There can be no doubt that the first six months of 2020 have been daunting, challenging and unprecedented. Yet in the same breath, the way many printers and converters have risen to the task of tackling and navigating their way through such a time has been extraordinary, overwhelming and, in many cases, inspiring.

It now feels like we are on the road to the ‘new normal’, whatever that may be. After the 2007/8 global financial crisis, the term ‘green shoots of recovery’ was widely used to indicate signs that the world’s economy was stabilising. Expect ‘new normal’ to be the go-to term post the 2019/20 coronavirus pandemic. To be clear, nothing has been particularly ‘normal’ about the last six months, with new ways of working, new ways of communicating, and new professional and personal etiquette demanded in the fight against COVID-19. As anecdotal evidence, expect #lockdown, #socialdistancing and #furlough to be high on the most used hashtags of 2020. Nor is much ‘normal’ expected by many for the rest of 2020, as the ramifications and ripples caused by the shutdown of societies and economies around the world continue to be felt for some time.

Having said that, ‘after the storm comes a rainbow’, and in this issue, we take a look at the next generation of technologies that have been developed to usher in the next decade of digital label and package printing. From 300m/min, 2.8m-wide water-based inkjet to 120m/min LEP, and all in between, these are highlighted to give printers and converters a glimpse into the future and signposts to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

The Digital Print for Brand Success 2020 conference in London on 19 November will likewise reflect this positive message, as the industry moves into a post-pandemic phase. This includes keynote Mark Wright with his presentation on, ‘How to rebuild your business for super success post COVID-19’. Find out more at www.digitalbrandconf.com.

Read more about the ‘new normal’ in the Digital Labels & Packaging ‘Going viral’ coronavirus hub, which can be accessed here

This editorial comment features in the May/June issue of Digital Labels & Packaging; register here to receive it