Springfield Solutions has marked the final stage of its conversion from traditional to digital printing, with the installation of the UK’s first SabreXtreme laser label cutting system from AB Graphics.
The Hull-based company has invested £750,000 in new digital presses and a sophisticated management information system (MIS) along with the new laser cutter. Operations director, Dennis Ebeltoft, said, ‘The new digital set up enables us to offer a much quicker, more flexible and efficient service and makes management easier in terms of stock levels and financial exposure. It was a big decision to go all digital, but technology waits for no one and we realised we could offer a more efficient and effective service by moving away from analogue. We turned off the last of our analogue printers last year and as a result we are now one of the largest, all digital printers in the UK. The laser system was the last link in the chain.’
From left to right: Albert Dass, Springfield, Mike Burton and Matt Burton of AB Graphic International and Dennis Ebeltoft of Springfield.
Laser technology dispenses with the need for conventional die-cutting tools and the costs associated with production and storage. There are no engineering times involved as with conventional die-cutting and no heavy lifting of rotary tools. Network or MIS connection enables a company’s art department to directly load a library of label cutting patterns to process. The patterns are selected by the operator by using barcodes printed on work orders. In addition, the software system permits all machine settings to be saved so that the exact performance of a pattern can be duplicated later.
By using the SabreXtreme a company can typically offer its customers a selection of five or six materials and finishing options for small jobs. Offering a smaller number of materials makes it easier to group the jobs for efficient printing. Several different jobs can be digitally printed on each roll of material taking note of the order in which they are processed. Each roll is then varnished or laminated on the system and subsequently laser cut, matrix stripped and rewound. Patterns can be changed without stopping the web so there is no time lost in set up. Hundreds of small jobs a day can be manufactured profitably. The saved costs of conventional dies alone easily offset the initial investment cost and small jobs then become a profit center rather than a burden. In addition, by removing the small jobs from semi-rotary or flatbed die-cutters, the whole print operation runs more efficiently.
AB Graphic International’s Matt Burton added, ‘While we have a number of SabreXtreme installations in the USA and Europe, this is the first in the UK and we are proud to have been a partner in Springfield Solutions’ transition to digital. We strongly believe in the laser and a digital future for the label industry. We are starting to see a die cutting revolution within the industry with interest in the technology increasing tremendously over the last six months.’
