The thick stock option was a major factor in the decision to install a Xerox iGen4 at Alexir
Carton specialist Alexir Partnership has recently embarked on a digital journey to fill a gap in the market that had been obvious to the company for some time. Neel Madsen visited the company at its facility in Edenbridge, in Kent.
Alexir Partnership was established in 1989 by Robert Davison, who set up his initial operation in Horley before later moving to Crawley. This facility was devasted by a fire in November 2010, but the company quickly relocated to Edenbridge and was up and running again in February 2011.
Today the 3700 square metre purpose-built factory turns out 250 million cartons per year and there are plans for considerable expansion of the premises in 2016 and beyond.
As an end to end packaging provider, the company offers design, packaging, procurement and co-manufacturing. Conventional carton manufacturing is produced on its two Komori litho presses and Bobst finishing equipment. Its co-manufacturing facility is located in nearby Uckfield and has the largest chill facility in the country.
Why digital?
In the first couple of years following the fire and subsequent relocation, new developments fell by the wayside while the company got back on track. But the thought of getting into digital was developing, and about two years ago, the search for the right solution started in earnest.
Mr Davison said, ‘I always felt there was room for digital in carton production and that we could enhance the traditional print side by adding new technology. However, up until very recently, every time digital technology was catching up, conventional manufacturers would improve press speeds and automation. There were also some issues with colour matching on cartonboard in digital production.’
The search took Alexir down a few routes, but it was important for the carton specialist to find the right press and surrounding equipment to fit with the current business. However, once the decision to invest in a Xerox iGen 4 press had been made in December 2014, the company did not hang around and the press was installed the following May with the first commercial job being produced in June.
‘Digital fitted well into the overall picture. We have some 230 live customers of all sizes. We were finding that a lot of specialist brands are coming onto the market and we needed to invest in this technology to service the needs of those customers,’ said Mr Davison.
Different world
Before making the investment, the Alexir team went to Germany and Switzerland to see digital folding carton printing in operation and also spoke to a number of digital label printers to see what they could learn from their experience of moving into digital.
The project was put in the hands of marketing manager Claire Summersby and sales director Tom Sene, who put the case for digital together and presented it to the board for approval.
Ms Summersby said, ‘A massive need for short runs was building and we were almost in the position of having to turn away smaller customers and jobs such as promotional cartons and samples for testing. We knew we could plug that gap in the market.’ She continued, ‘Brands and retailers want to be closer to the consumers. They want variable data, personalisation and all the other opportunities to do something different that digital affords.’
‘We wanted to dip our toe in the water and debated various options,’ said Mr Davison. ‘This is a completely new market for us and one that is not very developed. We want to replicate what the label printers have done and if we are successful, the next investment will reflect that.
‘We have to be ready for the new world and for the expectations of the consumers that are growing up today. Theirs is a very different world to the one we have come from, with more interaction and completely different demands.’
Digital dedication
The initial thought was to site the new digital department in an established part of the facility, but instead a new mezzanine level was put in above the main factory floor. This new dedicated suite is linking with the administration and sales departments at the front of the main building, providing a welcoming atmosphere and easy access for customers of all types and sizes.
All the staff in the digital room have come into the business fresh, either they are new to print or new to digital. Ms Summersby explained that Alexir felt it important to bring in people who didn’t think conventionally and had no pre-conceptions about print. ‘We are a small team and it is vital that everyone is happy to pitch in,’ she said.
The choice of the iGen 4 from Xerox was essential to the plan. It was particularly the thick stock option offered that sealed the deal, said Ms Summersby. She explained, ‘We are carton experts and it is our USP to be unique in the market. We are currently the only company in the UK to offer the thick stock option.’
Cartonboard of up to 610 microns can be printed in the iGen digital press in speeds of up to 110 ppm at a resolution of 4800 x 600 dpi. The press is complemented by a Tresu Pinta coater, which can run both water and UV-based coatings. At Alexir, the coater is operating inline, but it can also be set up as a standalone unit.
Cutting carton
The latest investment is a Kama ProCut 76 and this, together with an Esko Kongsberg XN plotter and cutting table, takes care of the cutting process in the digital department. If needed, the sheets can be moved to the conventional department as the size also fits on the Bobst cutters, useful for those longer runs.
The Kama flatbed die-cutter was supplied by Friedheim International and installed last October. The ProCut 76 runs at speeds up to 5000 sheets per hour processing sizes up to 600 x 760 mm either inline or offline. It includes Braille and embossing capability and can also be configured with a hot foiling and hologram unit.
A new Kama ProCut 76 flatbed die-cutter is part of the finishing set up
Mr Davison said, ‘I was very impressed with the Kama cutter when we went to see it in Germany. The attention to details is first class. There are not that many cutting options on the market, but this machine combined with the Esko plotter mean that we address most volume requirements for our customers.’
Roger Cartwright, Friedheim International’s national sales manager for converting and binding products, said, ‘The equipment has been specified to allow for the growth of Alexir’s digital business so that it can in the future be used for full inline operation with the Xerox printer. Additionally, the machine can be equipped with a quick change hot foil unit to allow for a greater range of high value added products, and in due course the toolless SBU (stripping and blanking unit) can also be added. These were important considerations in the selection of the machine.’
Digital addiction
Customer reaction to the new addition has been overwhelmingly positive. Ms Summersby said, ‘We have some very satisfied and pleased customers. We can now produce cartons for the smaller brands so they can go to market with maybe just 50 or 100 units. We can also do ultra-short runs so customers can present a fully finished, professional product to buyers when they are trying to sell to the big retailers.’
In total, Alexir has spent £1.5 million, including the building works, to set up digital carton production, but it doesn’t sound like this is the end of the journey.
Mr Davison said, ‘It is like having a new business within the business. The set up we have now means that we can address most volumes and fulfil the expectations of our customers, but that doesn’t mean we are not looking at our next move. Middle range runs still present a challenge.’
The company is already planning another extension this year with a second phase planned for later. With a dreamy look in his eye, Mr Davison concluded, ‘I can see a bank of six digital machines lined up …’
