As Label Power approaches 30 years of manufacturing labels in Australia, the company’s story reflects the rapid evolution of the local print industry and the growing demand for agile, high-quality label production. Lindy Hughson reports.
Founded in 1997 by James Malone, the business began as a Queensland-based operation before expanding into a national supplier of labels, tags, thermal printing systems and application technologies. A major milestone came in 2020 with the acquisition of Melbourne-based Action Labels & Nameplates, a company with a 75-year heritage. By late 2024, the operations had been unified under the Label Power brand, creating an integrated east coast manufacturing footprint spanning Brisbane and Melbourne.
Today, the company combines large-scale flexographic production with digitally driven short-run capability, positioning itself to service both industrial-scale work and premium boutique applications.
According to Malone, one of the most significant changes in the sector has been the rapid transition from analogue production to digital printing. “A large portion of our work is now produced digitally,” he says, noting that adoption has accelerated sharply across the industry in recent years.
Its flexographic facilities support long-run production with up to 10-colour printing, while investment in HP Indigo and Epson UV inkjet technology has expanded access to high-end label design for small and medium businesses. The company says this enables customers to produce short-run labels without plate costs while maintaining photographic-quality detail and colour accuracy.
Malone says digital embellishment technologies are also reshaping how smaller brands compete on shelf. “Traditionally, if you wanted special spot varnishes or premium embellishments, you had to spend a lot of money on tooling, screens and origination,” he says. “Now, customers ordering only 500 or 1000 labels can achieve that same premium shelf impact without the high upfront costs.”
Recent investment in an IECHO roll-to-roll laser diecutter has further expanded the company’s flexibility, allowing labels to be produced in virtually any shape or size without conventional tooling or dies. Also, Label Power invested in their widest label press – the Omet KFlex 8 colour UV flexographic press, which can take webs up to 530mm wide. This allows larger run jobs of juice and water labels to be produced in faster times
That combination of digital capability and premium embellishment was recognised at the 2025 Digital Labels & Packaging Awards, where Label Power received the Excellence with Inkjet award for its Coastal Moon Dry Gin label.
Beyond manufacturing, Label Power has also built a strong position as a distributor of labelling hardware and software solutions. Partnering with brands including HP Inc., Epson, TSC Auto ID and Labelmate, the company supplies thermal printers, applicators and labelling software platforms such as BarTender and NiceLabel.
Malone says demand is also growing for on-demand colour printing systems that reduce inventory requirements and improve flexibility. “Customers don’t need to keep excess stock of pre-printed labels because they can create the whole image themselves,” he says. “They can be much more reactive and change labels whenever they want.”
Operationally, the implementation of the printIQ workflow management system has streamlined logistics across the company’s national operations, allowing orders to be dispatched from either Brisbane or Melbourne depending on customer location.
Looking ahead, Malone believes label manufacturers will continue investing in broader print capabilities as the boundaries between labels, cartons and flexible packaging continue to narrow. “You can see the traditional print markets starting to merge together,” he says. “That’s creating more pressure for manufacturers to invest in additional capabilities and technologies.”
As the company moves toward its 30-year milestone in 2027, Label Power’s focus remains on combining manufacturing scale with digital agility, while continuing to help Australian brands strengthen their shelf presence in an increasingly competitive market.
This article was first published in the Q2 June 2026 print issue of PKN Packaging News, p14.
