A Stunning Fall for the $2 Billion Digital Print Pioneer as War, Supply Chain Chaos, and Economic Woes Collide
TEL AVIV | Israel – July 2025 – The tech world received shocking news this week: Benny Landa’s ambitious digital printing venture, Landa Digital Printing, has filed for court protection after accumulating approximately $516 million in debt. For a company that was once valued at $2 billion and attracted over $1.3 billion in investments, this represents a stunning fall from grace.
The Current Crisis
Landa Digital Printing has filed a request for a stay of proceedings – essentially legal breathing room to negotiate with creditors and avoid complete bankruptcy. The numbers paint a stark picture of the company’s financial distress:
- Total debt: $516 million
- Secured creditor debt: $413 million (mostly owed to investors)
- Unsecured creditor debt: $88 million, including $73 million to suppliers
- Bank debt: $7.4 million owed to Bank Mizrahi Tefahot
- Company assets: Only $127 million (excluding intellectual property)
This means the company owes roughly four times more than its tangible assets are worth – a dire situation by any measure.
While the company’s flagship Nanographic presses have generated global interest, sales numbers have fallen far short of expectations. Landa has reportedly sold only about 40 presses worldwide — each with a price tag in the range of $3 million to $5 million USD — far below what’s needed to support its massive R&D costs and manufacturing infrastructure.
In short, Landa Digital Printing currently owes about four times more than its tangible assets are worth — and its limited installed base shows just how challenging it is to scale up an ambitious industrial print technology.
The Perfect Storm
What makes Landa’s situation particularly tragic is that it wasn’t caused by a single catastrophic failure, but rather a convergence of external factors that hit at the worst possible time:
The War in Israel: More than 25% of Landa’s Israeli workforce has been called up for extended reserve duty since the conflict began, severely disrupting operations and productivity.
Global Supply Chain Chaos: Maritime shipping delays caused by Houthi attacks in the Red Sea and ongoing difficulties using the Suez Canal have wreaked havoc on the company’s international supply chain.
Customer Payment Delays: In the printing industry, customers typically pay for expensive machines in installments rather than upfront. Economic uncertainty has led to delayed payments, creating cash flow nightmares.
Economic Headwinds: Rising international shipping costs and broader global economic challenges have compounded every other problem the company faces.
Behind the collapse also lies the decision of key backers to withdraw support. In LDP’s case, two of Europe’s most powerful business dynasties were principal stakeholders: the investment arm of German billionaire Susanne Klatten— whose holdings include BMW — controlled a 45% stake in LDP, while Winder Investment, the Rausing family’s fund (owners of Tetra Pak), held another 10%.
“During the Gideon’s Chariots operation in the Gaza Strip, these families decided they had had enough and could not continue to support the company for fear it would taint their brands,” said a source familiar with the matter. He added that the families continued supporting Landa after October 7 and even rushed funds in after a missile strike damaged its premises, “but the continuation of the war led them to give up.”
Benny Landa had previously brought in luxury brands giant Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (LVMH) as controlling shareholder in Lusix, as well as German heavyweights Schumacher Packaging and Koenig & Bauer in Highcon — but the backing for LDP did not survive this latest crisis.
The Human Cost
Behind these numbers lies a human story. Landa Digital Printing once employed about 500 people, mostly in Israel, but the workforce has been “significantly reduced” over the past year due to restructuring efforts. For the remaining employees, the uncertainty must be overwhelming.
The company’s founder, Benny Landa, personally invested over $220 million of his own capital into the venture – a testament to his belief in the technology and a significant personal loss.
What Happens Next?
The stay of proceedings gives Landa Digital Printing time to negotiate with creditors and explore potential buyers. The company is working with Deloitte to develop a recovery strategy that could avoid complete insolvency.
The fact that “interested parties” are reportedly in discussions suggests that despite the financial troubles, Landa’s breakthrough water-based inkjet technology still has significant value in the marketplace.
A Cautionary Tale
Landa’s situation serves as a sobering reminder that even the most innovative technologies and well-funded ventures can be derailed by external circumstances beyond their control. After 15 years of development and successfully completing their breakthrough industrial digital printing technology, the company was finally ready for commercial success – only to be hit by a series of global crises.
The coming months will determine whether this is the end of Landa Digital Printing’s story or merely the beginning of a new chapter under different ownership. For now, the tech world watches and waits to see if one of digital printing’s pioneers can engineer a remarkable comeback.
World Imaging News will explore who the potential buyers for Landa Digital Printing could be in an upcoming report.
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