Eco Flexibles, located in Northampton, UK, has been confirmed as the site of the first Fujifilm Jet Press FP790 installation outside of Japan.
Working closely with retailers, brand owners and food manufacturers, Eco Flexibles develops recyclable monopolymer flexible and paper-based packaging options said to provide equivalent or improved performance over incumbent mixed plastic designs.
Eco Flexibles has been a Fujifilm Flenex FW flexo plate customer for many years and has now expanded its Fujifilm investments into digital following a successful beta trial of the new digital flexible packaging press.
Jet Press FP790 is a 790mm-wide water-based inkjet digital press, built for industrial manufacturing of flexible packaging, whether printed on film or paper. Printing CMYK, at up to 75m/min with a resolution of 1200x 1200dpi, FP790 is also able to hit more than 90% of Pantone colours without the need for spot colours
The press is installed at Eco Flexible’s 40,000sqft factory in Northampton in the UK.
Pictured (from left): Simon Buswell, sales and marketing director, Eco Flexibles; Taku Ueno, senior vice president, Graphic Communication division, Fujifilm Europe; Manuel Schrutt, head of packaging, Fujifilm Europe; Matt Francklow, director, Eco Flexibles
David Smith, the recently appointed general manager at Eco Flexibles, said, ‘Unlike conventional digital presses that rely on toners and electrographic inks, the Jet Press FP790 uses water-based inks to ensure superior performance while further driving down carbon impact. This is a transformative moment for the flexible packaging industry in the UK, and for us as a business.
‘Our mission is to make recyclable monopolymer and paper packaging more accessible for brand owners, and with this multi-million pound investment we’re providing our customers with digital press technology with all the benefits that attract – very short run and variable data printing, fast turnaround and outstanding graphic performance that more than rivals traditional analogue print techniques. We are setting a new benchmark in quality and sustainability.’
Manuel Schrutt, head of packaging, Fujifilm EMEA, said, ‘The launch of this innovative press marked an exciting time for us in terms of evolving our range of digital packaging solutions. Our expertise within inkjet technology has now been adapted to meet the requirements of the mainstream flexible packaging market.
‘We look forward to seeing how the investment helps Eco Flexibles to grow its business further.’
Mr Smith concluded, ‘We are in a sustainability-centric market where ‘good enough’ is no longer good enough for brands; we must be constantly pushing harder for lower carbon emissions and higher quality. Eco Flexibles has been a pioneer in many ways, and with our latest investment, we’re further driving home the message that sustainable flexible packaging doesn’t need to be a concession or come with sacrifices. With a partner like Eco Flexibles in your corner, and technology such as the Jet Press FP790, you can truly have it all.’
Fujifilm is hosting an invitation-only open house event at Eco Flexibles’ premises on 14 and 15 February, where it will showcase its full range of digital and analogue options. This will be the first opportunity for prospective customers to see the Jet Press FP790 in action in person. Those wishing to attend can register their interest here
