Koenig & Bauer has ramped up its environmental and sustainability offerings by unveiling future innovations for customers as the build-up to drupa continues. The next generation technologies in packaging décor printing technology and flexo specialisms were explored in depth during the Digital & Webfed Technology Days.

With customers now able to experience fully interactive event experiences, Koenig & Bauer, market leader in digital décor and packaging printing, focused its recent Technology Days on presentations for brands and customers with live product demonstrations on the CI Flexo and RotaJET presses. More than 150 attendees were able to immerse themselves in a story of Koenig & Bauer’s specially created own brand, “Happy Farm Box”, on which the two-day event was built around.

Latest technology advances were shown such as flexo printing on bio-based and biodegradable film with food-safe inks. Other components of the showcase boxes or pouches were printed digitally with water-based, food-safe ink and primers. Examples were shown of print-on-demand with less waste, in-flight job changes on an industrial scale. Other diverse application possibilities also included sophisticated folding cartons, pouches, fibre-based packaging and corrugated.

Another highlight involved showcasing the creative and sustainable possibilities of digital print with the potential of Artificial Intelligence in the decorative industry, whereas there have been limitations in the past by the circumference of the cylinder.

The delegates were able to experience a printing process up close on the RotaJET digital web press and a CI flexo press. They learned more about Koenig & Bauer's background as a high-tech company. Keynote speaker Thomas Reiner, CEO of Berndt & Partner Group, shared his expert knowledge with his future of packaging presentation.

Koenig & Bauer unveiled its XD Pro CI Flexo next generation press, which was shown at the Technology Days. Combining almost 50 years of flexo printing market experience with world-acclaimed engineering, the press takes performance reliability, process consistency and efficiency to new levels of productivity. It is designed to meet just-in-time market demands for short-run production agility for added-value sustainable flexible packaging.

Technology Days presentations included Amazon’s Senior Partner Manager, Transparency, Güneri Tugcu who evangelised digital transformation, and Koenig & Bauer’s Vice President of Digitalization Sandra Wagner who gave an inspiring vision of the future with her talk on Connect Packaging. There were demonstrations from Koenig & Bauer’s energy management system VisuEnergy X as well. There was also a Fraunhofer Institute presentation on bio-based materials and barrier coatings. Koenig & Bauer Coding showcased limitless possibilities from live coding on pasta packaging using an udaFORMAXX and an alphaJET 5 X as well as individual laser marking of metal drinking straws and lasered logos on apples. Aesthetically appealing but also environmentally friendly coding on wooden cutlery with CO2 laser was also presented.

“This was a phenomenal event featuring technology demonstrations, expert Tec talks, inquisitive interaction and a factory tour that included watching casting in action in the foundry”, said Christoph Müller, CEO Koenig & Bauer Digital and Webfed. “Over two days we were proud to bring together a diverse group of international participants – including globally recognised brands and household customer names – who provided the delegates with incredible, exclusive, insights into Koenig & Bauer’s innovation pipeline and an exciting preview of the groundbreaking, sustainable developments that will shape the industry’s future with rising environmental requirements. Koeing & Bauer be expanding on its technology innovation insights at drupa (Hall 16, Stand A31) in Dusseldorf, Germany, from 28 May to 7 June.