By Daniel Velema, Managing Director, Koenig & Bauer Durst GmbH

Is the corrugated packaging sector ready to move beyond short-run prototyping into full industrial-scale digital production? The answer is a resounding ‘Yes!’.

The industry is at a tipping point. Digital is no longer confined to sampling or niche applications – it is now a core, complementary production technology to offset and flexo and helps to improve overall production efficiency in the print shop. This is no longer experimentation. Converters have moved from testing to trusting.

Yet perception still lags behind reality.

Some in the market continue to view digital as ‘fancy technology’ rather than a proven manufacturing solution. The truth is that many converters have already made the shift and they are seeing tangible business value as a result.

Major players such as Smurfit Westrock, Pratt Industries, and Mondi Group are investing at scale as a strategic growth lever.

The remaining barriers are less about technology – like our single pass, water-based Delta SPC130 – and more about transformation.

Organizations must adapt workflows, estimating models, and production planning, to fully unlock digital’s potential as a complementary production technology.

Digital printing is one piece of a broader manufacturing evolution, requiring closer collaboration across partners and systems. It is only solving a part of the puzzle, that is why working together with other suppliers during a project is in our natural DNA.

It is also still new for certain companies. I see that this often results in a more complex, longer decision-making process.

However, our customers are proving day in day out that there is a clear business case. It is no longer a question of ‘if’, but ‘how fast’.

Those who align their operations and mindset today will define how their competitive landscape looks tomorrow.

By Andreas Rogl, Senior Application Specialist, Koenig & Bauer Durst

With another year well under way, our focus at Koenig & Bauer Durst remains firmly on helping customers get the very best from their Delta SPC 130 machines.
Digital production continues to advance rapidly, and although some still believe it is an experiment, the reality is very different: the technology is proven, industrial, and moving forward with great optimism.

Driving Print Quality and System Performance

A major part of my work has been driving continuous improvements in print quality and machine stability. This includes new colour profiles, better corrugated board flows, and supporting customers with the latest ink sets to reduce costs and increase reliability. Colour management, print management, and workflow all need to speak the same language, so we work closely with customers to ensure every part of the system aligns.

Hands-On Training and Customer Support

Training also remains a key priority. I spend significant time with maintenance teams, guiding them through preventative maintenance and troubleshooting side-by-side with our service department. This collaboration helps customers achieve higher uptime and more consistent production.
When I’m onsite over a weekend – when the press is quiet – I can focus on specific technical topics so that improvements are ready to show the customer on Monday morning.

Life on the Road and Continuous Innovation

My background as a service engineer, sometimes travelling more than 220 days annually, prepared me well for this role. Today it’s closer to 120 days, which is still a lot of time on the road. The hardest part is being away from my daughter, Mila Amaya, who is almost three. Thankfully, regular video calls help us stay connected.
R&D continues to push digital quality further, and we pass these advancements on to customers as part of an ongoing journey. Seeing machines run better and customers succeed is still the best part of the job – and it’s what drives our commitment to continuous improvement across every installation.

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.