Midlands-based CS Labels Limited has bolstered its production set-up by installing its third label press from Xeikon, a division of Punch Graphix. The latest purchase is a Xeikon 3000 and replaces one of the company’s two Xeikon 330 digital label presses. The installation comes just 13 months after CS Labels bought its last 330 machine, and less than two and a half years since the company made its first investment in digital.
Simon Smith, Managing Director of CS Labels, says: “We’ve enjoyed consistent growth in digital label production since our initial investment. This latest purchase underlines our strategy to continually invest in cutting-edge equipment, and keeps us at the vanguard of digital production techniques. The Xeikon 3000 images to a higher resolution at 1,200 dots per inch. Plus it produces even more reliable, consistent colour quality over a wider colour gamut, allowing us to offer a better service to our customers.”
The Xeikon 3000 provides an increased imaging width of 322mm compared to the 307mm of the Xeikon 330 machine. Both Xeikon's digital printing presses are based on a 330mm substrate width.
“Our business has changed shape significantly since our initial move into digital labels. Our flexo and screen printing equipment is still an important part of our business, but digital has certainly taken over as our main production system – some 60% of our turnover is generated by the Xeikon machines.”
The Xeikon 3000 web-based press has a top speed of 31.5 feet of label production per minute, and a monthly duty cycle of 1,500,000 feet. The five-colour engine provides the four standard process colours plus a choice of spot colour, special security toner for anti-counterfeiting applications, or an opaque white for the ‘no label’ look on transparent material. The press can handle an unrivalled range of substrates, including self-adhesive films, co-extruded films, unsupported films, paper, transparent and opaque foils, and paperboard. The environmentally friendly dry toner electrophotography imaging process enables the use of conventional substrates without the need for coating or pre-treatment.
Existing post-press equipment at CS Labels is suitable for varnishing, laminating, cutting, slitting, matrix stripping and re-reeling the finished printed product. The company is due to install a second GM finishing unit to handle the increased throughput of the Xeikon 3000. “We were able to run the two Xeikon 330s with one finishing system offline, but it was running at full capacity and there were times when it caused a bottleneck in production,” adds Smith. “With the increased throughput of the Xeikon 3000, we definitely need two finishing systems.”
For job preparation, both Xeikon presses are equipped with the open, scalable and modular X-800 Digital Front-End (DFE), combining extensive pre-press functionality, including a high-speed RIP with impressive variable data printing processing. Plus the X-800 DFE delivers the highest print quality, a practical die marker function and precise step-and-repeat functionality. The system can also handle complex operations, such as sequential numbering and barcodes.
Smith is optimistic about the digitally produced label market: “We have an ever-increasing amount of trade work coming in from other printers and print brokers. And we’ve a loyal direct customer base, which is showing a lot of interest in the benefits of digital.”
Greg Neesham, Sales Director for Punch Graphix UK, comments on CS Labels’ installation: “CS Labels is the latest example of how a traditional label printing company can adapt to the digital world. By purchasing the right equipment for its business and its customers, the company is perfectly placed to expand into new markets and generate additional revenue.”
For more information on CS Labels, visit www.cslabels.co.uk.
For further information on Punch Graphix and Xeikon e-mail infouk@punchgraphix.com or visit the www.xeikon.com web site.
About Xeikon
A pioneer in digital printing, Xeikon designs, develops and delivers high-end digital color printing systems for the global commercial, document printing and industrial market segments. These systems are composed of advanced web-fed printing engines using LED-array-based, dry toner electrophotography, open workflow software, exclusive toner and other consumables. Xeikon’s production and R&D operations are based in Belgium and its solutions are distributed and supported through a worldwide sales and service network. Xeikon is a division of Punch Graphix. For more information, visit www.xeikon.com.
About Punch Graphix
Punch Graphix provides innovative, competitive and environmentally friendly imaging and printing solutions for the global graphics industry. Under the Xeikon brand name, Punch Graphix designs, develops and delivers high-end digital color printing systems, software and consumables for the commercial, document printing and industrial markets. Under the basysPrint brand, Punch Graphix designs, develops and delivers mid to high-end imaging systems for the offset prepress commercial markets. With a clear-minded focus on R&D, Punch Graphix is dedicated to customer satisfaction and aims to deliver cost-effective graphic excellence that goes beyond all expectations. For more information, visit www.punchgraphix.com.
Simon Smith, Managing Director of CS Labels, says: “We’ve enjoyed consistent growth in digital label production since our initial investment. This latest purchase underlines our strategy to continually invest in cutting-edge equipment, and keeps us at the vanguard of digital production techniques. The Xeikon 3000 images to a higher resolution at 1,200 dots per inch. Plus it produces even more reliable, consistent colour quality over a wider colour gamut, allowing us to offer a better service to our customers.”
The Xeikon 3000 provides an increased imaging width of 322mm compared to the 307mm of the Xeikon 330 machine. Both Xeikon's digital printing presses are based on a 330mm substrate width.
“Our business has changed shape significantly since our initial move into digital labels. Our flexo and screen printing equipment is still an important part of our business, but digital has certainly taken over as our main production system – some 60% of our turnover is generated by the Xeikon machines.”
The Xeikon 3000 web-based press has a top speed of 31.5 feet of label production per minute, and a monthly duty cycle of 1,500,000 feet. The five-colour engine provides the four standard process colours plus a choice of spot colour, special security toner for anti-counterfeiting applications, or an opaque white for the ‘no label’ look on transparent material. The press can handle an unrivalled range of substrates, including self-adhesive films, co-extruded films, unsupported films, paper, transparent and opaque foils, and paperboard. The environmentally friendly dry toner electrophotography imaging process enables the use of conventional substrates without the need for coating or pre-treatment.
Existing post-press equipment at CS Labels is suitable for varnishing, laminating, cutting, slitting, matrix stripping and re-reeling the finished printed product. The company is due to install a second GM finishing unit to handle the increased throughput of the Xeikon 3000. “We were able to run the two Xeikon 330s with one finishing system offline, but it was running at full capacity and there were times when it caused a bottleneck in production,” adds Smith. “With the increased throughput of the Xeikon 3000, we definitely need two finishing systems.”
For job preparation, both Xeikon presses are equipped with the open, scalable and modular X-800 Digital Front-End (DFE), combining extensive pre-press functionality, including a high-speed RIP with impressive variable data printing processing. Plus the X-800 DFE delivers the highest print quality, a practical die marker function and precise step-and-repeat functionality. The system can also handle complex operations, such as sequential numbering and barcodes.
Smith is optimistic about the digitally produced label market: “We have an ever-increasing amount of trade work coming in from other printers and print brokers. And we’ve a loyal direct customer base, which is showing a lot of interest in the benefits of digital.”
Greg Neesham, Sales Director for Punch Graphix UK, comments on CS Labels’ installation: “CS Labels is the latest example of how a traditional label printing company can adapt to the digital world. By purchasing the right equipment for its business and its customers, the company is perfectly placed to expand into new markets and generate additional revenue.”
For more information on CS Labels, visit www.cslabels.co.uk.
For further information on Punch Graphix and Xeikon e-mail infouk@punchgraphix.com or visit the www.xeikon.com web site.
About Xeikon
A pioneer in digital printing, Xeikon designs, develops and delivers high-end digital color printing systems for the global commercial, document printing and industrial market segments. These systems are composed of advanced web-fed printing engines using LED-array-based, dry toner electrophotography, open workflow software, exclusive toner and other consumables. Xeikon’s production and R&D operations are based in Belgium and its solutions are distributed and supported through a worldwide sales and service network. Xeikon is a division of Punch Graphix. For more information, visit www.xeikon.com.
About Punch Graphix
Punch Graphix provides innovative, competitive and environmentally friendly imaging and printing solutions for the global graphics industry. Under the Xeikon brand name, Punch Graphix designs, develops and delivers high-end digital color printing systems, software and consumables for the commercial, document printing and industrial markets. Under the basysPrint brand, Punch Graphix designs, develops and delivers mid to high-end imaging systems for the offset prepress commercial markets. With a clear-minded focus on R&D, Punch Graphix is dedicated to customer satisfaction and aims to deliver cost-effective graphic excellence that goes beyond all expectations. For more information, visit www.punchgraphix.com.
Comments
Post a Comment