hubergroup Print Solutions will present its ink portfolio for flexible packaging and folding carton at LOUPE Americas 2026, held 15–17 September in Chicago, at stand 505. The presentation includes iray, a dual-cure UV flexo system for paper, film, and shrink sleeves; a water- and solvent-based portfolio; and an offset series for label applications. According to the company, all these product ranges share a manufacturing approach that keeps production close to North American customers.

The renaming of Labelexpo to LOUPE reflects a shift converters have already been living through: label printers increasingly also produce shrink sleeves, pouches, and folding carton. hubergroup said it has aligned its North American portfolio with this reality by reducing complexity rather than adding to it.

One dual-cure system for paper, film, and sleeves

Central to hubergroup’s presence is its UV flexo offering for the North American market: iray, a single dual-cure product that the company says runs on paper, film, and shrink sleeves alike, curing with both conventional UV and LED-UV. For converters, this means one ink system to stock, one system to train on, and one point of contact for questions, instead of managing separate product lines for each substrate.

The formulation was developed specifically for North America, with a monomer and photo initiator package tailored to the substrates, presses, and regulatory requirements converters work with in the region. In addition, iray MGA, hubergroup’s global series for food packaging applications, gives internationally active customers the same product they use in other regions, aimed at consistent results wherever a job runs.

“Our customers don’t ask for more products – they ask for fewer things that can go wrong,” said Clinton Melius, director, liquid inks North America. “Covering paper, film, and sleeves with one dual-cure system takes complexity out of the press room: one inventory, one training, one troubleshooting path.”

A wide line-up for packaging needs

At stand 505, hubergroup will also present its water-based system HYDRO-X, a modular ink mixing system the company says enables tailor-made solutions across packaging substrates including paper, cardboard, aluminum, and plastic film. Among the offerings are water-based barrier coatings, said to improve the oxygen, water, and grease resistance of mono-material structures, which the company positions as a key enabler for recyclable packaging design.

hubergroup’s flexible packaging portfolio is complemented by the solvent-based Gecko series, which the company describes as reliable and offering strong printability. Designed to cover a wide range of applications with a minimal number of components, it is intended to offer both versatility and operational efficiency. hubergroup will also showcase its expanded NC-free portfolio, which it frames as part of its commitment to circular packaging solutions.

For offset applications, hubergroup will present its MGA Label series, a low-migration ink portfolio developed for in-mould label (IML) production and other food packaging applications. The range includes process inks, ECG inks, spot colors, and a color mixing system, intended to provide flexibility and color consistency. Designed for substrates ranging from thin 50 μm films to boards up to 1,000 g/m², MGA Label is built for the oxidative drying performance the company says efficient production requires. hubergroup describes MGA Label as an ink series used by companies in the IML industry, combining packaging safety with press performance.

Developed globally, manufactured locally

Behind the portfolio is a manufacturing strategy in which formulation work runs through hubergroup’s global R&D network while production stays close to the customer. The company said the vehicles for its narrow web products are developed and manufactured locally in the United States, while vehicle formulations for folding carton and flexible packaging applications came from hubergroup’s R&D teams in Germany, Poland, and Italy. This manufacturing footprint is supported by a local service infrastructure that includes five regional technical service branches across the United States and a dedicated service hub in Canada. The company said this combination of global expertise, local technical experience, and regional support keeps lead times short and supply reliable, a factor it says has gained weight in the North American market.

“LOUPE Americas has widened its lens, and so have our customers,” said Melius. “Whether it’s the switch to LED, the move to mono-material packaging, or simply shorter lead times, we look forward to discussing the specific challenges of every visitor at our stand. That personal conversation is what trade shows are for.”