Esko hosted its annual EskoWorld event June 3-5 in New Orleans, Louisiana. At the center of this year’s innovation strategy was the evolving Esko vision ‘Spec to Pack’, connecting packaging specifications, assets, workflows and production data across the entire packaging lifecycle in a single, unified digital ecosystem.
“Packaging today is no longer a collection of disconnected workflows,” said Srinivas Kuppa, Esko Chief Product Officer. “With the Esko AI-enabled packaging cloud, we are creating a connected digital foundation where intelligence permeates every capability layer, helping customers move faster, ensure compliance, and deliver uncompromising quality from packaging concept to print.”
As the three-day event began, Esko highlighted the continued expansion of its S2 platform, the packaging cloud environment that connects all Esko applications, workflows and packaging data in a single scalable ecosystem designed to improve collaboration, automation and speed-to-market.
These include:
SmartSelect in ArtPro+ — enabling fast, accurate and safe interactive editing
ReArt — helping deskill complex prepress tasks including object replacement, trapping and marks creation
Comply — providing AI-assisted artwork reviews inside WebCenter and WebCenter Go to verify approved copy, formatting, barcode data and required symbols
“Built specifically for the realities of packaging production, the Packaging Hub helps both brands and packaging suppliers search, reuse and manage packaging assets with greater speed, confidence and control while providing earlier visibility into change impact, compliance, feasibility, cost and delivery implications,” said Jan De Roeck, Esko Director of Marketing.
Esko also used the opening day of Esko World to formally announce the commercial availability of the new XPS Spark 4835, a purpose-built digital LED plate exposure system developed for label converters, tradeshops and flexible packaging producers. The XPS Spark reportedly replaces traditional UV tube bank exposure systems with next-generation LED exposure technology.
The Big Easy
Esko demonstrated the power of its latest packaging innovations by redesigning a pouch, preparing production-ready artwork, printing and converting the finished packaging and delivering the final product to attendees at Esko World 2026 — all within just 48 hours.
The live demonstration, known as ‘The Big Easy’, was one of the highlights of this year’s Esko World event.
“The challenge was intentionally straightforward and familiar to anyone who has ever worked in packaging,” said De Roeck. “An imaginary brand owner contacted the team with an urgent request, wanting to completely redesign an existing product line because the current packaging no longer appealed to its target audience.
“The brief, as explained to the Esko World audience, called for a comprehensive refresh, including changes to colors, graphics, text, structure elements and overall visual appeal,” said Jan. “The catch was that the new pouch needed to be designed, approved, produced and delivered to Esko World attendees within just 48 hours.”
What followed was a live demonstration of the latest Esko innovations working together as part of a fully connected packaging ecosystem. Beginning during the opening plenary session of Esko World, attendees were invited to actively participate in the redesign process. Using interactive audience engagement, the gathered packaging and labels converters, brand representatives and packaging experts contributed ideas, suggestions and feedback on how the fictional product should be transformed.
Leveraging agentic AI capabilities within the Esko ecosystem, those suggestions were swiftly translated into design concepts and packaging options live on the big screen. Multiple creative directions were generated, refined and evaluated before attendees collectively selected the preferred final design.
The demonstration represented a practical illustration of the Esko ‘Spec to Pack’ vision, connecting specifications, assets, workflows and production processes in a single digital environment, and the reveal generated enthusiastic reactions from the audience.
The Dot Awards
Esko unveiled the winners of its inaugural Dot Awards, a new global competition celebrating excellence and innovation in flexographic print production.
Presented for the first time at Esko World 2026, the awards recognize printers that are pushing the boundaries of print quality, process control and technological achievement through the use of Esko screening technologies.
“The Dot Awards were created to recognize the extraordinary work being produced every day by flexographic printers across the globe,” said Eddy Fadel, Esko GM Flexo. “These awards celebrate not only outstanding print quality, but also the innovation, expertise and commitment to continuous improvement that drive our industry forward.”
The first edition of the awards attracted 29 entries from printers around the world. Each submission was evaluated by an independent judging panel against three key criteria — Technical Print Quality, Degree of Difficulty, and Esko Ecosystem Excellence.
Awards were then presented across three technology categories highlighting excellence achieved using corresponding Esko Spark, Crystal and Quartz screening technologies.
The highest honor of the competition, the Top Dot Award, was presented to Brandpack, based in Australia, for its Spud Lite Potatoes flexible packaging project.
In the Spark category, recognizing outstanding print work produced with Esko HD and/or Pixel+ screening technology, the winners demonstrated exceptional control and consistency in demanding production environments.
UV Web Winner: UVBIZ, India, for Holland Park Chocolate Eclairs.
Solvent Web Winner: Alpha Clicheria, Brazil, for Flor de Ypê – 6-pack Moisturizing Bar Soap.
Corrugated Winner: Contact Originators Ltd, UK, for Hozelock Auto Reel Mobile.
The Crystal category celebrates exceptional work using advanced Esko Crystal screening technology.
UV Web Winner: OVELAR S.A., Spain, for Ambi Pur Active Cleaner — Water Flowers & Mint.
Solvent Web Winner: Clicheart, Brazil, for MultiStar Premium Dog Food.
The Quartz category honors the finest work produced using the very latest next-generation Esko Quartz screening technology.
Water Web Winner: Zincopar, Italy, for Brainrot Collectible Trading Card Packaging.
Solvent Web Winner: Brandpack, Australia, for Connoisseur Cookies & Cream Ice Cream.
