The folding carton market is no longer just steady – it’s expanding. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global folding carton market is projected to grow from approximately $175 billion in 2025 to more than $230 billion by 2034, reflecting consistent mid-single-digit CAGR growth. That expansion is being fueled by one overarching shift: the accelerating move away from plastic and toward renewable, fiber-based packaging formats.

Europe currently holds the largest share of the global folding carton market, while Asia-Pacific continues to emerge as one of the fastest-growing regions. In the US, demand remains stable but strategically important, with projected annual growth in the 1–3% range as brand owners increasingly prioritize recyclable and biodegradable materials across food, beverage, healthcare, and personal care categories.

Folding cartons have become the preferred packaging format for brands navigating sustainability mandates, e-commerce durability needs, and premium retail presentation. High-growth applications include meal kits, pet food, pharmaceutical packaging, and personal care – segments where performance, protection, and presentation must coexist.

At the same time, technical innovation is reshaping how cartons are produced. Lightweighting initiatives are reducing material usage without sacrificing strength. Digital printing is enabling shorter runs and versioning. And high-value embellishments, such as hot foil, embossing, and specialty coatings, are elevating cartons from functional containers to brand storytelling platforms.

For label converters watching the space, folding cartons are no longer adjacent – they are converging. The same pressures driving innovation in narrow web – sustainability, SKU proliferation, faster turnaround – are reshaping the world of folding cartons.

Carton converting and cutting 

If folding cartons are gaining momentum at the market level, the real story is unfolding on the converting floor.

For decades, carton production was largely defined by sheet-fed offset workflows – print, move, diecut, fold, glue. The process was linear, multi-step, and labor intensive. While that model still dominates for long runs, it is no longer the only path forward.

“Converting turns a brand’s ingenuity and creativity into reality,” says Ludovico Frati, sales and marketing director, Digital at Bobst. “It is the bridge between brand intent and consumer experience.”

Frati says that the shift underway in folding cartons is not simply about printing technology, but it is about rethinking how cartons are produced altogether.

“Traditionally, folding carton converting has been a sheet-fed process, dominated by offset printing,” Frati explains. “More recently, inline processes have gained ground. The balance is shifting in their favor as advances in digital and flexo web-fed technologies reshape production economics and agility.  

“For example, inline printing and sheeting or inline printing and diecutting integrate multiple steps into one process and speed up folding carton converting. This makes the process suited to short-run applications where agility and flexibility are paramount (i.e. pharma and personal care), as well as markets where volume is one of most important metrics, such as food and tobacco,” Frati says.

While technological advances are streamlining folding carton converting, Frati stresses that it remains important to master and control essential parts of the process: control of substrates, precise diecutting and creasing, and efficient folding and gluing.  

“Each is a critical step where performance needs to be optimized, waste is minimized, and quality must be prioritized,” he says. 

There are three principal technologies in carton diecutting: flatbed, rotary solid die, and rotary flexible die systems. Each have distinct advantages depending on job length, substrate type, and required precision. “Flatbed diecutting is the mainstay of sheet-fed production,” Frati says. “This process offers superior cut quality and versatility across substrates. Tooling is robust, relatively inexpensive, and easy to replace, though setups can be time-consuming and represent a significant investment, especially for short runs. 

“Rotary solid die systems are good for higher throughput – up to 20,000 sheets per hour – and offer exceptional repeatability for long runs but come with higher tooling costs and longer lead times. 

“Rotary flexible dies are optimized for short-run work and agile production. They feature minimal setup time, are a low-cost option, and easy to store and reuse. They are less robust than flatbed and solid dies and are often not suitable for heavier gauge materials,” says Frati.

The correct diecutting option depends on material specification, run length, product mix, and end-market requirements. Increasingly, automation, smart registration, and digital control systems are helping converters bridge those trade-offs, achieving faster setup times, reduced waste, and more consistent output. 

The Digital Impact

Digital technologies that have been developed and refined in label printing are now entering the folding carton arena at scale.

Frati says, “The digital transformation of folding carton converting is not a question of if, but how fast.” Digital printing of cartons is set to grow with a CAGR far exceeding the industry average of 2.5%. Inkjet alone is set to grow at 11% CAGR through to 2030, having already seen its share of the digital carton market treble from 2015 to 2025. 

“This growth is driven by the technology’s ability to manage shorter runs, enable versioning, and support faster design-to-market cycles. 

“Digital printing alone does not guarantee agility,” he continues. “True transformation lies in all-in-one digital converting. These systems integrate printing, embellishment, quality control, cutting and creasing into a seamless, automated flow,” Frati says.

That integration – printing, diecutting, creasing, inspection, and finishing in a single pass – mirrors what narrow web converters have been accustomed to, which is why folding cartons are increasingly relevant to label companies.

In a LOUPE

Inline carton production is not new. As Will Parker, a senior packaging executive who also served as Labelexpo Europe 2025’s Folding Carton Ambassador, noted ahead of the show, “This isn’t a new chapter. It’s a continuation of a story already well underway.” 

What’s changed, Parker states, is urgency. He says, “Sustainability regulation, SKU proliferation and rising energy costs have brought these capabilities to the forefront for a much wider audience – especially for label converters looking to diversify.”

That urgency was on full display at Labelexpo Europe 2025 in Barcelona, where folding carton technology was formally featured for the first time in the event’s history.

The show that built its reputation on narrow web labels is now embracing adjacent markets – flexible packaging and folding cartons – reflecting how converters themselves are evolving.

That evolution ultimately led to the announcement that Labelexpo will transition to LOUPE, a broader identity designed to reflect convergence across print and packaging. The name change is not cosmetic. It acknowledges what the show floor – and the converter landscape – already demonstrates: the lines between labels, flexible packaging, and cartons are blurring.

LOUPE is an acronym that stands for: Labels & OUter Packaging Embellishment. The very first LOUPE event will take place September 15-17, 2026, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, in Rosemont, IL, USA, just outside Chicago. 

On the equipment side, the convergence is evident. Platforms from Bobst, Canon Edale, Gallus, MPS, Omet, and Mark Andy are enabling converters to print, embellish, crease, and diecut cartons inline – often on presses that share DNA with narrow web machinery.

Bobst’s Frati sees this as a natural evolution. He says, “As converters navigate the next decade, success will depend on precision, sustainability, speed and agility. Machines no longer operate as isolated units but as part of an integrated ecosystem, supported by data analytics, remote diagnostics, and predictive maintenance.”

In other words, the carton press is beginning to look a lot like a modern label platform – automated, data-driven, and increasingly digital. For label converters already comfortable with short runs, embellishment, SKU complexity, and inline finishing, folding cartons may not represent a leap, but a lateral expansion.

When Diversification Becomes Strategy: Labelink Moves into Cartons

If there’s doubt that folding cartons are becoming part of the label converter playbook, Labelink’s latest acquisition provides a clear signal.

In September 2025, Montréal-based Labelink, a label and flexible packaging manufacturer with operations across Canada and the United States, announced its acquisition of l’Empreinte, one of Quebec’s largest privately-owned commercial printers.

Founded in 1986 and based in Laval, l’Empreinte employs 110 people and brings established capabilities in publishing, direct mail, marketing print, cut-sheet labels, and, importantly, folding cartons. The acquisition marked Labelink’s 15th in 21 years and reflects a deliberate strategy: building a network of specialized printing and packaging centers that extend beyond traditional pressure sensitive labels.

For Labelink, whose core strengths include pressure sensitive labels, shrink sleeves, pouches, and RFID labels, the addition of folding cartons represents both adjacency and expansion.

“L’Empreinte has long stood out for its creativity and the quality of its work,” said Stéphen Bouchard, president of Labelink. “It’s values of innovation, rigor, and attention to detail align perfectly with ours. We are proud to welcome this talented team and the exceptional know-how they bring.”

The message between the lines is clear: cartons are not a side business – they are part of a broader packaging portfolio strategy.

Rather than attempt to organically build sheet-fed carton capability from scratch, Labelink chose acquisition. That move provides immediate scale, experienced operators, established customer relationships, and access to markets such as publishing and direct mail that sit adjacent to packaging.

Luc Janson, shareholder and co-founder of l’Empreinte, emphasizes continuity and regional strength. He remarked, “By combining our respective know-how and specialties, we strengthen our package printing capabilities while continuing the pursuit of excellence that has always defined us.”

Operationally, l’Empreinte continues under its existing name, with Jean-Pierre Rose remaining in leadership – a signal that this is an integration, not a consolidation.

Strategically, however, the direction is unmistakable. Label converters are no longer asking whether to diversify – they are determining how. Some are investing in inline carton platforms. Others are partnering. And increasingly, as the Labelink example shows, acquisitions are becoming the fastest route to entry.

As folding cartons gain share in fiber-based packaging growth –  driven by sustainability mandates, SKU proliferation, and brand demand for speed – converters with multi-format capability are positioned to offer something brands increasingly value: one supplier, multiple substrates, and a unified workflow.

Two Roads into Cartons: Buy It or Build It?

With folding cartons moving from “adjacent opportunity” to growth strategy, label converters are generally choosing one of two entry paths: acquisition or inline investment.

Both routes reflect the same conclusion – entering the folding carton arena – but the execution looks very different.

Path One: Acquisition
For converters like Labelink, the move into cartons came through acquisition. By purchasing l’Empreinte, the company instantly gained established sheet-fed carton capability, experienced operators, offset expertise, finishing infrastructure, and an existing customer base.

Acquisition offers immediate scale. It provides credibility in markets such as pharma, food, and publishing, where sheet-fed carton production remains dominant. It also eliminates the learning curve associated with unfamiliar substrate behavior, grain direction, diecutting tolerances, and folding/gluing complexities.

But acquisition comes with integration challenges. Culture must align. Workflow systems – including MIS and ERP platforms – must synchronize. Equipment redundancy and plant specialization must be rationalized. And perhaps most critically, margin expectations between commercial print and packaging must be reconciled.

In short, buying cartons is fast, but it is rarely simple.

Path Two: Inline Investment
The alternative path is technological – adding inline carton capability onto existing narrow or mid-web platforms.

This is where the conversation at Labelexpo Europe 2025 – and now LOUPE – becomes especially relevant.

Inline platforms from suppliers such as Bobst, Mark Andy, Omet, MPS, Gallus, and Canon Edale are allowing converters to print, embellish, crease, diecut, and strip cartons in a single pass. For short- to mid-run work, this eliminates the traditional multi-stage sheet-fed workflow.

Bobst’s Ludovico Frati frames converting as “the bridge between brand intent and consumer experience,” emphasizing that innovation today lies in integrating printing, embellishment, quality control, cutting, and creasing into a seamless automated flow.

For label converters already comfortable with inline workflows, embellishment, and short-run agility, this route feels evolutionary rather than disruptive. The same DNA that drives decorative labels – tight registration, quick changeovers, SKU complexity – applies naturally to carton work.

Inline investment also avoids the complexity of acquiring and integrating an entirely separate organization. It allows converters to extend their existing production philosophy into fiber-based formats without becoming offset printers overnight.

However, inline is not a replacement for high-volume sheet-fed carton production. It excels in complexity, versioning, and responsiveness and not necessarily in long-run commodity volumes.

Strategic Implication
What’s increasingly clear is that the most sophisticated players may ultimately adopt both models.

Sheet-fed carton specialists are adding inline platforms to handle shorter runs and free litho capacity. Meanwhile, label converters are using inline to enter cartons, and in some cases, acquisitions to accelerate scale.

Convergence

The rebranding of Labelexpo into LOUPE underscores this new reality. The market is no longer segmented into rigid silos of “labels,” “cartons,” and “flexibles.” Technology platforms are overlapping. Brand requirements are converging. And converters are reorganizing accordingly.

Whether by acquisition or inline investment, the signal is the same: For some narrow web label converters, cartons are becoming part of the growth strategy.