In line with its intention to become a leading force in digital labels and packaging production, Canon participated in the FEFCO (European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers) Technical Seminar 2025 (Rome, 8th – 10th October) and announced the Canon corrPRESS iB17, a next-generation inkjet press engineered for industrial-scale corrugated packaging production.
Building on Canon’s proven expertise and experience in commercial digital printing and following the presentation of its prototype at drupa 2024, the Canon corrPRESS iB17 will address the evolving needs of corrugated converters that face increasing pressure to deliver shorter runs with more variants, faster turnaround times and premium quality, and all without compromising cost efficiency.
corrPRESS iB17 is capable of digitally printing up to 8,000 m2 per hour (15 million m2 per year), the corrPRESS iB17 delivers offset-like quality directly onto corrugated boards up to 1.7 m wide with water-based inks and primer for indirect food contact. corrPRESS iB17 enables cost-efficient short- to medium-length runs with ultra-fast turnaround times, and requires fewer operators and lower skill levels. Designed for seamless integration into existing production environments, the corrPRESS iB17 is productive and flexible, extending the economic benefits of digital printing well beyond traditional short-run applications.
Supported by automated printhead cleaning and quality control systems, the press minimises operator intervention while maximising production efficiency. The system’s design allows an efficient on demand printing. Featuring proprietary, high-performance 1200 dpi piezo printheads and specially formulated water-based pigment inks and primer, which provide an extended colour gamut with CMYK + OVG water based inks, the corrPRESS iB17 achieves pre-print offset-like quality in the post-print process. It guarantees vibrant, accurate and consistent colours, sharp text and precise detail on both coated and uncoated topliners at rated speeds. The system also uses an advanced spot primer that ensures optimal ink adhesion and uniform colour. The ink is jetted onto the board immediately after the primer application without any drying in between, minimising the impact of drying on the board and contributing to a highly reliable production process.
The sophisticated Canon drying technology in the corrPRESS iB17 has been optimised to minimise corrugated board stress and energy consumption and to increase production efficiency. The system supports coated and uncoated boards up to 1.7 m wide and 1.3 m long, and ranging from 1 mm to 8 mm thick, at a linear speed of 80 m per minute. Unusually for a digital corrugated press, Canon owns all the key components in the printing process – printheads, inks and drying – to optimise the system’s performance more easily. By combining proven proprietary inkjet technology with an industrial-grade carton transport system, Canon has developed an industry-first printing solution for indirect food contact applications.
Jennifer Kolloczek, Senior Director, Marketing & Innovation, Production Printing, Canon EMEA, commented: “for Canon the corrPRESS iB17 marks a pivotal milestone in the path to become a key player in the packaging industry. We’re particularly excited that EMEA customers will be the first to benefit from this innovation. While we’re new to the corrugated industry, we bring years of innovation gained in industrial-scale commercial printing”.
