By Mark Richards, Sales & New Business Development Director, Mondi Birmingham, Corrugated Solutions

The global cost of counterfeiting and piracy was estimated to reach more than $3.2 trillion in 2022.

But that is not all, counterfeiting also eats into a brand’s integrity, operational efficiency and impacts consumer trust.

Packaging is the final opportunity a brand has to protect itself against this threat.

The counterfeiters’ likelihood for success can considerably be reduced by packaging that:

• is upgraded to high-end print – both primary and secondary
• incorporates unique variable data strategies
• uses complex print designs
• enables the regular changing of print runs.

Digital print’s variable data capabilities can also help by providing access to full traceability with the addition of unique coding on each primary or secondary pack.

The pack can be traced through the supply chain and even back to the point of packing or date of production.

This traceability and transparency help prevent counterfeiting while also providing peace of mind.

Contact us to explore more about how you can implement these measures.

Madrid, February 07, 2025 – Petit, a family-owned leader in the corrugated cardboard production and conversion sector in the Iberian Peninsula, has reached an agreement with Koenig & Bauer Durst to start the digitalization of point of sale (POS) and packaging production.

This agreement begins with the installation of a single-pass digital inkjet Delta SPC 130 printing line supplied with water-based inks, which will be carried out during the first half of 2025.

With this strategic investment, Petit reaffirms its commitment to sustainability and technological progress, consolidating its position as a leader in innovation and digitalization in the sector, while teaming up with a supplier that has the full back-up off two leading companies in their respective markets, Durst and Koenig & Bauer.

About Petit

Founded in 1933, Petit is one of the leading companies in the production and conversion of corrugated cardboard applications in the Iberian Peninsula. Its commitment since its foundation has been its commitment to constant adaptation to the needs of the market, guaranteeing the most demanding quality standards.

Ralf Sammeck, CEO of Koenig & Bauer Sheetfed, and Daniel Velema, Managing Director, Koenig & Bauer Durst in the new dedicated hall in Radebeul

• Digital, offset and post-print customer demos & benchmarking on a single site
• Exclusive insights and training provided for customers and prospects in new hall
• VariJET 106 combines best of digital, water-based inkjet and conventional offset printing and finishing

Radebeul, Germany 14.01.2025

A unique opportunity to see and test digital, offset and post-print production on a single site is now a reality with the opening in Radebeul, Germany, of a dedicated hall for the VariJET 106, the hybrid press for folding cartons jointly developed by Durst and Koenig & Bauer.

Customers and visitors can now bring their own print files and substrates to see for themselves the flexibility, sustainability and cost-competitive opportunities afforded by Koenig & Bauer Durst’s VariJET 106 modular, single-pass press, which had its public debut at drupa. The 700 square meter hall is part of the global Customer Experience Center at Koenig & Bauer’s Sheetfed division headquarters, near Dresden, which is now part of the Paper & Packaging Sheetfed Systems (P&P) segment.

“The new dedicated hall for the VariJET 106 digital, hybrid press for folding carton markets represents another important step in our evolution,” said Daniel Velema, Managing Director, Koenig & Bauer Durst. “The opening means the Customer Experience Center is the one and only place where you can see and test digital, offset and post-print production at a single site. This is where prospects from all over the world can test the VariJET 106 for themselves using their own files and substrates. This ability to advise across print and finishing technologies is driven by our ambition to first and foremost understand & support your business needs & opportunities, and talk about technology second.

“We showed at drupa what is possible with full digital – digital printing, embellishment and finishing. Now we would like to show guests the next steps in the digital revolution for folding carton markets. Reach out to your local representatives, we would love to welcome you to Radebeul. For those who haven’t been there yet, the Koenig & Bauer Customer Experience Center – for press and machine demonstrations, application testing, the development of new technologies and for training purposes – focuses on specialized areas of packaging like folding carton, commercial and label production.”

Daniel added: “Ever since the VariJET 106 Customer Experience Center opened, Koenig & Bauer Durst has been running back-to-back print tests with customers and brands from all key geographies being represented: North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. We are particularly pleased by the interest of Asian customers who don’t shy away from making the trip to Germany!

“Successfully tested applications include cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, healthcare and food. We work closely together and explore hands-on what Koenig & Bauer Durst can improve to better meet market demands.”

The VariJET 106, which runs 5,500 B1 sheets per hour, combines the best of both worlds – digital inkjet and classic offset printing. The VariJET 106 uses water-based inkjet inks (CMYK plus orange, green & violet), primers & coatings to provide the highest print quality at a most competitive cost level, while supporting current and upcoming food safety and sustainability regulation. It leverages on Koenig & Bauer’s standard high performance Rapida 106 platform and Durst printhead electronics, inkjet expertise and Durst workflow and RIP technology. This includes Durst Analytics, Smartshop and Workflow.

Koenig & Bauer and Durst first announced they had joined forces and set up an independent joint venture company in 2019. The VariJET 106 is the first product jointly designed and developed by the two companies. Already in production and part of the Koenig & Bauer Durst portfolio are the Delta SPC 130 Series and the CorruJET 170 Series – aimed at corrugated packaging.

The VariJET 106 in the new dedicated hall in Radebeul

By Matthias Krautgasser, Senior Product Manager, Koenig & Bauer Durst

Versatile, flexible, fast and a perfect fit for converters wanting to step into the world of industrial printing in corrugated markets.

These are among the hallmarks for the Delta SPC Core that is the latest addition to our award-winning portfolio of single pass presses for the corrugated markets.

And we couldn’t be happier with the initial reactions from converters and customers to this newly launched press that is an entry-level ticket into digital printing within corrugated markets.

Based on Koenig & Bauer Durst’s established, market-proven Delta SPC 130 Automatic press, the Core is designed to grow with your needs, whether you’re scaling up in volume or adjusting to specific application requirements, such as special colors (orange, violet, green), water-based white, and primer.

Make no mistake: the Delta SPC Core may be ‘entry level’ but is still for industrial scale production – and fully scalable.

With a smaller footprint (measuring 20 metres from end to end), it will fit into many plants. The Delta SPC Core comprises four components: an easy-to-use feeder, main printer, a compact Eco+ energy-efficient drier and single-sheet stacker with a print size ranging from 1mm to 12mm in thickness.

The Delta SPC Core will deliver the series’ most impressive price performance ratio for converters with media sizes up to 1.30meters width (51 inches) by up to 2.80m (83 inches) length for corrugated box plants. It will be suitable for converters with annual production volumes of between 3 and 5 million square meters (32 and 54 million square feet) annually by printing 60m/min (197ft/min) on coated and 90m/min (295ft/min) on uncoated boards.

The Delta SPC Core is a clear answer to the requirements of the corrugated market for entry-level solutions and offers opportunities for growth in terms of new applications and productivity.

We can enhance the Delta SPC Core, transforming it into a high-performance powerhouse or an embellishment expert. The printer is engineered for precise customization to match your exact production needs. Proudly made in Austria, the home of the Delta SPC family.

This industrial production single-pass digital press is aimed at converters looking to transform to digital production or upgrade from their current digital system, including the possibility for in-field upgrades to increase throughput and/or application range.

Target customers will include box plants and companies doing display and boxes. Available now, lead times are between 6-8 months.

We expect to confirm details of our beta test customers soon with production starting in the first half of 2025.

Watch this space!