Episode 280 - Hybrid Thinking: How Kento Digital Is Reimagining Corrugated
In this episode of the FuturePrint Podcast, Marcus Timson speaks with Javier Quesada, CEO of Kento Digital Printing, about how hybrid technology is reshaping the corrugated packaging industry.
With nearly two decades in the box-making business at companies like Saica and DS Smith, Quesada brings a rare dual perspective: the pragmatism of a packaging producer and the vision of a technology innovator. He explains how this background shaped Kento’s mission to make digital printing work for the corrugated sector – not as a replacement for flexo, but as a complementary, cost-efficient tool that adds value where it matters most.
The discussion explores the three main barriers that have slowed digital adoption in corrugated – high ink costs, capital expenditure, and inline converting – and how Kento’s hybrid approach directly tackles each. By combining flexo, digital, and rotary die-cutting in one line, converters can achieve shorter runs, faster changeovers, and reduced waste. Kento’s modular system also allows companies to start small and scale up over time, opening digital transformation to independent converters that historically lacked access to high-end technology.
Looking ahead, Quesada reveals Kento’s latest innovation: a high-viscosity, water-based inkjet system designed to cut energy use, enhance colour performance, and maintain the structural integrity of corrugated fibre. It’s a practical step toward greater sustainability and lower production costs.
Throughout the conversation, Quesada’s message is clear: the future of corrugated is evolution, not disruption. Hybrid systems, modular design, and smart partnerships will drive a new era of efficient, sustainable, and achievable innovation in packaging.
This episode offers valuable insight for converters, OEMs, and brand leaders looking to balance commercial realism with technological progress.
FuturePrint Events:
FuturePrint TECH: Industrial Print: 21-22 January '26, Munich, Germany