About Etiketten-Labels

Etiketten-Labels

Etiketten-Labels is the German technical trade journal for label printing, published by G&K TechMedia in Emmendingen near Freiburg. Founded in 1993, it appears six times a year and covers the full spectrum of label and packaging printing: self-adhesive labels, sleeves, in-mould labels and packaging printing, with technical articles on printing and production, product and industry news, and reports from markets and events. As the official organ of the VskE – the association of manufacturers of self-adhesive products and narrow-web converters – the journal reaches printers and decision-makers in the label-printing and packaging-printing industries with a distributed circulation of around 2,500 copies.

Overview

Etiketten-Labels is published by the G&K TechMedia GmbH, based in Emmendingen near Freiburg im Breisgau. The publishing house is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Deutsche Drucker Verlagsgesellschaft, the publishing company behind the Deutsche Drucker trade journal for the printing industry. The journal appears six times a year, carries the print ISSN 0949-9695, and is distributed with a circulation of around 2,500 copies.

The readership consists of printers and decision-makers active in label printing and packaging printing: production managers, technical directors, prepress specialists and managing directors of label-printing companies, as well as suppliers of printing presses, inks, substrates, dies and inspection systems. In an industry dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises, the journal reaches the owner-managers and technical leaders who make investment and technology decisions, giving it an influence that exceeds its circulation numbers. The journal's content is composed of technical specialist articles on the printing and production of labels and packaging, product and industry news, and reports from markets and events. As the official organ of the VskE (Verband der Hersteller selbstklebender Erzeugnisse und Schmalbahnconverter e.V.), the journal also carries the association's communications, giving it a quasi-official role in the German-speaking label industry.

The journal's program reflects the label industry's position at the intersection of printing technology, packaging and brand communication. Labels are among the most technically demanding printed products – they must adhere reliably, reproduce brand colors precisely, carry variable data and security features, and comply with food-safety and migration regulations – and the journal treats these challenges with the technical depth that its specialist readership expects, issue after issue.

History

Etiketten-Labels was first published in 1993, at a time when the label industry was professionalizing rapidly. Self-adhesive labels were becoming the dominant labeling technology, narrow-web flexo presses were evolving into sophisticated production systems, and the industry needed a dedicated technical journal in German. The founding publisher positioned the journal as the technical voice of this emerging industry segment.

Over three decades the journal has accompanied the label industry through successive waves of technological change: the refinement of flexographic printing, the rise of digital label printing, the development of LED-UV curing, the integration of inspection systems and AI-supported error handling, and the growing importance of sustainability, migration-compliant ink systems and recyclable materials. The journal's longevity – now in its fourth decade – testifies to the label industry's continued need for specialized technical journalism in German.

The publishing structure evolved with the journal's growth: G&K TechMedia GmbH, the current publisher, operates as a subsidiary of the Deutsche Drucker Verlagsgesellschaft, embedding the label journal in one of Germany's leading printing-industry publishing houses. This integration gives the journal access to shared editorial resources while preserving its specialized profile. The Emmendingen location places the editorial team in one of Germany's traditional printing regions, close to the suppliers, converters and brand owners who form the journal's community. The journal's role as the official organ of the VskE association has reinforced its standing as the industry's institutional medium.

Content and Sections

The content of Etiketten-Labels is organized around the label-production process. Technical articles examine printing processes in detail: flexo, digital, offset and screen printing for labels, with deep dives into topics such as LED-UV curing and low-migration ink systems, networked die-cutting tools, rotary screen printing for flexible integration, and the upgrading of analog presses with digital print bars. These articles are written for production specialists and combine technological explanation with practical guidance.

Materials and substrates form a further pillar: articles on new materials, security solutions and films – such as the latest developments from suppliers like Sihl – keep readers informed about the substrates that define label performance. Digital printing is treated as a strategic topic, with coverage of the newest developments in digital presses and hybrid production concepts. Investment topics address the economic side of production: when a new press is justified, which factors really justify investment, and how companies finance major capital expenditures.

Industry news and new products keep readers current on company developments, while market and event reports cover the industry's trade fairs and conferences – notably the Labelexpo series, the global meeting point of the label industry. Company portraits, such as the story of a 200-year-old printing company's million-euro investment or the business model behind a Chinese label-printing startup, add entrepreneurial perspective. The journal's shop sells individual print issues, with issue 5/2026, for example, featuring AI-supported error handling at rewinders, LED-UV migration topics and networked tooling.

Publisher and Organization

The publisher is the G&K TechMedia GmbH in Emmendingen near Freiburg im Breisgau, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Deutsche Drucker Verlagsgesellschaft. The editor-in-chief is Michael Scherhag, who leads the journal's technical coverage from Emmendingen. The publishing house's integration into the Deutsche Drucker group connects the label journal to the broader printing-industry media portfolio, including the flagship Deutsche Drucker journal.

The journal's status as the official organ of the VskE – the association of manufacturers of self-adhesive products and narrow-web converters – gives it an institutional role: association news, technical guidelines and industry positions reach the membership through the journal's pages. This dual character as both independent technical journal and association organ is typical of German trade publishing and underpins the journal's authority in its niche.

The editorial team works from Emmendingen, in the heart of the Upper Rhine printing region, close to many of the industry's suppliers and printers. The journal's advertising business addresses the label industry's supplier base – press manufacturers, ink and substrate suppliers, tooling companies and software providers – who reach their precisely defined target group through the journal's pages and digital channels.

Digital Presence

The digital presence of Etiketten-Labels centers on etiketten-labels.com, which presents the journal's issues, articles and industry news. The website's shop sells individual print issues and subscriptions, with current issues – such as the 5/2026 edition on AI in inspection, LED-UV and networked die-cutting – available for order with delivery in three to five working days. Digital editions complement the print issues, and the site's news sections keep readers informed between the six annual print editions, ensuring the journal remains a constant companion throughout the production year.

The journal uses its digital channels to extend the reach of its technical journalism: article teasers, industry news and event coverage draw readers to the full print content. Newsletters keep subscribers informed about new issues and industry developments between editions. As a specialized technical journal in a niche industry, Etiketten-Labels exemplifies the enduring trade-media model: a print journal appearing six times a year as the authoritative technical record, supported by a website that delivers news, sells issues and connects the label-printing community between editions – a community that meets in person at Labelexpo and in the pages of its journal throughout the year.