General News Archives - Page 2 of 11 - Koenig & Bauer Durst Digital Packaging Print

Inspirational insights underscoring the power of innovation

Guest blog by Thomas Goeke, Customer Experience and Marketing, Koenig & Bauer

Knowledge sharing, a celebration of achievements and future-forward approaches with partnerships based on trust… all among the overwhelmingly positive feedback to our recent Open House.

A heartfelt thank you to all the attendees at our ‘Expand Your Business Model’ event over two weeks at our Sheetfed division headquarters in Radebeul, Germany.

I have a strong belief in the need to inspire customers and provide value with our total one-stop shop approach.

It wasn’t just a showcase for die-cutting, folder-gluer and offset and digital printing processes, we were able to communicate our complete value proposition as a trusted partner.

Guests were able to see live demonstrations of integrated, innovative technology in an inspiring environment covering solutions in folding carton, label, commercial, and corrugated board sectors.

We covered everything from high-volume to short-run production, digital and showed the myKana digital ecosystem portal, including AI-supported products that add tangible added value for product optimisation.

One of the undoubted highlights was the “From Zero to Carton Hero” in 15 minutes, the timeframe it takes to complete a folding carton production value chain from sheet to finished product.

And of course, the VariJET digital production machine from Koenig & Bauer Durst was another!

Witnessing the positive reaction from a fully focused audience every day was truly awe-inspiring.

As a one-stop solutions provider, we enable our customers to be successful.

We help them to look beyond products, understand the pain points and develop a profitable business model to help them grow with good guidance.

If you missed our “Expand Your Business Model” Open House, you can find out more here or here.

2. July 2025

Are you riding the wave of water-based digital printing technology?

Case Studies, General News

Guest blog by Ian Schofield, Packaging and Sustainability Specialist

Are end-users making the most out of the new water-based digital printing technology?

Understanding the benefits is vital and there are a number to consider. For example, on these presses you can confidently achieve what is required in terms of:

Colour gamut.
Run speeds.
Customisation of elements.
Run length flexibility.

All these advancements are now starting to happen and are shaping some production approaches that are set to be defining.

Connective packaging is one fast-growing trend and is now massive for the digital market. The ability to print unique bar codes on individual packs is going to continue to be huge for many markets. However, you cannot do that conventionally.

Other benefits of digital printing are print run lengths. Whether you run one, two,10 or 10,000 it doesn’t matter. You can have an individual print or you can do all 10,000.

The big runs now are not a big issue for these machines.

Another important consideration is sustainability, which will continue to be impactful too.

Is water-based digital printing more sustainable than current printing? The LCA’s have still to be proven. However, thankfully, it’s looking good compared to conventional printing.

I was delighted to share these benefits – and more – with important stakeholders from the packaging industry at a recent exclusive Corrugated Workshop hosted by Koenig & Bauer Durst to discuss the future and role of digital printing from a converter’s point of view.

You can find out more on which digital printing benefits could help define a successful future for your operation by talking directly to Koenig & Bauer Durst.

18. June 2025

Secure and protect with VariJET

General News, Innovation

Guest blog by Marc Hunsänger, Director Protection Technologies, Koenig & Bauer Vision & Protection

Proud of our heritage as the world’s first security press manufacturer, we’ve come a long way in the world of printing.

And as digital natives with more than a dozen years of app development experience, we make protection scalable and smart. Using cryptographic principles, your information stays private and secure.

Stegano is the name of our technology that ensures products are protected by hidden data. It also provides fast offline decoding and built-in connectivity. It can modify every single folding carton on a production line, providing unique, hidden serialisation.

With Stegano we can manipulate the printing for every single folding carton but with the huge advantage that the design won’t be visually altered. With an algorithm we can create new “information” that can be written text or a symbol.

It’s impossible to see the hidden information with the naked eye. But you can decode it with our app.

In terms of new possibilities, Koenig & Bauer Durst’s VariJET 106 is probably the most exciting development we’ve ever come across in recent years.

This digital press can modify folding cartons for each item (-> serialisation), no other conventional printing press can do it.

The advantages for customers using the VariJET 106 for protection purposes include:

no additional costs (no new inks or other additives)
printing process and brand design stay untouched
decreased varnish costs due to Stegano implemented in a varnish plate
added protection for brands
traceability – you can give each single folding carton a hidden ID and follow their path -> grey market detection

For all these reasons and more, the VariJET is the perfect press.

Find out more about the VariJET here: VariJET 106 – Koenig & Bauer Durst Digital Packaging Print

Find out more about Stegano here: https://www.koenig-bauer.com/en/products/p/stegano

18. June 2025

A look into our history – and our future.

General News, Innovation

1817: Koenig & Bauer is founded – the world’s oldest printing press manufacturer
1936: Durst begins its journey as a pioneer for photography and imaging technologies
2025: Shaping the future of the print industry – together as Koenig & Bauer Durst

We bring together the best of both worlds – Koenig & Bauer’s centuries of mechanical engineering expertise and Durst’s digital innovation power. Our focus: folding carton, corrugated, and software solutions for packaging printing.

Jochen Sproll, our Strategy and Business Development Manager, sums it up perfectly: “The combination of conventional and digital printing is a win for the entire industry – processes become more efficient, more flexible, and more sustainable.”

Why?
Because the packaging market is evolving rapidly.
To remain competitive, packaging production processes must become more efficient – without compromising on the ability to deliver or print quality.

Digital packaging printing is:

more flexible
more sustainable
enables greater design freedom

But: It doesn’t replace offest in the near future. That’s why we focus on hybrid solutions that combine the strengths of both technologies.

A prime example: Our VariJET 106 – co-developed by Koenig & Bauer and Durst. It unites the expertise of both companies!

Conventional and digital printing are not opposites. They are partners – working side by side for a future-ready print industry.

Want to dive deeper into the topic of offset and digital printing.

Check out the full article in Print Monthly!

4. June 2025

Elevate brand protection with digital production

General News, Innovation

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.

9. May 2025

Offset and Digital: The New Industry Standard?

General News, Innovation

Factoid: Founded in 1817 by Friedrich Koenig and Andreas Friedrich Bauer, Koenig & Bauer is the oldest printing press manufacturer in the world which is still in service

In 2019 Koenig & Bauer Durst was formed in order to strength the two companies’ digital, folding carton, corrugated, and software solutions. Speaking of the combination of different technologies, Jochen Sproll, strategy and business development manager at Koenig & Bauer Durst, says: “By combining the very best of conventional and digital printing in the folding carton and corrugated markets, we can support corrugated and folding carton printers/converters who want to increase process efficiency, flexibility, and work even more closely with brands and retailers who recognise that they need to digitise their production environments. We can offer them the best of both worlds.”

Speaking of changes in the industry, Koenig & Bauer Durst emphasises that packaging is one of the strongest mediums for communication between brands and customers. The company says that ever decreasing run-lengths and shorter lead times mean that productive presses are needed to enable converters to manage complexity with lower operating costs and high-quality print results.

When it comes to digital printing in packaging, Sproll explains: “Digital printing is reshaping the folding carton market by enabling rapid, flexible, and sustainable production solutions. While it’s not a replacement for traditional methods, its role is growing, particularly for shorter runs, design flexibility, versioning, and agile production needs. A large portion of folding carton converters see the future of the packaging industry as a hybrid approach, combining digital and conventional printing to balance cost, scale, and customisation needs.

“The VariJET 106 single-pass press, a collaborative development by Durst and Koenig & Bauer specifically for the folding carton markets, will transform business operations. Among its big strengths is the outstanding colour-to-colour registration and machine stability ensuring high uptimes. Black negative can be printed in as little as 4pt font even with the densest black. It is especially useful with barcode work when every job is different.”

Sproll also highlights the continued success of certain areas of the market: “All-in-one production – particularly with embellishment possible for anything from tobacco packaging to pharmaceutical applications – is also becoming increasingly important. The VariJET 106 can run at 5,550sph in line embellishment in B1 digital format. Digital packaging printing on the VariJET eliminates time-consuming processes such as colour matching for new packaging products. From concept to market-ready product, the timeline will be reduced from weeks to just days.”

Evidently lithographic technology is here to stay, with digital printing no longer being a threat but a worthy companion to many businesses that use offset printing. While we don’t know what future innovations and technologies may hold, currently it is hard to disagree that these long-standing companies know what they are talking about, and while some are embracing digital technology more than others, ultimately, there’s still space in the market for both litho and digital.

5. May 2025

Sparking new ideas in folding carton with VariJET 106

Events, General News

By Eric Frank, Senior Vice President, Koenig & Bauer

What started as small carton associations banding together to survive the Great Depression has evolved into the unified organization we know today, representing the $12-billion paperboard packaging industry.

The Paperboard Packaging Council is a vibrant community of leaders, innovators and changemakers exclusively dedicated to North American converters of paperboard packaging and their suppliers.

Packaging requirements are evolving faster than ever, driven by sustainability demands, AI-powered advancements, and a shift away from plastics. Brand and retailers are racing to adapt, as are converters.

With all this in mind, I am looking forward to the PPC Spring Conference meeting in Indianapolis from April 23-25 that will have a packed agenda over the three days.

There I will be introducing the latest updates on the VariJET 106, the digital inkjet press, which has been jointly developed by Durst and Koenig & Bauer.

The VariJET uses the know-how from Koenig & Bauer, the leader in offset printing, with Durst’s unparalleled expertise in digital inkjet technology and software. We have reimagined the possibilities by combining the power of these two processes.

Greater geopolitical and societal instability, supply chain challenges, labour shortages, and legislative changes are all among additional factors that make digital production increasingly important in folding carton and corrugated markets.

And now seems to be the perfect time to fully introduce this unique offering to the American market, which is now a key target territory for sales.

The future is now for digital production in folding carton packaging. And I am convinced that the VariJET106 will play an important part in developments.

For those visiting the Spring Conference, I look forward to being there and fostering meaningful connections.

22. April 2025

Banknotes to VariJET 106 – My Journey in Print

Case Studies, General News

By Sascha Scholz, VariJET 106 Demonstrator, Radebeul

As a printer with a background in both traditional and digital printing, I have developed expertise in several technologies, where a primary focus has been on banknote and the wider intricacies of security printing.

Late last year, I began a new chapter in my career at Koenig & Bauer Sheetfed headquarters in Radebeul, Germany. Here, my role is centred on digital printing, where I work as a demonstrator.

One of the aspects I love most about my current job is preparing and conducting demos for customers. It’s a rewarding experience to guide customers – many of whom come from an offset printing background – through the world of digital printing.

Most of our clients are discovering digital printing for the first time, and it is both exciting and fulfilling to show them how digital printing can be integrated into their workflows.

From the prepress stage to the digital printing process itself, I enjoy sharing each step to expand their knowledge of the world of digital printing.
Seeing their smiles and knowing that they leave with a deeper understanding of this technology is incredibly satisfying.

I also enjoy being part of the latest developments and working with new technologies such as the VariJET 106, a digital press that is revolutionizing the printing market.

While it’s already being used for packaging in pharmaceuticals, food, and beauty products, I see a wealth of untapped potential for this technology in other markets.

Each demo I conduct in the Koenig & Bauer Durst Demo Center reveals new opportunities, and with every customer we engage with, we discover new ways the VariJET can serve a wide range of applications.

One of the standout features of the VariJET 106 is its exceptional quality. Customers are consistently impressed by the machine’s ability to match a broad spectrum of Pantone colors through its 7-color imitation process. The extended color gamut and ability to manage variable data make it a standout choice for printers who require high-quality results.

I truly enjoy coming to work every day in such a collaborative and supportive environment and I look forward to seeing where this journey takes me next.

17. April 2025

Enhancing the consumer experience

Case Studies, General News

By Jon Blackbourn, Head of Digital Print UK, Schumacher Packaging Birmingham

Consumers look for convenience and clear information on packaging.

Intelligent designs that achieve these two critical points go a long way to creating a valuable premium unboxing experience.

They can also help a brand align itself with consumers’ personal values and build loyalty.

Packaging is a powerful vehicle that can be utilized to communicate important information clearly and in an easy to find way.

‘Smart packaging’ takes this a step further and has changed how a brand can engage with a consumer to positively influence repeat sales.
Smart packaging uses interactive technology such as QR codes to improve the customer experience. It enables a brand to tell its story, whether that be field to bottle, farm to fork and so on. It can create customer engagement.

It can also showcase other offerings within a brand’s portfolio, inform consumers about seasonal promotions and supply relevant news on new and imminent product launches.

All these are among the many reasons why we invested in the Delta SPC 130 single pass high volume digital press from Koenig & Bauer Durst for corrugated markets. The corrugated market is ripe for digital transformation.

Our FlexLine Eco+ model with six colours is the first installation in the UK and is a central focal point as we expand our presence in UK markets as one of the UK’s leading plain and printed cardboard manufacturers.

10. April 2025

WhatTheyThink interview with Daniel Velema

General News, Innovation

Daniel Velema, CEO of Koenig & Bauer Durst in an interview with David Zwang of WhatTheyThink on the importance of agility and adaptability in volatile and uncertain times.

31. March 2025