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Prati services the IML market

ALHENA IML, the new product line, specifically designed for finishing of in-mould labels (IML), is very versatile and can accommodate both monolayer and cardboards as well as lamitubes, multi-laminates that are used for aluminium and plastic labels for thermoformed packaging.

ALHENA IML is ideal for converters that produce in-mould labels, blow-mould labels, that multi-substrate lids that cover yoghurt and beverages, but also for retail packaging, beauty and home products packaging.
With the new ALHENA IML line, Prati Company once again offers a fast, reliable and versatile machine that is easy to operate and attracts converters who want to achieve fast returns on investment (ROI) while at the same time meets the new market challenges in a rapidly growing sector in comparison to traditional water-glue labels.

Close cooperation between Prati and their friends – its customers – made ALHENA IML possible, by studying potential issues together that arose in the design phase.

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Therefore, ALHENA IML is the result of joint research and development by Prati that closely followed the actual production and economic requirements of different customers. Many converters asked Prati for a machine that offers the possibility of punching mould labels thus enabling flexible substrate support as a specific requirement for some jobs. In addition, investment into this new machine that offers entrance into an expanding market should be reasonable. As many of the potential customers for the ALHENA IML line are converting experts used to working with flexible materials, the machine had to be easy to handle in order to also be operated by non-skilled operators.

Further requirements were speed, versatility in terms of accommodation of materials, energy savings as well as the reliability and high quality that customers are used to and appreciate in Prati machinery.

Prati has been closely looking at all these productive and economic requirements that converters want and has developed ALHENA IML. This machine combines ease of use and low initial costs thus appealing to those companies who want to expand their product offerings. In comparison with traditional machines showing the same performance, ALHENA IML achieves energy savings of about 40%. This is achieved by incorporating the latest generation motor assistance. An ultrasonic optical fibre supported sensor at the die-cutter guarantees perfect registration with the press and, dynamic rewinding of the matrix waste to achieve speeds of up to 100m/min – the fastest in the market – thereby accommodating any type of shape and management software that enables saving and retrieving of processing data are just some of the benefits.

ALHENA’s most innovative feature that underlines its uniqueness in the industry is the universal stacker for label collection. It does not require replacement of the containers as simple adjustments allow stacking of any type of shape as well as quick change-over, cutting and make-ready times. Prati’s invention answers one of the most important requirements of its surveyed customers who do not want to be influenced by the variety in the shape of labels that are printed and die-cut.

The interview that is published in this newsletter refers to a client whose collaboration has been on the basis of the innovative concepts of ALHENA IML.

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