From FEFCO Code to Checkout: How packQ Automates Corrugated Packaging in Web-to-Pack

The Rise of Corrugated Packaging

Corrugated packaging, or Wellpappe, is everywhere.
It protects, transports, and communicates. From e-commerce shipments to retail displays, corrugated board is the world’s most widely used packaging material—responsible for more than 40 % of all printed packaging globally.

But until recently, designing and ordering corrugated boxes required manual CAD work, long lead times, and technical expertise.

CloudLab, the German software company behind packQ, has changed that paradigm.
By digitizing FEFCO standards, automating structural design, and connecting online configuration to production workflows, CloudLab brings corrugated packaging fully online.

What used to take days of technical preparation now takes minutes—directly in the browser.

CloudLab: Engineering Intelligence into Packaging

CloudLab has become synonymous with innovation in digital print and packaging automation.
Its Web-to-Pack platform packQ was designed to eliminate manual steps, unify data flow, and make even the most complex packaging types accessible to everyone—from brand managers to end customers.

CloudLab’s philosophy is simple:

“Standardize what’s technical. Automate what’s repetitive. Empower what’s creative.”

The corrugated-box module is a perfect embodiment of that philosophy.
It merges proven FEFCO standards with parametric CAD logic and real-time visualization—creating a system that’s both technically rigorous and creatively flexible.

The Foundation: FEFCO Standards Inside packQ

FEFCO (Fédération Européenne des Fabricants de Carton Ondulé) established a universal code system for corrugated packaging in 1952.
Each four-digit FEFCO code defines a precise structure—shape, flaps, closures, and folding logic.

packQ integrates over 290 FEFCO templates, fully parameterized and production-validated.

The packQ Corrugated-Box Workflow

Step 1 – Choose a Template

Users start in the Template Gallery, browsing categorized FEFCO models—shipping cartons, trays, wraps, or displays.

Step 2 – Configure Dimensions & Material

Width, height, and depth can be adjusted freely.
The system automatically recalculates panels, flaps, and crease lines.
Users can also choose flute type (E, B, C, EB, BC, etc.) and board thickness.

Step 3 – Design in 3D

packQ opens the selected structure in its 3D Packaging Designer.
Artwork can be uploaded or created directly in the browser, with all changes reflected instantly in 3D.
Textures simulate corrugated surfaces and materials for realistic visualization.

Step 4 – Preflight & Pricing

The Dynamic Preflight Check verifies print parameters, while the Dynamic Pricing Engine recalculates costs based on sheet size, material type, and print method.

Step 5 – Output to Production

packQ exports press-ready PDFs, cutting outlines (DXF), and 3D assets (GLB/OBJ).
All production data—FEFCO code, flute type, dimensions—is embedded for MIS/ERP integration.

A fully automated workflow from online configuration to print queue—without manual CAD intervention.

Why CloudLab’s Solution Stands Out

Engineering Precision

Every corrugated-box model in packQ is derived from true CAD geometry.
CloudLab’s algorithms maintain proportional crease spacing and flap tolerances even when users change sizes.

Browser-Based Simplicity

While the backend is technically complex, the user interface is intuitive.
Anyone can configure a box online—no software installation, no CAD license.

Seamless Integration

As a headless Web-to-Pack system, packQ connects to existing shops, CRMs, or production systems via API.
Printers can embed the configurator directly in their e-commerce portals or client dashboards.

End-to-End Automation

From structural setup to order routing, everything is automated:

• Template selection
• Preflight and pricing
• Artwork proofing
• PDF/VT output
• Job transfer to finishing equipment

CloudLab built packQ as a bridge between customer creativity and industrial production.

Design Freedom Without Risk

packQ lets users experiment safely.
Changing artwork, material, or structure never breaks the dieline—because the geometry engine continuously checks constraints.

Designers can:

• Apply full-surface graphics across panels.
• Add logos, barcodes, and personalization fields.
• Preview in 2D and 3D simultaneously.
• Simulate foil, varnish, or embossing effects.

Behind the scenes, CloudLab ensures that every variant remains technically correct and production-ready.

Sustainability by Design

Corrugated packaging is inherently sustainable—recyclable, renewable, and efficient.
packQ enhances that sustainability through:

• Material optimization – calculates exact sheet usage.
• Waste reduction – eliminates test prints via digital proofing.
• Efficient logistics – accurate folding dimensions reduce air volume in shipping.
• Paper-grade tracking – metadata ensures the correct flute and gsm for each job.

CloudLab enables brands to align environmental goals with operational efficiency—no extra steps required.

Real-World Applications

E-Commerce Logistics

Retailers generate on-demand shipping boxes customized for size and branding—each FEFCO 0427 automatically adjusted to product dimensions.

Industrial Packaging

B-flute corrugated boxes configured online with dynamic weight calculations.

Food & Beverage

FEFCO 0201 boxes adapted for food-grade materials and printed with variable data such as batch codes.

Retail Displays

Multi-part corrugated displays created from packQ templates—previewed in 3D and exported as production-ready CAD data.

CloudLab’s system handles every use case—from protective transport packaging to high-impact visual merchandising.

CloudLab’s Technical DNA

Behind packQ’s user-friendly interface lies serious engineering.

CAD-Driven Accuracy

packQ’s geometric core calculates crease lines, overlap areas, and folding tolerances with sub-millimeter precision.

WebGL-Based Rendering

The 3D viewer uses high-performance WebGL technology, allowing realistic shading, flute textures, and lighting reflections directly in the browser.

Scalable Cloud Architecture

packQ runs on CloudLab’s secure, multi-tenant infrastructure—scalable across hundreds of concurrent users and thousands of design sessions.

Continuous Innovation

CloudLab releases regular feature updates, including new FEFCO models, materials, and finishing effects.

Business Impact

For Printers & Converters

• Handle small or custom runs profitably.
• Reduce setup time from hours to minutes.
• Increase order throughput and customer satisfaction.

For Brands

• Launch new packaging formats faster.
• Customize corrugated boxes for campaigns or regions.
• Ensure consistency across suppliers.

For E-Commerce Platforms

• Integrate packQ as a front-end product configurator.
• Offer instant pricing and 3D preview to end customers.
• Generate high-volume personalized boxes automatically.

CloudLab turns corrugated packaging into a scalable digital service.

Human Expertise Behind the Code

Every FEFCO template in packQ is reviewed by CloudLab’s packaging engineers.
They collaborate with real-world converters to ensure the templates reflect machine-ready designs.
This human expertise—combined with CloudLab’s development agility—keeps the platform both technically flawless and user-centric.

CloudLab’s philosophy:

“Technology should amplify craftsmanship, not replace it.”

Future Outlook – The Next Generation of Corrugated Packaging

CloudLab’s roadmap pushes automation even further:

• AI-based material suggestion: automatic flute and gsm selection based on weight data.
• AR visualization: project corrugated boxes in real-world environments before production.
• Smart packaging data integration: link IoT sensors or RFID directly to variable print fields.
• Sustainability scoring: automatic carbon-footprint calculation per job.

These innovations will continue to make packQ the benchmark for intelligent packaging workflows.

Key Takeaways

• CloudLab’s packQ brings corrugated packaging into the Web-to-Pack era.
• Built-in FEFCO standards guarantee structure, accuracy, and machine compatibility.
• Real-time 3D visualization bridges creative and technical teams.
• Automation reduces cost, time, and error while increasing flexibility.
• CloudLab’s constant R&D ensures that corrugated packaging keeps evolving.

CloudLab’s packQ: Corrugated Packaging, Digitally Reinvented

Corrugated boxes are the unsung heroes of global commerce—protecting billions of products every day.
But designing and producing them no longer needs to be slow or complex.

With packQ, CloudLab has transformed Wellpappe from a manual craft into a digital workflow—automated, scalable, and accessible.

For converters, it’s productivity.
For brands, it’s creative power.
For the planet, it’s smarter use of resources.

CloudLab’s packQ turns every corrugated box into a showcase of precision, sustainability, and innovation—fold by fold, line by line.