Virag Patel 路 ePac & Fujifilm FP790: Expanding Digital Packaging 路 PACK EXPO Chicago
At PACK EXPO in Chicago, INKISH Editor-in-Chief Morten B. Reitoft meets Virag Patel, Co-Founder and CEO of ePac Flexible Packaging, following the announcement of a global strategic partnership with Fujifilm and the introduction of the Jet Press FP790 into ePac’s production platform.
Celebrating its tenth anniversary, ePac has grown from a single facility in Madison, Wisconsin, into an international digital flexible packaging company. Patel reflects on the journey, the importance of taking risks, and how a willingness to experiment with new technologies has become an essential part of ePac’s culture. Innovation sometimes involves failure, but according to Patel, learning from those experiences is what allows a company to continue growing.
The decision to invest in Fujifilm’s FP790 follows nearly two years of evaluation and represents an expansion rather than a replacement of ePac’s existing HP Indigo technology. Patel explains why having multiple technologies available creates opportunities to serve different market segments, support customers as their businesses grow, and explore applications that were previously outside ePac’s reach.
The conversation also addresses the majority investment by Butterfly Equity and how access to capital, combined with financial discipline, can support the company’s next phase of expansion. Equally important is ePac’s highly automated workflow and scalable production model, which have enabled the business to serve thousands of customers across different geographical markets.
Looking ahead, Patel sees opportunities beyond ePac’s traditional flexible packaging applications, including new product categories such as labels, sleeves, and other packaging formats. For him, printing technology is ultimately a vehicle for reaching new markets, rather than an end in itself.
An interesting conversation about entrepreneurship, calculated risks, strategic partnerships, and why ePac believes the next decade could offer even greater opportunities than the first.
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Mon October 19th
Don Schroeder 路 Fujifilm FP790: Digital Prin...
At PACK EXPO in Chicago, INKISH Editor-in-Chief Morten B. Reitoft meets Don Schroeder from Fujifilm to discuss the growing opportunities for digital printing in flexible packaging and how the Fujifilm Jet Press FP790 is designed to complement rather than replace conventional flexographic printing. Schroeder has been involved with the FP790 since its early development stages in 2021, working closely with Fujifilm's R&D team in Tokyo to refine the technology, improve ink performance, and prepare the press for commercial production. Today, the water-based inkjet press offers packaging converters an opportunity to address changing market demands, including shorter runs, a growing number of SKUs, sustainability requirements, and greater production flexibility. An important part of the conversation is the relationship between digital and conventional printing. According to Schroeder, the FP790 is not intended to replace flexo but to work alongside it, allowing converters to select the most efficient technology for each job. With its wide color gamut, consistent production speed of 50 meters per minute, and aqueous ink technology, the FP790 brings new possibilities to an industry undergoing significant transformation. The discussion also explores why Fujifilm is exhibiting at PACK EXPO, a show traditionally focused on packaging machinery rather than printing technology, and why closer relationships with brand owners, converters, and technology partners are becoming increasingly important. An interesting conversation about digital transformation, sustainability, and how the future of flexible packaging may depend less on choosing between technologies and more on making them work together.