UK printer Positive ID Labels has installed a Xeikon 3030, expanding its label printing capabilities.
This includes UV inkjet digital printing, which is delivered via a Xeikon Jetrion press with laser die-cutting, in addition to water-based and UV flexo printing. Positive ID Labels now operates seven flexo presses, three plain label converters, and two digital presses.
Positive ID Labels purchased its first digital press in 2012, with an EFI Jetrion 4830 part exchanged in 2014 for an EFI Jetrion 4900 with laser die-cutting station, waste removal and rewind unit.
John Mayers, managing director at Positive ID Labels, commented, ‘In the last five years, we estimate the laser cutting technology has saved customers around £600,000 in cutter costs alone. Coupled with no need for plates, we estimate our customers have saved well over a quarter of a million pounds per year.’
The Xeikon 3030 Discovery machine was installed January 2020 at the Positive ID Labels facility in Melbourne, Derbyshire. It is installed with an inline GM finishing unit, and prints in five colours at 1200dpi, a higher resolution than afforded by the inkjet press at 360dpi. It runs slower but is wider at 330mm versus the Jetrion’s 207mm print width.
Mr Mayers continued, ‘The EFI Jetrion 4900 opened our eyes to the possibilities of digital print. It now generates over 40% of our print revenues. The Xeikon 4900 has allowed us to manufacture from feed stock to finished goods in the box in one process.
‘Rewind finishing has always been a challenge in the production process so going inline was a panacea for us to grow our digital channel.
‘The decision to add the Xeikon was straightforward. We were losing or having to outsource business on these resolution issues. There were also some premium markets what were unreachable with the Jetrion due to the wet nature of inkjet printing,’ Mr Mayers explained.
Read more about this investment in the March/April issue of Digital Labels & Packaging, and here
