Konica Minolta has played a pivotal role in developing a new film packaging system that has won the prestigious Japan Star Award in collaboration with four other companies. Jointly developed by Konica Minolta, FUJI MACHINERY, FUJI PACK SYSTEM, Marking System Technology (MST) and DAC ENGINEERING, the platform captured the Japan Packaging Institute President’s Award 2026.
Award-winning features
The system eliminates the need for printing plates and labels by printing directly on packaging film using inkjet technology within the packaging machine. This increases production efficiency and reduces the environmental impact of the packaging process.
Konica Minolta oversaw the development of water-based inks, primer inks, and inkjet printhead technology. Inkjet printing on packaging films uses low-odor water-based inks and primer inks with enhanced safety developed by Konica Minolta. The combination of these types of inks increases adhesion of inks to films and realizes high-definition printing. Inks are available in different colours – including black, red and yellow – to meet various visual requirements. Based on Konica Minolta’s proprietary material design, an inkjet printhead optimized for jetting water-based inks delivers stable, high-definition printing quality and help improve productivity.
A collaborative effort for award success
Partners FUJI MACHINERY developed a horizontal flow wrapper for food packaging applications; FUJI PACK SYSTEM handled sales. MST developed the inkjet printers, while DAC ENGINEERING created image inspection technologies for printed information.
Efficient food packaging requires seamless management of high-mix, small-lot production. The main method of printing on food packaging is gravure printing on packaging films, and applying gravure-printed labels to packages is also widely used. Although gravure printing offers high printing speed and has advantages for mass production, a printing plate must be produced for each product.
Increased efficiency, reduced environmental impact
The developed system’s ability to print directly on packaging film using inkjet technology eliminates the need for printing plates and labels. This increases production efficiency and, by being able to handle small-lot production, the system can significantly cut costs by reducing film waste from product changeovers and discontinued sales lines compared to gravure printing. Lower consumption of materials - such as printing plates, labels, and thermal transfer ribbons – also helps reduce environmental impact and CO₂ emissions.
Development concept recognition
Winning the award demonstrates recognition of the development concept of improving packaging process efficiency and reducing environmental impact.
“We are greatly honored to receive the Japan Star Award,” said Kenichi Okubo, General Manager, IJ Component Business Unit, Konica Minolta. “We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation to all of the companies involved in this collaborative development effort. Through our proprietary inkjet technologies, Konica Minolta has been exploring new possibilities for transforming manufacturing workflows, including those within the packaging industry. Together with our partners, we will continue advancing technology development and expanding market opportunities aimed at realizing a more sustainable society.”
Masaki Sasa, Representative Director and President, FUJI PACK SYSTEM, said: “We are deeply honored to receive the prestigious Japan Star Award, and are truly grateful to the four companies involved in the joint development,” said “We will continue to create better value based on Fuji Machinery’s proprietary engineering capabilities and FUJI PACK SYSTEM’S unique innovation capability and will keep contributing to the development of the packaging industry and society as a whole.”
Hiroaki Sakamoto, CEO, MST, said: “We are truly honored that this collaborative development project has been recognized with the prestigious Japan Star Award. This achievement is the result of the strong synergy created by bringing together the strengths of each participating company, and we extend our sincere gratitude to all of our partner companies. We are extremely proud that the technologies we have cultivated over many years have been recognized for their potential to help shape the future. Encouraged by this award, we will continue pursuing uncompromising manufacturing excellence and expanding the possibilities of marking and printing technologies.”
The award-winning work “Reducing film waste through direct printing on packaging machines with water-based inkjet technology” and other winning entries in the Japan Packaging Contest 2026 will be on public display at the Good Packaging Exhibition 2026 booth at Tokyo Pack 2026, from October 14, 2026.
