Esko and Mark Andy Innovation Day

Packaging Solutions

Production process optimisation, cost reduction, and increased efficiency are key challenges facing label printers in response to current market trends, and were the main topics discussed at a recent event organised by Esko and Mark Andy.  

The special innovation day, devoted to European label printers and converters, took place at the Mark Andy Technology Centre in Warsaw on March 5. In addition to technology presentations from Esko attendees had the opportunity to take part in the live print demonstrations of Mark Andy presses. These included the flexo Evolution Series E5 and UV inkjet hybrid, the Digital Series HD HighSpeed 1200. Labels printed on both presses utilised advanced software solutions created by Esko, including Equinox, a tool dedicated to label and packaging production.

‘The event opened our series of meetings scheduled in the Warsaw based Technology Centre for this year. Some are organised in cooperation with our technology partners,’ said Lena Chmielewska-Bontron, European marketing manager Mark Andy. ‘This time we partnered with Esko, which offers a wide range of advanced hardware and software solutions used by our mutual customers. The meeting attracted many attendees from Poland, Turkey, Croatia, Czech Republic and other countries. For us, it was a great opportunity to showcase the new presses in Mark Andy's portfolio, including the fastest UV inkjet hybrid press on the market dedicated to label production, Digital Series HD HighSpeed 1200.’ 

The international guests were welcomed by Mariusz Geras, sales manager Esko, Lukasz Chruslinski and Antony Cotton, European sales managers Mark Andy.  

The first speaker was Jan De Roeck, marketing director Esko, who highlighted the dynamic global changes and uncertainty affecting both businesses and consumers. He cited research results that outlined major business risks, the degree of preparedness for external crises, as well as preventative strategies implemented by companies. He emphasised the importance of digital transformation in the label production market, addressing issues such as shorter print runs and faster delivery time pressures. He identified key trends and technologies including automation, AI/machine ​​​​​learning, and cloud computing, that will have significant impacts on the label and packaging industries. He also illustrated the value chain specifically for packaging and label makers, pointing out the role of Esko. As he underlined, Esko solutions are used in the production process of nine out of ten consumer packaging jobs.

Some of these were presented in subsequent presentations and in context of their application in label production as demonstrated on the Mark Andy presses.

There were also live demonstrations of two of the narrow web printing presses installed at the Mark Andy Technology Centre. The demonstrations were led by Lukasz Chrusliński and Antony Cotton, European sales managers at Mark Andy. 

The hybrid Digital Series HD HighSpeed 1200 press attracted special interest from event’s guests, owing to its recent global debut. Described by Mark Andy as ‘the world's fastest UV inkjet narrow web press dedicated to label production’, it operates at twice the speed of its predecessor, the Digital Series HD model, which has been a sales success story for Mark Andy in many countries. It addresses the current market trends and customer requirements, as indicated in Esko's earlier presentation: reduction in print run lengths; increasing demand for versioning/variable data printing; and a growing need to update or reprint previous jobs after necessary modifications.

‘Moreover, our flagship models in this segment, the Digital Series HD and recently introduced Digital Series HD HighSpeed 1200, were developed entirely in-house. This means that our customers receive a complete end to end solution, including DFE software, from a single source. The package is assisted by a comprehensive Mark Andy 360 Support service care programme,’ stated Antony Cotton.

The second demo featured the well proven Evolution Series E5 flexo press, offering production speeds up to 230 metres per minute. As a scalable solution, it can be expanded and upgraded as user needs grow. Evolution Series E5 is available in 330 and 430 mm web widths and its application range includes labels, shrink sleeves, and IML. 

‘This highly versatile press aligns perfectly with current market trends and flexographic applications,’ said Antony. ‘Its versatility is evidenced by the different types of work it produces, from specialised cosmetic tubes using unique technology to high volume self-adhesive labels or shrink sleeves. Its range of applications can extend even further, depending on user specialisation and target markets.’