Precision under pressure: How Keystone and BOBST solve complex packaging challenges together

Mex, Switzerland, 9 October 2025

The world of clinical trial packaging is one of the most demanding in the packaging sector. Timelines are tight, job volumes can range greatly, and every single carton must meet exacting quality and regulatory standards. For Keystone Folding Box, a third-generation, family-led company based in Newark, New Jersey, this high-wire act is simply part of everyday business.

“We work in an environment where two-week delivery is the standard,” says Wade Hartman, who has helped lead Keystone’s transformation into a market leader. “Our customers expect complex, often child-resistant designs that run flawlessly the first time. There’s no such thing as a second chance in clinical trial packaging.”

Keystone’s customers often bring technical challenges that are as much engineering puzzles as they are printing jobs, such as multi-panel cartons with seven-cell internal dividers. In many cases, designs must balance two opposing needs – they must be both child-resistant and easy for patients to open, while packs that start as short-run prototypes must also be ready to scale for global commercial launch.

A single flaw in pack design could delay a trial, derail a product launch, or put patient safety at risk. And with most jobs requiring rapid turnaround, the margin for error is virtually zero.

To meet these demands, it takes the right tools and a partner who understands the market. For Keystone, that partner has been BOBST.

Keystone starts with the capabilities of its BOBST EXPERTCUT 106 PER and MASTERFOLD gluers in mind before designing its cartons. This approach ensures each design is consistently manufacturable at speed, without compromising on quality or functionality.

BOBST EXPERTCUT 106 PER is fast and flexible, cutting, stripping, and blanking a variety of materials at speeds of up to 9,000 sheets per hour. Meanwhile, the MASTERFOLD folder-gluer is robust and precise, offering high levels of customizability combined with cutting-edge automation for future-proofed operation.

“Working with BOBST expands what’s possible,” Hartman explains. “We know exactly what the machines can handle, so we can push the boundaries of design without introducing production risk. It’s about building the solution and the manufacturing process at the same time.”

The collaboration has led to the development of solutions to some of Keystone’s toughest challenges, including high-complexity gluing, managed by custom-configured MASTERFOLD gluers; precision die-cutting with the BOBST EXPERTCUT 106 PER that delivers flawless cuts and longer tool life; and tooling expertise that blends BOBST-certified standards with Keystone’s in-house processes to reduce setup times and ensure consistency.

A standout project involved developing a high-speed, large-format folding carton for a major retailer. This design was so intricate that it required co-developing the carton and the gluer simultaneously. MASTERFOLD’s high level of customization enabled the team at Keystone to develop a high-performance automated process that was optimized for this bespoke carton design. The result was a packaging solution that met both the design brief and aggressive production targets.

For Keystone’s customers, this partnership means faster turnarounds, more reliable quality, and the confidence that their packaging will perform equally well on runs of 2,000 units for a trial or 2 million for a commercial launch.

Hartman puts it simply: “Our customers come to us with challenges. Together with BOBST, we give them solutions that work the first time, every time. That’s what keeps them coming back.”
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The release can be downloaded here:

About BOBST
​We are one of the world’s leading suppliers of substrate processing, printing and converting equipment and services for the label, flexible packaging, folding carton and corrugated industries. Our vision is to shape the future of the packaging world based on four pillars: connectivity, digitalization, automation and sustainability.
​Founded in 1890 by Joseph Bobst in Lausanne, Switzerland, BOBST has a presence in more than 50 countries, runs 21 production facilities in 12 countries and employs more than 6 400 people around the world. The firm recorded a consolidated turnover of CHF 1.891 billion for the year ended December 31, 2024.

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​Gudrun Alex
​BOBST PR Representative
​Tel.: +49 211 58 58 66 66 ​
​Mobile: +49 160 48 41 439
​Email: gudrun.alex@bobst.com

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