing the expertise and technologies of our competitor Velox under the Hiko roof was strategically important for us,” said Alexander Hinterkopf, owner and CEO of Hinterkopf GmbH. “At the same time, it was personally important to me to seize this opportunity and ensure that their technology has a future and can continue to evolve. I am convinced that combining our many years of experience and know-how with their technologies will generate new ideas and innovations that can move the entire packaging market forward both economically and environmentally.”

The acquisition supports a broader portfolio strategy built around three machine series, each targeting different market needs. Hinterkopf drew a comparison with the automotive industry’s shift from one-size-fits-all models to a diverse vehicle range, arguing Direct-to-Shape printing needs the same approach if it’s to break into established markets with their own fixed technical requirements.

“If we want Direct-to-Shape digital printing to penetrate established markets, we need to understand their conditions in every detail and meet them,” Hinterkopf explained. “These requirements are already defined. They are non-negotiable, and no manufacturer will accept a step backwards. That is why we are specifying our digital printing systems to provide the diversity of solutions that different markets and industries require.”

The three series are:

• DX Series – nominated for the PMMI Technology Excellence Award, focused on flexibility across product length and diameter, aimed at economical small-batch production with a lower investment threshold.
• D Series – Hinterkopf’s established line, now 15 years in the market, built around maximum print resolution and photorealistic image quality. More than 60 machines are currently in round-the-clock industrial use worldwide.
• V Series – a new addition aimed at high-volume, high-speed applications, designed to keep production costs competitive with established processes.

“By bringing these capabilities together under one roof, we have the opportunity to revolutionise the decoration of cylindrical containers,” Hinterkopf said. “We are creating the conditions that enable companies across different industries to actively respond to current market trends and take a pioneering role in their markets. We are well prepared and we have no intention of standing still.”

Both existing Hinterkopf customers and former Velox customers are expected to benefit from the combined pool of expertise. “Our combined know-how creates new possibilities,” Hinterkopf continued. “Over the medium and long term, we will further develop existing technologies, open up new markets and, together with our customers, help shape the packaging market of tomorrow.”

The company points to packaging decoration’s influence on purchasing decisions as the strategic rationale behind the wider push. “The content only gets the opportunity to convince the consumer once the product has actually been purchased,” said Hinterkopf. “Only then can a product begin to build customer loyalty. In that sense, our industry can be the deciding factor, and that is something we make manufacturers, fillers and brands aware of every day.”

The deal also marks a governance milestone for Hinterkopf: it’s the first major strategic decision taken jointly by the company’s four-person management team, with next-generation family members Christina and Christoph Hinterkopf now sitting alongside Alexander and Anke Hinterkopf.