Inkcups, a manufacturer of direct-to-object printing technology, is celebrating two-and-a-half decades in business.

The Inkcups team celebrates its 25-year milestone.

The anniversary comes after the Danvers, MA-headquartered company showcased its latest innovations at PRINTING United Expo and earned itself a few awards in the process.

Today, Inkcups operates 29 offices worldwide, but the company comes from humble beginnings. Benjamin Adner founded the company in 2001, selling his patented universal ink cup and ceramic rings from his home. Five years later, the team had grown to 15 people, several of whom are still with the company. It was around that time that Inkcups launched the Cobalt 1000, its first laser plate maker for etching-pad printing plates. 

Several innovations followed suit, including the B100 one-color pad printer, which spearheaded the tagless garment label revolution in 2008. By 2010, Inkcups had expanded with its first inkjet printer for promotional items. The following years would bear witness to more innovations, including the XJET conveyorized industrial inkjet printer in 2012, which featured a patented loading mechanism that allowed for quick loading while the machine was actively printing. By 2016, Inkcups had grown to nearly 80 employees. In 2020, it opened its European headquarters in Freudenberg, Germany. 

“When I started Inkcups 25 years ago, I believed that the best way to build a lasting company was to listen closely to our customers and solve the production challenges others overlooked,” said Adner. “That principle became the foundation for everything we do: developing solutions that make printing more efficient, expand what is possible and help our customers create new opportunities. It has also driven us to continually experiment and develop new machines, technologies and supplies.”

In addition to celebrating its 25th anniversary, 2026 marks a decade since the launch of the Helix cylindrical direct-to-object inkjet printer, which helped establish Inkcups as a leader in direct-to-object cylindrical inkjet printing. The Helix product line has continued its growth trajectory with the introduction of the Double Helix (2021), the Helix+ (2022), the Helix ONE (2023) and the Helix High Throw (2026).

These concepts and innovations have earned Inkcups a number of industry awards. Over the last four years, the company has received five PRINTING United Alliance Pinnacle Technology Awards and a Print Industry Award in the U.K.

“I am so happy to see that we continue to push the industry forward,” added Adner. “Twenty-five years later, the entrepreneurial spirit that founded Inkcups still drives us and continues to make me excited about the future of direct-to-object printing.”

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