Digital on-demand carton production

Carton manufacturers looking to produce fast turnaround, high-quality and streamlined multi-SKU production on-demand and in short runs now have the option to print digitally using the latest HP Indigo WS6000 press technology. Claimed to be more cost-effective than analogue printing on up to 80 percent of label and packaging jobs, the WS6000 has become a preferred solution worldwide for streamlined digital production.

Using digital printing undoubtedly enables carton producers to manage their brand customers better − improving sell-through with targeted design, while lowering capital expenditure, time to market and obsolescence. At the same time, brand owners using digital printing for their packaging work gain the ability to affordably launch new products and gain better visibility on the shelves.

Complementing the WS6000 digital carton printing capabilities HP Graphics Solutions partner, AB Graphic, has introduced a new model to its popular Digicon converting systems − the carton series − which converts short-run cartons and boxes using semi-rotary cutting and creasing. This semi-rotary solution means that the converter doesn’t need to change cylinder sizes.

Put together, carton producers can now offer their brand-owner customers a complete web-fed in-line or off-line carton production capability using all the benefits and new added-value opportunities provided by offset-quality digital printing.

As an alternative approach, HP Indigo has also introduced a thick substrate kit option for its sheet-fed press solution − the HP Indigo 5500 − that gives the press the ability to print on board up to 18 points thick. This new kit option now gives carton converters additional possibilities for digital short-run folding carton production. Like other HP Indigo machines, the press produces offset-quality, digitally printed, short-run and personalized work.