Thanks for the time in posting your code, but that's a little "heavy" for me. I ended up using a couple of for ->next loops

use PDF::API2;

print "content-type:  text/html\n\n";
use CGI::Carp qw( fatalsToBrowser );

$pdf = PDF::API2->new(-file => 'new.pdf');    # prepares filespace

# 10 pages without above graphic = <3 seconds

for ($doc=0; $doc<10; $doc++){            # Repeat for each new loop
$page = $pdf->page();                # Adds new page to document. 
$page->mediabox('A4');                # Sets page size to A4
$font = $pdf->corefont('Verdana');        # Adds the Verdana font
$text = $page->text();                # Adds some text to page

$across=30;
$up=48;
$z=0;

$qr=$pdf->image_png('test.png');    # Test pathname
$arrow=$pdf->image_png('C:\...\arrows.png');    # Test pathname
$gfx = $page->gfx;

for ($x=0; $x<3; $x++){                # Across in 180dpi steps
$new_across=$across+(180*$x);
    for ($y=0; $y<8; $y++){            # Up in 96dpi steps
    $new_up=$up+(96*$y);
$text->font($font, 8);
$text->translate($new_across, $new_up);
$text->text('http://www.###/abcde/122345');            # Test URL
$text->font($font, 9);
$text->translate($new_across+11, $new_up+56);
$text->text('Find Your');
$text->translate($new_across+16, $new_up+45);
$text->text('Photos');
$text->font($font, 11);
$text->translate($new_across+25, $new_up+34);
$text->text('HERE');
$gfx->image($qr, ($new_across+90), ($new_up+10));
$gfx->image($arrow, ($new_across-4), ($new_up+12));
$z++;
    }
}

#$file=$pdf->image_png('C:\...label_layout.png');        # This is onl
+y a test pathname
#$gfx = $page->gfx;
#$gfx->image($file, 0, 0);
}                        # End of Page loop

$pdf->save();                    # Saves the file
                        
print "OK";
exit;
[download]

I will now add some code from GD library to create 24 QR code images, and then load them into page 1 by 1. Then discard them, and prepare the next batch for next page and so on.