Lotus Labels updates for more eco friendly labels and packaging

Packaging Solutions

Lotus Labels in Eastbourne has finalised an order for the very latest in toner based print engines from Xeikon. The CX30 is particularly designed for the printing of self-adhesive labels but is also capable of printing card stock of up to 0.55 mm in thickness. The new unit is replacing an existing ten year old Xeikon press.

Andreas Schillinger, managing director of Lotus Labels, commented: ‘We are purchasing the latest technology to ensure that our customers continue to receive the best and most environmentally friendly labels and packaging available.

‘The CX30 uses the latest Eco toner and produces colour calibrated print on a wide variety of substrates for our ever growing list of customers in the high end label sector. The quality of the latest Xeikon software will help to ensure that our waste figures are kept to the bare minimum before we produce good saleable copy.

‘The new press will also allow us to expand our efforts in the production of printed carton packaging for a growing range of clients for whom we have already been producing labels for some time. Our proposition to produce labels and cartons on the same press, hence perfectly colour matching both products, has seen a lot of interest.

‘With Xeikon dry toner we believe that we have the most suitable technology for digital carton production. The ability to handle the thickness and substrate ranges that carton board requires, gives us advantages that other processes can’t offer.

‘The environmentally friendly features of the CX30 will include significantly reduced waste along with lower energy consumption, contributing to a greener production process. The toners are odourless, migration free, and vegan, making them safe for direct food contact, as traditionally this has been the advantage of Xeikon toner based technology.’

Suitable substrates include coated and uncoated papers, thermal transfer papers, eco and standard films, metallised substrates, as well as thicker carton board materials.

The Xeikon CX30 label press can serve a wide range of end user applications within the self-adhesive label market, including the ability to print an opaque underlay or overlay where required. The CX30 comes equipped with five dry toner print stations (CMYK+single pass opaque white) and prints at 1200 dots per inch. The latest advances in toner production and engine enhancement incorporated into the CX30 provide for a consistent print quality, and vibrant prints that are produced with ultimate precision.

Lotus Labels will continue to run one flexo press alongside the new machine. ‘Our work mix has changed over the years, but flexo is still important to our customers and to our business model, said Andreas. When he joined the company back in 2014 it ran four flexo presses. ‘The market was changing quickly to shorter digital runs. We needed to adapt the business to the new way of working,’ he continued.