Willowbridge Labels invests in Xeikon Label Discovery Solution
Packaging Solutions
Bury St Edmunds based Willowbridge Labels has announced that it has installed its first digital label production press. The Xeikon Label Discovery Solution entry level package consists of a Xeikon 3030 – an entry level web fed digital label press – and the new entryDcoat, a digital converting line that can be used in line with the Xeikon or in off line mode.
The Xeikon represents the company’s first investment in a digital production press. It will join three flexographic presses that will continue to be in use at the company.
Karl Seeley, managing director of Willowbridge Labels, said: ‘Flexo is still the core of our label production business but more and more customers are asking us for a fast delivery of short run labels. The Xeikon unit will help us to meet those demands, and produce them at a lower cost.
‘Having surveyed the market, Xeikon was our first choice, though our parent company, Denny Bros, also use the same technology. We will now be in a position to support each other when either operation is in need of extra capacity.’
Another important factor behind the purchase decision was the ability to produce thermal direct labels with Xeikon’s QB-IC and QB-CH toners (often referred to as ‘Ice’ toners), ideal for heat sensitive substrates.
‘The move into the digital arena will allow us to produce an even more diverse range of label products for our customers,’ added Karl
Commenting on the new Label Discovery Solution entry level package, Duncan Sargeant, UK sales area manager for Xeikon, said: ‘The Label Discovery Solution is a turnkey label production system that provides everything needed for a label printer to offer an expanded range of services to their customers, and to experience the benefits digital production can bring to their business. In addition to enabling an affordable entry into this lucrative market, the Label Discovery Solution is a platform that can be field upgraded in terms of productivity as the business grows, ensuring long term viability of the investment.’
The Xeikon 3030 digital label press is a dry toner solution ideal for producing labels for a broad range of applications using standard flexo substrates. This avoids the need to use specially treated materials, and eliminates any associated warehousing costs. The five colour printing features CMYK and white, a special spot, or gamut extending colour. Changing toner colours on the system is relatively straightforward: a clear benefit of dry toner compared to other printing technologies. In addition, dry toner is recognised as the best technology for food labels in terms of food safety due to its non toxic nature.
Xeikon dry toner has also received FDA certification for both indirect and direct food contact with dry food, which is unique in the digital landscape.
The entryDCoat is a compact converting unit consisting of a varnish, die cut and rewind station. To limit start up and tooling costs, the die cut unit uses semi-rotary die cutting technology. This ensures the lowest cost of converting without loss of productivity, while still delivering the well known quality of conventional die cutting. With semi-rotary die cutting, costs can be reduced by as much as 50% with no need to acquire special tools and no set up time as required with conventional die cutting.
