Labelexpo has long been the bellwether for change in our industry. From the digital disruption of narrow web to the transformation of mid-web and flexible packaging; the show has always spotlighted where we\u2019re headed. This year in Barcelona, that evolution turns towards folding cartons but in truth this isn\u2019t a new chapter. It\u2019s a continuation of a story already well underway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Across Europe and the UK, the move toward fiber-first packaging is accelerating. Brands, governments and consumers are converging on a clear goal: eliminate problematic plastics, reduce carbon emissions and drive circularity. Folding cartons, especially those produced inline are a powerful answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inline cartons: not new \u2014 just newly relevant<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite all the buzz inline carton production isn\u2019t a new concept. For over 15 years food-to-go packaging, particularly in the UK; has quietly evolved using inline flexo platforms to produce folded, glued and barrier-coated or lined fiberboard trays and wraps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Likewise, the beauty and personal care sectors have long relied on short-run, embellished carton production using hybrid workflows to create rigid boxes, sleeves and gift packaging often produced in line with hot foil, embossing and die-cutting in a single pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s new is the urgency of the conversation. Sustainability regulation, SKU proliferation and rising energy costs have brought these capabilities to the forefront for a much wider audience; especially label converters looking to diversify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A fiber-first Europe<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n From the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) to the UK\u2019s Plastic Packaging Tax and Extended Producer Responsibility schemes, the policy backdrop across Europe is clear: fiber-based packaging is favoured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s not just legislation; consumers are increasingly driving the shift. Gen Z and millennial shoppers expect recyclable, plastic-free and mono-material formats, not only for environmental reasons but for brand credibility. This is reshaping packaging decisions in food, pharma, cosmetics and e-commerce. As brands pivot, converters who can deliver recyclable cartons quickly and efficiently stand to gain a competitive edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why label converters are uniquely positioned<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Label converters already have the DNA required to succeed in the folding carton space: short-run agility, inline print expertise, embellishment workflows and increasingly, automation and MIS integration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Platforms from Canon Edale, Gallus, MPS, OMET, Mark Andy and Bobst; suddenly the leap into cartons becomes less of a jump and more of a step sideways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These inline systems allow converters to print, embellish, crease, die-cut and strip cartons in a single pass, offering unmatched efficiency in short-to-mid runs. Whether it\u2019s food-to-go trays, pharma cartons or luxury sleeves; inline workflows reduce changeovers, cut waste and simplify logistics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why inline makes ecological and economic sense<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Traditional sheet-fed carton production, especially for short or variant-heavy runs often involves multiple stages, machines, operators and logistics all of which increase power usage, CO\u2082 output, and material waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In contrast; inline production offers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Lower power consumption per unit<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Less overproduction (ideal for SKUs with expiry or version control)\u2022 Streamlined handling and fewer process steps\u2022 Faster time-to-market with reduced carbon footprint<\/p>\n\n\n\n This aligns perfectly with brand ESG targets, especially in regulated or premium sectors like pharmaceuticals, beauty, nutraceuticals and boutique food and drink where the packaging is part of the product\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where the growth is happening<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Markets with high SKU complexity and demand for speed are ripe for inline carton production\u00a0 \u00a0Pharma & Nutraceuticals \u2013 Versioning, serialisation and compliance requirements<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Beauty & Skincare \u2013 Embellishment-heavy, seasonal packaging<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Pet Care & Wellness \u2013 Sustainable, tactile formats<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Food-to-Go & QSR \u2013 Rapid turnaround, fiber-based, grease-resistant coatings<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 D2C & E-Commerce \u2013 Printed secondary packaging, giftable formats, low MOQs<\/p>\n\n\n\n The key across all is high complexity and low volume; a sweet spot where label-style workflows meet carton performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Are the legacy sheet fed players looking to cross over ?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s not just label converters leaning in. Increasingly, sheet-fed carton printers are exploring inline technology as a strategic complement to their existing offset capabilities. By shifting short-run or high-complexity jobs to inline platforms, they can free up litho capacity for longer runs, reduce bottlenecks in embellishment and die-cutting and offer faster lead times with fewer touchpoints. Inline doesn\u2019t replace sheet-fed; it optimizes the overall workflow, allowing converters to deliver a broader, more agile supply chain to their customers. With brands demanding greater responsiveness, versioning and sustainability credentials, this hybrid production approach positions sheet-fed houses to grow share, reduce waste and improve margin without compromising quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Labelexpo 2025: where the sectors converge<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Barcelona isn\u2019t just a change of venue as much as it marks a strategic pivot. The inclusion of folding carton technology this year underscores a market that\u2019s shifting beneath our feet. It\u2019s not labels or cartons; it\u2019s labels and cartons, often printed on the same press.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Labelexpo has long been the bellwether for change in our industry. From the digital disruption of narrow web to the transformation of mid-web and flexible packaging; the show has always spotlighted where we\u2019re headed. This year in Barcelona, that evolution turns towards folding cartons but in truth this isn\u2019t a new chapter. It\u2019s a continuation<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18755,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[550],"class_list":{"0":"post-18754","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-print-labelling","8":"tag-labelexpo"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18754","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18754"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18754\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18756,"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18754\/revisions\/18756"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18755"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18754"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18754"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cpmirror.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18754"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}