By Melissa Donovan
The media, inks, and coatings used in digital folding carton production vary greatly. It’s challenging to determine which is the correct combination for the job at hand. The October issue of DPS magazine goes into this in a bit more detail. Here we share some of the products offered by vendors interviewed in that piece.
BW Converting does not manufacture media or printing presses. However, its curing and drying systems play a vital role in optimizing digitally printed folding cartons, improving performance, print quality, and recyclability potential. Specifically, Unity is a water-cooled UV LED curing system that is ideal for high-speed, high-performance digital printing on folding cartons and corrugated substrates. Baldwin QuadCure UV is a traditional mercury arc UV system used in applications requiring a broader spectral output, such as heavy coatings and specialty finishes. Lastly, its FlexoDry IR is an advanced infrared drying system designed to provide rapid, efficient ink drying, which is ideal for corrugated manufacturers who require consistent, high-quality results at fast production speeds.
Koenig & Bauer Durst’s VariJET 106 single-pass press is a collaborative development by Durst and Koenig & Bauer specifically for folding carton markets. Among its strengths are the outstanding color-to-color 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. 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 5,550 square feet per hour inline embellishment in B1 digital format. Digital packaging printing on the VariJET eliminates time-consuming processes such as color matching for new packaging products. From concept to market-ready product, the timeline is reduced from weeks to just days.
Komori J-throne 29 uses UV LED cured ink. Based on the company’s experience with folding carton stocks, it indicates that UV LED ink is compatible with common C1S, C2S, and other paper common grades used for folding carton. The press can print up to 24pt board in straight mode and up to 18pt board in perfecting mode. The J-throne 29 does not require certified media, nor does it require pretreated media or have a precoater in the press. The UV LED ink prints directly onto the standard paper surface.
Mohawk/Fedrigoni Special Papers North America folding board papers provide a superior print surface of inks, foils, embossing, and other embellishments. From the brightest whites to the richest blacks, as well as sustainable solutions, Mohawk’s folding boards are engineered to be scored and folded to create sophisticated, beautiful, and responsible packaging that embodies your brand. Four grades are part of the portfolio, Loop, Mosaic, Renewal, and Superfine and they are offered in calipers of 16pt to 24pt.
Neenah Folding Board is stocked in thirteen colors including 100 percent and 30 percent post-consumer waste options as well as three shades of kraft, pearlized options, and Deep Black. For digital presses requiring treatment (such as HP Indigo) Neenah offers three 18pt digital-ready colors—Bright White, 100 PC White, and Deep Black, in both 19×13 and 20.75×29.5 inches.
Xeikon dry toner presses—QA-I, ICE, Cheetah, Sirius, and TITON platforms—print directly onto untreated board, up to 530 microns thick. This is possible thanks to low-temperature contact fusing, which preserves substrate integrity while delivering high-quality output. Xeikon’s dry toners offer offset-quality color with food safe compliance and no odor—ideal for confectionery or cosmetics. A protective overprint varnish adds scratch resistance for automated packing.
Sep2025, DPS Magazine
folding carton, digital print, packaging, digitally printed packaging, packaging media
