Polish packaging manufacturer to integrate hybrid digital printing with offset operations, targeting higher efficiency, lower waste, and greater production flexibility.
Polish packaging manufacturer Drukarnia Tamir is set to begin high-volume digital folding carton production with the Koenig & Bauer Durst VariJET 106 following installation and operator training, scheduled for completion by the end of August. The investment marks a significant milestone for the family-owned company as it expands from a purely offset-based production environment into industrial-scale digital packaging.
Founded in 1993 and now led by the second generation of the Krywulec family, Tamir produces folding cartons, laminated corrugated packaging, and pharmaceutical leaflets for customers in the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food, automotive, and household appliance sectors across Poland and Europe.
The company operates two production facilities in Bystrzyca Kłodzka, with a third facility currently under construction. Its production setup includes nearly 20,000 square metres of manufacturing and warehouse space, dedicated pharmaceutical and automotive packaging operations, a B0-format laminated microflute packaging line, advanced offset presses, and post-press finishing equipment.
Tamir said the VariJET 106 was selected to complement its existing offset production rather than replace it. The hybrid digital press will handle more than 3,600 short- and medium-run jobs annually, representing over 5.6 million sheets, while enabling production previously requiring two offset shifts to be completed in a single VariJET shift.
The investment is also expected to generate significant annual waste savings, reduce production costs, and free capacity on the company’s remaining nine offset presses by transferring short- and medium-run work to the new digital platform.
“This is a significant strategic step for Tamir,” said Michal Krywulec, President of the Management Board of Tamir. “From the beginning, I had one key requirement: our digital press had to complement our offset production, not replace it. It had to be fully compatible with our existing workflow and, most importantly, capable of printing on the same carton substrates that we already use in offset production. This allows us to switch between technologies depending on the customer’s needs while maintaining the same quality standards and production flexibility.”
He added that after evaluating several digital printing technologies, the VariJET concept was the first solution that aligned with the company’s production strategy.
“We come from a purely offset environment, so our decision to move into high-volume digital folding carton production was based on a clear business case and a view of how we want to develop our production in the future,” Krywulec said.
According to the company, the VariJET 106 will improve production flexibility, streamline workflows, optimise operating costs, and support applications such as variable data printing. It will also enable Tamir to respond more quickly to urgent repeat orders and short-run production requirements.
Daniel Velema, Managing Director of Koenig & Bauer Durst, said Tamir’s investment demonstrates how digital production is becoming an integral part of industrial folding carton manufacturing.
“Tamir is a strong example of how digital is moving from discussion to implementation in folding carton markets. This is an established, highly capable offset packaging producer making the move into industrial-scale digital production because the business case is clear,” he said. “The VariJET 106 was designed exactly for this kind of environment – real production, real efficiency gains and real integration between digital and offset.”
Markus Weiss, CEO of Koenig & Bauer Paper & Packaging, added that the installation highlights the growing role of hybrid production in commercial packaging.
“For too long, digital printing has been seen as a niche solution for limited applications. Tamir’s decision sends a strong signal that the market is ready to use digital where it creates measurable value in industrial folding carton production. This is not about replacing offset. It is about combining the strengths of offset and digital to create a more flexible, more efficient and more competitive production setup.”
The VariJET 106 combines Durst’s single-pass, water-based inkjet printing technology and workflow software with the Koenig & Bauer Rapida 106 sheetfed offset platform. The hybrid press is designed to deliver industrial-scale digital production for folding carton converters, particularly in short- and medium-run applications requiring high quality, production flexibility, and improved operating efficiency.
source : Koenig & Bauer