Electronics for Imaging (EFI) has unveiled its Packsize EFI X5 Nozomi solution, the ‘world’s first’ full-colour, right-sized on-demand box system seeking to address challenges such as long lead times and rising labour requirements. The company tells us more in the latest edition of the Spotlight.
EFI delivers full-colour, right-sized, on-demand production at scale
The packaging industry is undergoing a rapid transformation as brands, retailers, and fulfillment providers confront rising labour costs, sustainability demands and increasingly complex SKU portfolios. In response, Packsize and EFI have combined their strengths to deliver a breakthrough solution: the Packsize EFI X5 Nozomi, the world’s first full-colour, on-demand, right-sized box system.
Built around Packsize’s industry-leading right-sized packaging technology and EFI’s market-proven single-pass digital printing, the X5 Nozomi unifies printing, cutting, creasing, folding, gluing, and labelling into a single automated workflow. The result is a system that can produce a fully printed, fully erected, right-sized box in as little as six seconds, with each one tailored to the dimensions and branding needs of the product it protects.
Full-colour printing meets automated right-sizing
At the core of the X5 Nozomi is EFI’s high-resolution CMYKO extended gamut print technology, capable of delivering vivid brand colors, rapid artwork changeovers, and true production-level speeds. With no plates, no make-readies, and no tooling delays, each box can be customized, versioned, or personalized - even in high-mix, high-velocity environments.
The system pairs seamlessly with Packsize’s Smart Scaling and PackNet® software suite, optimizing each box design for material efficiency, space utilization, and product fit. The integrated Fiery® NZ-1000 digital front end ensures maximum colour accuracy and consistency across runs.
Addressing today’s operational and sustainability challenges
Across early installations, the X5 Nozomi is proving to be a strategic response to the most pressing challenges in packaging:
- Long lead times → Print-to-order in hours, not weeks
- Rising labour requirements → Automation replaces multiple manual steps
- Complex product portfolios → Unlimited SKUs without pre-printed inventory
- Sustainability mandates → Dramatic reduction in corrugated material and filler
- Innovation bottlenecks → In-house agility instead of supply chain dependence
Customers report significant measurable impact, including:
34% reduction in corrugated materials, 84% reduction in filler, 30% reduction in energy use, and 5% lower shipping costs - representing more than $1.3 million in annual savings for operations producing 1.5 million boxes per year.
Building value across key market applications
The X5 Nozomi is gaining traction across several rapidly evolving market segments, each benefiting from its combination of automation, quality, and flexibility. In e-commerce fulfilment, the system’s ability to produce right-sized boxes on demand eliminates void fill, reduces DIM weight charges, and helps operations keep pace with unpredictable order volumes.
CPG and FMCG brands are using the platform to streamline repackaging, seasonal refreshes, and promotional programmes, enabling faster launches without the long lead times of preprinted corrugated. The printer’s high-resolution graphics and variable-data capabilities make it especially valuable for Amazon SIPP (Ships in Product Packaging) compliance, where brands must deliver durable, retail-ready graphics without relying on outer cartons.
For 3PLs and co-packers managing dynamic, fast-changing workflows, the X5 Nozomi offers the agility to switch sizes and artwork instantly, whether supporting multi-client fulfilment, late-stage customization, or the complexities of returns processing. Retailers are also taking advantage of the system to produce seasonal packaging, micro-runs, and store-specific versions without the waste associated with large minimum orders.
Finally, the platform unlocks new opportunities in on-box advertising and personalization, enabling targeted messaging, QR codes, regional variations, and true 1:1 customer engagement directly on corrugated packaging.
These applications represent the shift toward packaging that is not only operationally efficient, but increasingly a strategic asset - strengthening customer experience while driving measurable gains in sustainability, cost reduction, and speed to market.
This content was sponsored by EFI.
