Classen proves the capabilities of digital printing on industrial scale

Laminat-Magazin 2026, S. 50-53

Pioneer in digital printing

The family-owned company Classen has been relying on Hymmen’s digital printing technology since 2012 - first for laminate production at its Baruth facility, and later at Kaisersesch for the company’s proprietary Ceramin material, a PVC-free floor covering made from polypropylene (PP).

Daniel Schwoch, Head of Pre-Coating and Digital Printing at Classen Industries in Baruth, shares his enthusiasm:“Digital printing enables us to transform new designs from concept to production in the shortest possible time - without lengthy lead times or costly printing cylinders. The technology provides outstanding design versatility, and even complex decor can be reproduced reliably with consistent quality. Particularly impressive is the precision with which visual and tactile structures align - a true hallmark of quality that distinguishes our floors in the marketplace.”

At Classen’s dedicated design center in Kaisersesch, wall and floor covering designs are developed entirely digitally and seamlessly integrated into production. Wood, stone, and fantasy motifs are processed in such a way that individual structures can be flexibly adapted, mirrored, or rotated. This enables multiple variations to be generated from a single base pattern - efficiently and with optimal resource conservation. The high repeatability of more than 15 m² far exceeds the standard of conventional analog printing processes, ensuring exceptionally authentic-looking surfaces in the finished product.

With the integration of the DLEplus process into the latest digital printing system in Kaisersesch, tactile structures can now be applied in perfect alignment with the decorative image. For instance, a tangible wood grain corresponds precisely to the printed visual structure—a hallmark of quality that makes a decisive difference, particularly in achieving authentic wood aesthetics.

Synchronous Structuring in Series – Digital and Precise

At its Baruth facility, CLASSEN has for many years successfully relied on Hymmen’s proven technology for the production of synchronously structured laminate surfaces. In this process, the digitally printed decorative image is pressed in an MFC-type double belt press - also supplied by Hymmen - using the LLT (Liquid Layer Technology) method to achieve perfect decorative synchronization. The combination of digital printing and structured pressing ensures an exact alignment between the visual design and the tactile surface (see Fig. 1). 

With the introduction of the DLEplus (Digital Lacquering Embossing) process at its Kaisersesch site, Hymmen is supporting CLASSEN in taking the next technological step: the synchronous structuring of the PVC-free material CERAMIN will henceforth be carried out digitally there (see Figs. 2 and 3). This technology enables tactile synchronous pores through a purely digital printing process—without any mechanical embossing. As a result, both floor coverings and wall panels can be endowed with a visible and tactile surface structure that aligns precisely with the decorative image.

For Classen, this means the following:

• Both the decorative image and the subsequent structure can be applied digitally using the established DLEplus process.
• If required, it is also possible to print exclusively decorative designs onto white raw panels.
• Alternatively, a digital structure can be applied independently to a plain-colored substrate.
• Moreover, the same system is designed to support an additional process: digital printing with wear-layer lamination, either with an all-over structure (roller application) or with synchronous structuring (DLEplus).