What Is Dry Offset Printing? How Plastic Containers Get 8-Colour Branding

What is dry offset printing?

Definition: Dry offset printing is a method of printing up to eight colours directly onto cylindrical or tapered plastic containers. Each colour is carried on a raised relief plate, all colours are assembled on a single rubber blanket, and the complete design transfers to the container in one revolution — then cures instantly under UV light. "Dry" means no dampening water is used, unlike conventional offset for paper.

The genius of the process is the blanket. Because every colour is assembled on one blanket before touching the container, registration between colours is essentially perfect — there's no chance of colours drifting relative to each other from unit to unit. That's what makes fine text, tight linework and brand-critical colour possible on a round surface at industrial speed.

It's the process behind almost every printed sealant cartridge, yoghurt cup and tube you've ever held. If the graphics feel like part of the container rather than something stuck on — that's dry offset.

How dry offset works — step by step

Plate making

Each colour in the artwork gets its own raised-image (relief) plate — like a precision rubber stamp. An 8-colour design uses 8 plates. Plates are reusable across repeat orders.

Ink metering

Each plate is inked by its own roller train. Inks are mixed to recorded Pantone formulas — not matched by eye — so batch 40 matches batch 1.

Blanket assembly

All plates print their colour onto one common rubber blanket, building the complete multi-colour design in perfect register before it ever touches the product.

Transfer to the container

The container rotates once against the blanket and receives the entire design in a single revolution — all colours at once, edge to edge.

UV curing

UV lamps cure the ink instantly, chemically bonding it to the plastic. No drying time, no smudging — the container is stackable seconds later.

Inspection & packing

Colour and registration are checked against the approved master sample throughout the run. Approved units go straight to packing — printed and finished in one plant.

Dry offset vs labels vs IML

Method	Best for
Dry offset	Round containers at volume: up to 8 spot colours, cured-on permanence, lowest cost per unit, no label stock
Stickers / sleeves	Frequently changing artwork or very small runs — but can peel, bubble and adds a second process
In-mould labelling	Photographic, 360° artwork fused into the part during moulding — premium finish, tamper-evident

What we print with it

Sealant cartridges (Soudal, Boss)Cosmetic tubesCups & tubsClosuresCanisters

Dry offset runs in the same plants as our injection moulding lines — parts are moulded and printed under one roof, on one purchase order.

Frequently asked questions

What is dry offset printing used for?

Printing directly onto cylindrical and tapered plastic containers — sealant cartridges, cups, tubs, tubes and closures — up to 8 colours in one pass at industrial speed.

Why is it called "dry" offset?

Conventional offset for paper uses dampening water; dry offset doesn't. Raised relief plates carry UV-curable ink, which suits non-absorbent plastic surfaces.

Is dry offset better than a sticker or shrink sleeve?

For round containers at volume, usually yes: the ink is cured onto the plastic, so nothing peels, bubbles or washes off — and there's no label stock or second application step. For photographic artwork, IML is the premium alternative.

How fast is it?

Our lines run 7,000–10,000 printed units per hour with Pantone-matched colour held across the whole run.

Dry Offset Printing,
Explained.