AB Graphic International is a family owned engineering company based in Bridlington, Yorkshire. It is a world leader and growing fast, DL&P went to visit and met Keith Montgomery, business development manager, and Matthew Burton, sales executive.
The ABG International factory is very impressive, organised and busy. It is arranged in sections so there is a flow from raw material, machining and painting into assembly, testing and despatch. There is no metal casting, rather buying in sheet steel and aluminium that is cut and milled in the machining section. Then into the paint shop for blackening steel parts and painting side panels. Precision motors and control units are sourced, and then built into modules that are assembled into the final systems, tested and despatched.
The company has been providing finishing systems for HP Indigo narrow web label presses for more than 15 years as a partner supplier. The relationship has been mutually beneficial as ABG provides finishing units for up to 95% of HP Indigo’s label presses and it is continually adding functionality for leading digital converters. While HP dominates in terms of the number of presses, it is not exclusive as ABG produces integrated finishing for several inkjet systems. The good news for finishing producers is that as the performance of presses has improved so each machine now needs its own finishing unit, rather than two presses per finishing line as was the case with previous slower narrow web machines.
Finishing lines are also getting more complicated as converters are looking for ways to add value. One interesting customer in the USA sells stickers and labels with personalisation through a web to print portal. It has a Sabre Extreme CO2 laser finishing system it uses with its web to print system to produce one off kiss cut sticker designs to any shape, and it also prints and converts personalised label stock. A great example of using finishing to add value and exploit a new business opportunity.
Options
There are three main product sectors: turret rewinding; inspection rewinding equipment; and modular digital converting, which is the fastest growing. (There is also a German manufacturing plant producing camera inspection systems and security rewinders). Converters can choose from many modules. Standard Digicon Series 2 machines will have an unwind (the vast majority of installations are near line but there is an option to connect the Digicon into an HP Indigo press), web guide, quick release UV flexo print or coater, dancer roll before semi-rotary die cutting (this allows the coater to operate in spot or full flood varnishing capability in full rotary mode), waste stripping and rewind. This is the Digicon Lite, more options are available for specific requirements. There can be corona treatment, additional flexo units, flatbed screen print, hot and cold foil applicator, hologram application, embossing, RFID applicators and bookletmaking and attachment, a sheeter, turret rewind with hot melt glue applicator, and slitting. There is laser cutting, and a heavy duty flatbed cut and crease unit for carton production and a coating and priming unit that can be used to prime substrates for digital printing.
As the digital label machines develop so the finishing requirement has to improve. The trend is for speed increases and to become completely computer controlled. There will be more automation as the next generation of machines will be PC controlled, rather than using a simpler PLC (programmable logic controller) board. While Mr Montgomery does not like to use the term ‘deskilling’ as the complexity, size and speed increases demand more control in the finishing line. This will provide more flexibility and be easier to set up and program with JDF links from both digital and analogue print equipment. Finishing lines are getting longer, with 20 to 25 metres now common – this is a practical consideration for ABG as it needs more space in the factory for final assembly and testing and the company is considering a further expansion.
Mr Burton showed me a mock up of a future converting line with unwind – digital press – interface unit – laminator (for flexible packaging) – multipurpose inkjet for coating/foiling/screen – laser die cutting – slitter and turret rewinder to an auto roll ejector and packer (and then into a van). The line is designed to be totally modular, a unit design (that could include a Highcon creaser) that is configurable to customer requirements.
It is great to see a UK engineering company and manufacturer prospering and leading the world in developing innovative converting equipment to complement the ever faster digital presses. Future developments are in progress to make converting easier. There will be auto plate changing and auto tool loading for dies to reduce changeover times. It is likely ABG will move into flexibles and cartons with larger, wider systems in the pipeline (one of the considerations for the delay in launching the HP Indigo 20000 for flexibles is to make sure there is a suitable finishing system). So, if the company wants my advice, go ahead and build another extension. There is certainly the demand coming up.
