Durst – Machinery Manufacturer Spotlight

Julius Durst founded Durst Group in 1936 in Brixen, Italy, to manufacture a box-type camera with compact dimensions – and it only took until 1938 to do it with the Gil.

As digital imaging emerged in the 1990s, Durst pioneered the Lambda 130 large-format digital photographic printer in 1994.

It could print high-resolution images up to 127cm wide using laser exposure onto traditional photographic papers and materials.

Interest in inkjet technology peaked in 1999, with Durst opened a new production facility dedicated to developing inkjet systems in Lienz, Austria — their breakthrough was the Quadro Array printhead technology introduced in the early 2000s with a compact array of 512 nozzles providing high-precision inkjet output.

Their current product lineup includes the P5 series of UV inkjet roll-to-roll printers up to 5 metres wide for applications like signage and display graphics. The P5 250 WT brought high-quality, water-based inkjet printing to digital print media and corrugated packaging.

More recently, Durst introduced groundbreaking textile printing systems like the P5 TEX iSUB, which performs direct dye-sublimation printing with inline fixation in one step.

Inks

• ATURION LED inks for UV stability in outdoor signage.
• POP FLEXIBLE LED inks for vibrant saturation in retail graphics.
• RIGID LED inks cure with a satin finish for rigid POP and signage.

Durst Large-format printers

P5 350 HSR

A 3.5-metre-wide roll-to-roll printer driven by LED curing technology with print speeds reaching 670 square metres per hour.

It delivers exceptional output for high-volume production runs and is built for 24/7 operation with several advanced features to maximise efficiency. Precise media transport handles even the most challenging flexible materials, while an integrated tension equalisation system ensures proper material feeding across the entire 3.5m width.

A dual roll option enables continuous printing between rolls. For even faster media changeovers, the P5 350 HSR has a unique multi-roll feature allowing loading while printing. An auto-cleaning belt prevents mesh printing when loading porous substrates.

P5 500

The P5 500 is Durst’s flagship signage and display graphics printer with LED curing technology, 5.24-metre-wide production, and an integrated roll support system that streamlines media loading and changeovers.

Rolls can be simultaneously printed in single, dual, or even triple mode, with dual roll printing supporting asymmetric layouts.

Finished graphic dimensions are handled mid-print thanks to an inline cutting system for flexible and semi-rigid materials.

Combined with Durst’s LED Roll Ink set for flexible materials, the P5 500 produces stunning graphics with vibrant colours and outstanding durability.

P5 TEX iSUB

The P5 TEX iSUB nails direct-to-fabric dye-sublimation printing with its integrated inline fixation (iSUB) process. It produces vibrant, soft signage, display graphics, and decorative textiles in uninterrupted steps.

iSUB technology performs contactless dye fixation immediately after the fabric is printed, eliminating colour bleeding, or blurring to ensure crisp image detail and consistent colour reproduction across the entire textile.

Various polyester-based fabrics are supported, from lightweight display materials to challenging substrates like blackback liners and flags.

Compared to traditional transfer printing techniques, it reduces waste, labour requirements and production time while delivering superior output quality.

The P5 SUBLIFIX ink set, engineered explicitly for dual-purpose direct and transfer dye-sub printing, ensures quality with an expanded gamut of vibrant colours plus light and process additions with rapid drying properties.

P5 250 WT

At the core of the P5 250 WT is Durst’s proprietary water-based ink set formulated specifically for corrugated printing. These inks are 100% free of hazardous labelling and comply with stringent GMP regulations for food packaging safety.

The small 10-picolitre drop size enables printing at resolutions ranging from flexographic quality to superb lithographic reproduction.

Durst’s unique ink recirculation printhead design continually refreshes the inks to maintain consistent quality throughout long production runs.

The automated corrugated option greatly simplifies media loading and changeovers to reduce downtime for integrated corrugated facilities.

Beyond corrugated packaging, the P5 250 WT opens opportunities in industrial segments like graphic displays and exhibition materials, with its water-based inks providing excellent adhesion and durability on porous absorbent surfaces.

Manufacturing information

Brixen is Durst’s primary manufacturing location, with an extensive complex for research and development, production, marketing, sales, and logistics.

Inkjet research takes place in Lienz, Austria, through an ultramodern, chemical-physical laboratory and production plant — recent research in water-based inkjet technologies has led to machines like the P5 250 WT.

Innotech supplies a complete range of flexible wide and grand-format print materials for Durst printers. Browse our complete range of digital print media here.