At ITM 2026 in Istanbul, Kohan Textile Journal spoke with Andreas Rass, CEO of Zimmer Austria, about the future of textile printing. While digital printing continues to expand rapidly, Rass believes screen printing will remain an important technology for many industrial and technical textile applications, particularly in specialized markets.
Q: Will digital printing eventually replace screen printing?
Andreas Rass: For the past 10 to 15 years, many people have predicted that digital printing would completely replace rotary and flat screen printing. However, we still see many applications where screen printing remains the best solution.
One good example is the military sector. Today, we are seeing increased localization of production, which also means localization of supply chains. Technical textiles and camouflage production continue to rely heavily on high-quality Western machinery, and this is an area where Zimmer Austria remains very active.
Looking further ahead, the future of textile printing will continue to evolve. We expect to see new printheads capable of handling higher-viscosity inks, technologies that may even enable printing on metal components, and further developments in smart textiles and functional printing.
A great deal of research is taking place in universities, research laboratories, and within Zimmer Austria itself. Every year, we aim to introduce new technologies that help move the textile industry forward.
Read More:Â Zimmer Austria Prioritizes Supply Chain Resilience and Energy Efficiency
Innovation Will Drive the Next Generation of Textile Printing
Rather than viewing digital and screen printing as competing technologies, Zimmer Austria sees them as complementary solutions serving different applications. While digital printing continues to expand into new markets, screen printing remains essential for many technical and industrial processes where durability, specialized inks, and high-performance production are required.
With continued investment in advanced printheads, smart textile technologies, and industrial printing solutions, Zimmer Austria believes innovation will continue to shape the future of textile manufacturing across a wide range of applications.
