Exclusive: Galaxy Packtech debuts pouching and online varnish at Interpack
At Interpack in Dusseldorf, Galaxy Packtech demonstrates its GS24 plus 200 doy pack machine, showcasing a global first for the industry: digital, online varnish registration on the pouching line
13 May 2026 | By Abhay Avadhani
Gaurav Sharma, CMO of Galaxy Packtech
Gaurav Sharma, CMO of Galaxy Packtech, says the company is targeting 100% of the doy pack market by integrating premium finishing technology directly into the pouch-making process, reducing production time and operator dependency.
Termed Pouch Jet (or Galaxy Jet), this technology allows converters to apply spot varnishes in precise registration without the need for traditional tooling.
“You upload the file to the software, and the machine automatically registers the varnish on the design,” explains Sharma. “It allows for tactile effects, such as giving a printed orange the actual feel of real orange skin. By bringing finishing online, we eliminate a separate process, a separate operator, and significant production time.”
Engineering for the operatorless shop floor
A central theme for Galaxy at this year’s show is the transition toward automation that reduces the industry's reliance on high-skilled labor. The GS24 plus 200 is designed to run effortlessly even with low-skilled staff, featuring high-automation sensors, hole detection, and auto-punching stations.
Digital controls have replaced manual mechanical adjustments. For shaped pouches, the machine allows operators to digitally increase or decrease wooden die cutting pressure by increments as small as 20-microns, removing the need for manual nut-and-bolt tightening. To ensure quality, an online vision control system checks pouch accuracy and automatically diverts rejected units from the final stack.
Mastering mono-material complexity
The shift from PE-based mono-structures to PP-based structures, including triplex and duplex PP, is a major trend identified by Galaxy at the show. The GS24 plus 200 is engineered to handle a full range of recyclable materials, including MDO-PE, EVOH barrier paper, and hybrid HDPE, alongside standard non-recyclable laminates.
To protect sensitive mono-materials from heat damage during the sealing process, the machine utilises a continuous "air flush" system that blows air between the material and the heater. Additionally, the doy pack sealing unit performs automatic online corrections, shifting the entire unit based on calculated repeat errors to compensate for print or lamination shifting.
While Sharma acknowledges that material strength for large-format 5-6 liter mono-material pouches is still evolving, he notes significant progress. “Three years ago, we were at one liter; now we are at three and four liters. For up to 3.2 liters, mono-materials now comfortably handle drop tests. I believe by 2027, Europe will move almost completely to recyclable materials,” he says.
Global support and future roadmaps
To support its growth in Western markets, Galaxy Packtech has partnered with the European company AB Graphic. With 26 plants across Europe and the Americas, AB Graphic provides Galaxy with local service and technical support. The partnership is also technological, as Galaxy integrates AB Graphic’s finishing expertise into its pouching lines to enable premium features like the Pouch Jet.
Looking toward the remainder of 2026, Galaxy is focusing on further process integration. The company plans to launch a machine that performs online spouting for mono-structure pouches. "The goal is a single-process line: you put in the roll, the machine makes the pouch, performs the spouting, and outputs a finished, shelf-ready product," says Sharma.