EFI CEO Guy Gecht (L) with Eric Bacourt and Mal McGowan (R)
EFI’s Nozomi C18000 digital press for corrugated was a major focal point at the company’s user conference in last week. Taking place at the Wynn hotel in Las Vegas, Connect 2018 heard testimonials from early adopters, while attendees could immerse themselves in a VR print room to see the press in action.
On the opening day, Eric Bacourt, CEO of Spanish packaging printing company Hinojosa, and Mal McGowan, CEO of Ireland’s McGowans Print, joined EFI’s own CEO Guy Gecht on stage for a cosy ‘fireside’ chat to talk about their experiences as the first two installation sites of the Nozomi single-pass inkjet press for corrugated post-print.
Hinojosa’s decision to go digital with this press, which is running three shifts already, was in response to shorter lead times and demands from customers for solutions that would help them reduce costs. Mr Bacourt said, ‘My aim was always to generate value for the stakeholders and to use the best technology on the market. This combination gives the best satisfaction for our customers.’
‘You can tell a Nozomi print a mile away,’ enthused Mr McGowan calling the technology a real game-changer presenting ‘the biggest change I’ve seen in the last 10 years.’ The digital-only company, which works with big brands such as Coca-Cola and L’Oréal, chose the Nozomi to differentiate itself from the competition.
EFI sees the Nozomi as a technology platform and hinted at other applications, such as textiles and flexible packaging as possible future projects but would not be pinned down on specifics nor confirm timings.
During the press Q&A, it was also confirmed that the company has no immediate plans to re-engage with the label market following the sale of its Jetrion product line to Xeikon. Mr Gecht said, ‘The deal with Xeikon was a win/win for both companies. We have kept the IP and our engineering team as they work on many other projects. We have the possibility to come back to labels, but there are no plans to do so.’ He concluded, ‘We’re stopping now and going deeper in the markets where we’re involved.’
To see the Nozomi press up close and personal, attendees at the conference could don a Virtual Reality headset to experience the scale and speed of the press.