Koenig & Bauer Durst is entering a new phase in the VariJET 106 journey as beta and series machines deliver exceptional performance in daily production across Europe.

Two beta presses in Switzerland and Germany and a first series machine are now running reliably in continuous operation, producing high-quality folding cartons across cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, industrial goods, food packaging, tobacco, and commercial segments.

Successful Installations and Expansion into Poland

A major milestone is also underway in Poland, where a new VariJET 106 is currently being installed – further information following soon!

Efficiency Gains Driven by Digital Technology

Based on an in-depth analysis of the customer’s real production data, Koenig & Bauer Durst identified striking efficiency improvements: significant cost and waste reductions, increasing overall press room efficiency, lower energy use, and new business potential through the possibilities of digital technology such as versioning and variable data printing.

The findings underline the approach of partnering with customers to develop individual solutions that transform their operations, rather than simply supplying technology.

Close Customer Collaboration as a Key Success Factor

“Every installation is a close collaboration,” says Tom Sander, Product Manager for the VariJET 106. “By analysing individual customer data, production conditions, and needs, we make sure each VariJET 106 unlocks measurable improvements – in cost, time, and sustainability – and changes their business. The strong feedback from our beta users and the enthusiasm we see at live events confirm that the VariJET 106 is delivering on its promise.”

Growing Demand and International Events

Koenig & Bauer Durst continues to expand VariJET 106 customer events throughout 2026, reflecting the growing global demand for digital printing in the folding carton market.

Live Demonstrations and Open House in Radebeul

Over the coming weeks, several groups of international visitors will experience the VariJET 106 live at customer sites. Some of them will then travel to the Open House in Radebeul on April 28–29, where the VariJET will once again be the centerpiece of live demonstrations.

Contact and Further Information

Interested in the VariJET or the Radebeul Open House? Contact your local Koenig & Bauer sales representative or reach out via info@koenig-bauer-durst.com.

By Markus Weiss, CEO of Koenig & Bauer Paper & Packaging

The printing and packaging industry is changing faster than ever. After nearly two decades in this business, I’ve seen countless innovations – but the convergence of offset and digital printing stands out as a true gamechanger.

At Koenig & Bauer Paper & Packaging Sheetfed Systems, we’re focused on one goal: helping our customers capture new growth by integrating both worlds.

Across Europe, the US, and Asia, we see strong momentum – especially in packaging. Offset remains the backbone of the industry, but digital print is rapidly gaining ground in high-value and high-volume segments.

Working closely with brands and converters, we’re looking to help those using digital print to deliver premium packaging at industrial scale, including in folding cartons.

From niche technology to industrial digital production

For too long, digital printing has been viewed as a niche solution for short runs or individualisation. That mindset is outdated.

A real opportunity now lies in high-volume, high-end digital production – and the VariJET 106 from Koenig & Bauer Durst is one of the important tools helping make that shift possible.

Developed jointly with Durst, the VariJET 106 brings together digital agility and offset precision.

This single-pass press, using water-based, food-safe inks, enables flexible production and addresses run lengths from 1,500 to 10,000 sheets or more depending on the market and applications. It’s not about replacing offset – it’s about expanding what’s possible when both technologies work together.

New opportunities beyond traditional packaging

We’re also opening new conversations beyond packaging within other segments and with partners. As one example, together with our Vision & Protection teams, we see exciting opportunities in security printing, where innovation and expertise can create real competitive advantage.

This is an area where Koenig & Bauer’s long-standing expertise and our innovative mindset can unlock meaningful new business models.

A holistic approach to the future of print

Our approach remains holistic: connecting PrePress, Press, and PostPress systems through intelligent automation, AI and workflow solutions to deliver efficiency and profitability across the entire production chain.

The future of print isn’t about choosing sides – offset or digital. It’s about mastering both to meet today’s evolving market demands.

At Koenig & Bauer, we’re passionate about driving that transformation with our customers, shaping the next chapter of what print can achieve.

By Lukas Rosenkranz, Project Management Lead, Koenig & Bauer Durst

When people ask me what it’s like to be a Project Management Lead at Koenig & Bauer Durst, I often smile and remark, “No two days are ever the same.”

At Koenig & Bauer Durst, customer success is our priority. We want to ensure that our systems deliver reliable, profitable performance.

1. Installing, Supporting, and Optimizing Across Europe

My role takes me across Europe – from Germany to Spain to England – where I work side by side with customers installing and supporting our Delta SPC 130 machines.

But the job doesn’t end with installation. I return to customers months later to observe, advise, and help them get the very best out of their machines.

With a background in mechatronics and automation, I can often see details that others might miss. That training helps me notice subtle issues in production – things that can make the difference between frustration and flawless output.

I spend an entire day at a customer site, observing, checking every component, and working with third-party suppliers to improve performance. Sometimes this means hours of fine-tuning, followed by detailed reports and training sessions to ensure the customer’s team feels confident.

2. Turning Challenges into Customer Success

One of the most rewarding parts of my job is transforming challenges into success stories.

I’ve seen customers start the day angry because their equipment wasn’t working properly – only to end the day relieved and happy after we solved the issue together.

Third-party companies often bring complex error-cutting systems, and I work closely with them to integrate improvements. Seeing the customer’s production line run smoothly afterward is always satisfying.

For me, silence is golden: if I don’t hear from a customer, it means the machine is running perfectly. That’s the ultimate goal.

Last year alone, I spent 11–12 weeks abroad supporting customers. Each country brings new challenges, new cultures, and new opportunities to learn, including improving my English.

It’s demanding work, but when customers achieve success, the relief and happiness on their faces make it worthwhile.

Interested in becoming part of our journey? Explore your opportunities at Koenig & Bauer Durst and discover how you can make an impact.

By Wolfgang Zeug, Lead Print Instructor, Koenig & Bauer

Being part of the team and refining the evolution of the VariJET 106 is a privilege. We are elevating the print quality to the great results we consistently achieve today.

One of the undoubted advantages in folding cartons between ourselves and competitors – such as Landa – is the ability print directly on to uncoated materials with the VariJET.

This allows us to print significantly more ink onto the sheet, which is needed when printing on uncoated materials. As a result, the print on uncoated materials looks beautifully vibrant on the VariJET.

The appearance on uncoated materials is very good. The structure of the paper is retained, but it is still possible to achieve a very high ink coverage and thus a beautifully rich and saturated color. Since the ink flows well, the material is also not susceptible to missing nozzles and skewed jets.

At the end of the day, although I’m just a printer, I can see that the VariJET offers customers new opportunities, such as a surface with a different look. In times when eco-friendly packaging is in vogue, this allows you to stand out from other market providers.

Only recently, a customer who prints almost exclusively on uncoated materials visited our Radebeul Customer Demo Center and was very enthusiastic about the results.

He went as far to say he hadn‘t seen anything like it in a long time!

Development of the VariJET will continue, with research into even better ink and improvements to sheet travel.

I am delighted to be part of this unique collaboration between Durst and Koenig & Bauer, two market-leading companies in the printing and packaging industry.

Guest blog by Markus Weiss, CEO of Koenig & Bauer Paper & Packaging

With nearly two decades of experience in the printing sector, I bring a deep understanding of digital transformation and its potential.

Now as CEO of Koenig & Bauer Paper & Packaging Sheetfed Systems, my priority is to position Koenig & Bauer as a comprehensive solution provider and Trusted Advisor. This includes developing innovative business models that drive the complementary use of offset and digital printing in the packaging and commercial printing industries.

Whereas offset printing remains the leading technology in packaging and commercial printing, digital printing is becoming increasingly important.

The optimal combination of both technologies opens up new growth opportunities for our customers and shows that their joint use will shape the future of the printing industry.

This is especially true with increasing numbers of innovative solutions in the prepress and postpress adding to the possibilities.

Our aim is to make our customers even more successful and helping them to differentiate from competition. This is why we provide our customers with holistic system solutions encompassing PrePress (software), Press (offset and digital), and PostPress (finishing), enabled by intelligent automation and leveraging AI for maximum production efficiency.

With the VariJET 106 – a joint development between ourselves and Durst Group – we provide a very good and unique technical solution for folding carton markets.

My personal opinion is that it is super-critical to be getting run lengths up to 7.000 sheets per hour on the VariJET 106 and develop even more new applications.

The VariJET 106 has an important part to play in the future, albeit one piece of the jigsaw.

I look forward to expanding the boundaries of what is possible in complementary printing and our comprehensive automation solutions, and to positioning us as a leading comprehensive solution provider and strengthening our position as THE Trusted Advisor in this dynamic market.