Canon is moving into labels and packaging with an extensive product line up. At the European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers (FEFCO) biennial event, they introduced their previously rumored corrugated press, and offered greater details.

Canon is an innovator, which is why they have been able to capture the lead in the production inkjet market for the last 10+ years. This is undoubtedly a reflection of their development capabilities, and evidenced by the fact that they have been one of the top five US patent producers for the last 37 consecutive years. With the depth and breadth of this projected packaging product line it could lead to Canon capturing the largest footprint this segment of the industry, but time will tell.

At drupa 2024, Canon shared early plans for their expansion into labels and packaging. These included a selection of solutions for label printing and folding carton, including the Edale Label and Carton Lines and the LabelStream LS2000. They also announced the varioPRESS iV7 B2+ inkjet press targeted at commercial print, which will also undoubtedly be used for smaller-format folding carton work as well. Operating at up to 8,700 B2 4/0 simplex sheets per hour, if available today, it would be the fastest B2 digital printing press in its class. They expect to have the first machine shipment to a European customer in the beginning of 2026, with a controlled rollout through 2026 for Europe and the US with the goal of full availability in 2027.