Xeikon showcases latest digital printing solutions at Labelexpo Asia 2011
Xeikon will showcase its latest range of digital printing solutions dedicated to the label market at Labelexpo Asia 2011, taking place at the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC) in Shanghai, China from 29 November to 2 December 2011. Visitors to the Xeikon stand will have the opportunity to experience live demonstrations of the Xeikon 3030, the company’s entry-level digital label press, which will be set up in a roll-to-roll configuration. Alongside the press, Xeikon will also demonstrate the benefits of its dry toner process and its dedicated workflow based around the X-800 Digital Front End.
“This is the third time that we’ve come to the show – and each year it just gets bigger,” says Filip Weymans, Business Development Manager Labels & Packaging at Xeikon. “China is an emerging market for labels and brand owners beginning to realize the power of labels in delivering shelf impact and building brand loyalty. This is driving demand for higher quality labels and more flexibility in their production. Traditionally grounded in letter press technology, an increasing amount of Chinese label converters are now looking closely at incorporating digital solutions into their printing workflows to meet this demand,” explains Weymans. “We look forward to sharing with new customers how digital technology can complement their existing flexo workflows so they can offer their clients the best of both worlds – while creating new business opportunities for themselves.”
Xeikon 3030: the perfect entry-level label press
Taking center stage on the Xeikon stand will be the Xeikon 3030, an entry-level digital label press capable of handling web widths of up to 330 mm (13″) and printing with a maximum speed of 9.6 m/min (31.5 ft/min). Through live demonstrations, visitors will be able to experience the press in action and see – first hand – the superior quality delivered by its true 1200 dpi resolution. They will also see how the speed of the printer is not affected by label size or the number of colors used, thanks to its full rotary technology combined with variable repeat length. The same technology also allows operators to print labels of different formats and sizes in the same run.
Digital: Delivering flexibility and cost advantages
As well as seeing the superior level of print quality that comes with digital technology, visitors to the Xeikon stand will also have the opportunity to learn about the increased flexibility and cost advantages that the technology offers. With no plates to make, no film to output and minimal machine set-up time, a label job can be printed in minutes – instead of hours. And since each SKU no longer needs its own plate to be created, there are clear cost advantages to be gained and short runs are no longer a challenge.
Designed to grow with the business
The Xeikon 3030 is a member of the Xeikon 3000 Series, a family of high-performance digital presses that has set the standard for digital label printing. While Xeikon 3030 offers label converters an easy entry into digital printing, it can also be upgraded in the field to handle wider web widths (516 mm or 20.3″) and/or faster print speeds (19.2 m/min or 63.0 ft/min) to match the business as it grows.
Dedicated toner offers label-specific benefits
Alongside its printing press, Xeikon will demonstrate the benefits of its QA-I toner, a dedicated toner for the label industry offering significant benefits in terms of image quality, light fastness and food safety. Because the QA-I toner is a dry-toner based technology, it also allows label converters to print on almost any type of material, offers high speed printing (no drying time needed) and is ecologically friendly (less VOC emission, less energy, less waste).
Dedicated workflow
Visitors to the stand will also have the opportunity to learn about the dedicated workflow of the X-800 Digital Front End. Based on open standards, the X-800 can be integrated into any production environment and its modular set-up enables users to manage different aspects of production in the most efficient manner possible. Pre-press functions, such as impositions and color management, can be performed on the X-800 in the pre-press environment, allowing the press operator to focus on print quality. This results in higher press throughput and increased productivity on Xeikon presses.
New business opportunities for heat transfer and promotional applications
Xeikon presses can print on an unrivalled range of substrates – all without the need for any pre-coating. These include various self-adhesive materials and also – since recently – heat transfer labels, which can be used to decorate a variety of plastic containers. At the show, visitors will be able to view samples of flexible seamless tubes, and similar articles that have had Xeikon-printed labels applied using the MOSS “Digitube” heat transfer applicator. The result is a high-quality, digitally printed and applied decoration that is scratch and water resistant. In addition, the new digital heat transfer process offers higher flexibility as the decoration can be applied later in the supply chain, compared to traditional methods (screen and offset printing), where it must be printed at the very beginning.
“Digital heat transfer opens up new business opportunities for label printers to start converting business away from the direct printing market into the label market,” explains Weymans. “But this is just one of many applications where digital print technology can be used. Point-of-Sale displays and folding carton used for packaging can also be printed using digital technology. With a Xeikon digital press, label converters can offer a solution for the complete set of marketing materials: from product labels and product packaging to POS promotional displays.”
Labelexpo Asia 2011 is part of the Labelexpo Global series of trade shows dedicated to the label industry. The show takes place at the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC) in Shanghai, China from 29 November to 2 December, 2011. Xeikon will exhibit on stand H22.
About Xeikon
A pioneer in digital printing, Xeikon designs, develops and delivers high-end digital colour printing systems for the industrial, document and commercial printing 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.
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