Xeikon announces that 5SeptEtiquette, which specialises in the production of adhesive labels, decided to invest in a Xeikon 3300 to support its development of digital technology. The Xeikon 3300, the flagship model of the 3000 series, is suitable for roll widths up to 330mm. It reaches a maximum speed of 19.2 m/min, and production capacity of almost 400 m²/hour. The Xeikon 3300 became one of the reference models for label printing, winning the Label Industry Innovation Award and the Intertech Technology Award for Innovation Excellence.
Located in Courthezon, near Avignon, France, label printer 5SeptEtiquette (with €8.2 million turnover) employs 50 people, and serves a client base of manufacturers in the food, cosmetics, beauty and viticulture industries. Equipped with three waterless offset presses, two flexo presses and equipment for silkscreen printing and finishing, 5SeptEtiquette decided in June of this year to also develop its digital printing business.
Objective: target the market for very short-runs (less than 1000 linear metres) and multiple print runs. “Over the course of the last few years we succeeded in maintaining our competitiveness on short print runs thanks to efficient use of waterless offset and short ink train,s" says 5SeptEtiquette's managing director, Patrick Wack. “Today, our machines are working at full capacity and we need to increase the amount we are capable of producing. It is the right time for us to invest in equipment capable of processing both very short runs and multiple reference series easily and without delay one after the other”.
“The choice made by 5SeptEtiquette once again demonstrates the perfect balance between digital and flexo for the production of labels,” comments Filip Weymans, Director Segment Marketing Labels and Packaging at Xeikon. “We are delighted to see 5SeptEtiquette found new opportunities for itself in the market, thanks to its skilful use of offset, flexo and digital printing technology”.
Print quality and flexibility of use
“Out of all the digital presses currently on the market, we were convinced by the Xeikon 3300's easy management” Patrick Wack explains. “In particular, the ease with which consumable costs and production times could be anticipated allows us to calculate quotes easily and without the risk of error”.
The proximity of the end result to that obtained with offset or flexo also was played a role. “It is important for us to maintain the same quality level from one printing process to another,” Patrick Wack confirms. “We must be able to carry out an offset print run and, if necessary, a digital reprint. Now the print quality that we get with the Xeikon 3300 is so close to offset that the difference isn't a problem for our customers. The majority doesn’t notice any difference in result between the two processes”.
Finally, ink quality was also a contributing factor in he decision to buy the Xeikon 3300. “The opaque white is of an equivalent or higher quality to that which we get using flexo, which is very important for the cosmetics market in particular” says Patrick Wack. “And ink non-toxicity is as essential in the processed food industry as it is for cosmetics”.
Management and production communicate thanks to JDF
At 5SeptEtiquette, the arrival of digital technology opened the way for the dematerialization of shop floor papers, thanks to an interface connecting CERM management software and the Xeikon 3300 control unit. “Using digital technology, and thanks to JDF links, the shop floor papers transmitted from our management system to the digital press can be dematerialized completely,” Patrick Wack confirms. “This makes it possible to simplify the production flow and to avoid possible data re-entry or system update errors. In addition, information such as production times and quantities of materials used is sent directly to the management system. This allows us to analyse the profitability of our digital section as accurately as possible”.
Today, 5SeptEtiquette is not short of any project contracts. Over the next few months, the company wants to move towards splitting production between two teams. A completely automated web-to-print application is also in the pipeline. Finally, further integration of the CERM management software with the Xeikon 3300 will allow for increasingly more detailed analysis of the production process.
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