Hubergroup Print Solutions has introduced Hydro-X Contact, a new modular water-based ink and varnish system that aims to increase creative freedom for brands and designers while supporting the shift to more sustainable packaging formats.
Hydro-X Contact has been designed specifically for food-safe flexographic printing on central impression and stack presses. It is suitable for both external and internal packaging surfaces, offering print flexibility on mono-material packaging solutions that are easier to recycle.
“Hydro-X Contact combines food safety standards with practical advantages for printers – it is easy to process, with excellent colour appearance and reliable results,” said André Garber, head of business development water-based systems and UV coatings at Hubergroup. “It is also a future-proof solution that aligns perfectly with evolving EU packaging regulations.”
The system supports recyclability by reducing the need for plastic barriers in certain applications and can be combined with Hubergroup’s functional coatings to provide grease, water, vapour and oxygen barriers. According to the company, this makes it easier to transition from complex, multi-material structures to simpler, paper-based alternatives – improving environmental performance without compromising print quality or shelf appeal.
Alessandro Sabbatini, product manager Hydro-X at Hubergroup, added: “Hydro-X Contact is a real game-changer for printers, enabling them to offer packaging solutions that surprise and delight. From unique interior prints to bold design accents, it opens up entirely new ways to differentiate products on the shelf and enhance the unboxing moment.”
Hubergroup will present the Hydro-X Contact system at Labelexpo Europe, in September.
