Koenig & Bauer CEO Predicts Optimistic Future For NA Market As he begins a new year in his dual role as CEO and CFO of Koenig & Bauer (US/CA), Gerrit Zwergel is applying decades of leadership to help customers capture the in- dustry’s next wave of opportunity across packaging, com- mercial, label, and emerging segments. With more than 40 years at Koenig & Bauer, Zwergel brings a steady, long- range perspective on what printers need now and what they will need next: practical AI adoption, streamlined pro- cess digitalization and production ecosystems that turn data into decisions, while remaining sustainable.
cialist team and the continual integration of AI to provide the highest uptime and net throughput for its customers. What can Koenig & Bauer customers look forward to? Plans call for introducing the industry’s leading innova- tions geared toward the highest automation, consistent print quality, along with the expansion of newly developed reporting systems. Koenig & Bauer’s 208-year core focus will remain on training operational, mechanical, electrical, and maintenance teams to guarantee its customers swift implementation of its new technology. Koenig & Bauer has long maintained a strong focus on packaging, label, commercial, and emerging markets. New product introductions, including CI flexo technology, corrugated high board line portfolio, the RotaJET digital web-fed press, and the VariJET digital inkjet sheetfed press, will allow printers to offer a wider range of applica- tions and deliver more value to their customers. Its Rapida line for sheetfed presses – ranging from half and mid to large formats – consists of highly competitive machines recognized for their superior automation, highest operat- ing speed, and unique custom configurations that position them among the top choices in the industry. “Our management team is developing programs to fi- nancially address customer investments in 2026 and be- yond,” says Zwergel. “I am proud to lead our forward-think- ing management team and complete organization into the future as we evolve with the dynamic marketplace while introducing game-changing new technology.” Accurate Box Expands Capabilities To Include Dual-Sided Litho Printing Paterson, New Jersey based Accurate Box Company has expanded its manufacturing capabilities with the installa- tion of a Lamina System FASLINE Edge litho-laminator, to include double-sided litho printing on corrugated packag- ing. With this addition, Accurate Box says that it is the first company in the U.S. able to produce litho graphics on both sides of a corrugated box entirely in-house. This project was led by Accurate Box’s Innovation Team in response to a growing demand for double-sided print- ed packaging. The goal was to bring this process entire- ly in-house to better support customer needs with higher quality, faster turnaround, and more flexibility. After exten- sive research and evaluation, Lamina emerged as the best solution to achieve this capability. The Lamina machine gives Accurate Box the opportu- nity to offer premium graphics on both sides of the box to enhance product communication, instructions, and brand storytelling. By incorporating more graphics directly on the packaging, companies can reduce or eliminate the need for additional components like inserts or labels. Accurate Box expands its manufacturing capabilities through this new fully integrated in-house process, deliv- ering a better consumer experience through intentional, high-graphic packaging.
Gerrit Zwergel
Under his vision, Koenig & Bauer is expanding innova- tion across offset and postpress systems while strength- ening its digital toolkit, including the myKyana ecosystem from Koenig & Bauer Kyana and authentication solutions such as Stegano provided by Koenig & Bauer Vision & Protection. Equally important, the company will continue investing in people. Koenig & Bauer’s long-standing com- mitment to building the future workforce remains a priority, with additional emphasis on expanding its renowned ap- prenticeship program. “I believe 2026 will be an exciting year for the graphic arts industry as well as for our own company,” states Zw- ergel. “We see optimism in the marketplace as purchas- ing levels have returned. Our exceptional North American team and our European manufacturers strongly support our valued customers by consulting with them on process improvements and providing reporting systems for da- ta-driven workflow analysis. We are continually focusing on investing internally in the highest automation, empha- sizing optimization and digitalization across all segments. Our focus is to ensure our customers can differentiate themselves in their respective markets while identifying major consumer and industrial trends.” Zwergel sees the cornerstone of the organization continually focusing on its service and parts initiatives to continue supporting its customers as the industry’s lead- ing trusted advisor. Its COO Chris Talbert is 100 percent focused on further developing the firm’s wide breadth of support infrastructure including the customer service spe-
20 March 23, 2026
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