Offset giant KBA and digital press developer HP are collaborating on new roll-to-roll inkjet solutions for the $2.5bn high-volume corrugated packaging market. The co-developed solutions will be marketed under the HP brand and, says KBA, will help packaging converters increase productivity, scalability and versatility. The drive into packaging from the two companies comes because with an addressable market of $2.5bn the corrugated package printing industry is steadily increasing worldwide due to brand globalisation, population growth and a resurging economy. In parallel, trends such as stock keeping unit (SKU) proliferation, micro-segmentation and shorter product lifecycles are driving demand for the shorter run lengths enabled by digital print. No timeline has yet been announced. The deal is part of a growing trend for digital print developers to use offset press manufacturers to build the chassis and paper handling parts of the printer. Komori has teamed up with Landa and Konica Minolta, Heidelberg with Fujifilm, Ryobi with Myakoshi, manroland wth Oce. Aurelio Maruggi, vice president and general manager, Inkjet High-speed Production Solutions, HP says, “Addressing the enormous digital opportunity in the corrugated market requires best-in-class technology innovation, portfolio scale and market leadership. HP brings this combination as well as proven customer success and upgradability to this challenge, and together with KBA, HP can bring even greater value to high-end converters.”
Partners: L-r: Aurelio Maruggi, Vice President and General Manager, Inkjet High-Speed Production Solutions, HP, and Christoph Müller, Executive Vice President for the Web Press Product House
To help corrugated converters and print service providers (PSPs) take advantage of these trends, HP and KBA intend to deliver high-speed roll-to-roll thermal inkjet solutions that provide value chain cost savings while meeting brands’ rigorous quality and volume requirements Christoph Müller, executive vice president, Web Press Business Unit, KBA says, “KBA has a rich heritage of developing innovative solutions that meet or exceed customers’ quality expectations. In working with HP, we will combine our complementary technological strengths to meet the needs of packaging converters.” HP announced its intent to enter the corrugated packaging segment with its inkjet web press technology earlier this year, followed by its first offering, the HP High-speed Inkjet Corrugated Packaging Solution, and saw the first installation at Obaly Morava in the Czech Republic. The agreement with KBA demonstrates HP’s continued pursuit of corrugated packaging opportunities and intention to broaden its portfolio of inkjet products and solutions. As a 197-year-old company and the second-largest press manufacturer worldwide, KBA brings its strengths in paper handling, manufacturing scale and wide knowledge of the packaging market to the joint initiative. As HP celebrates its 75th anniversary and its 30th year of inkjet innovation, the collaboration will benefit from its inkjet and IT leadership as well as unmatched digital press go-to-market capabilities.
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.
Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter
