Industry Profile & Economics

Howard Hunt has invested £1m to upgrade its finishing department, including two UK firsts from Friedheim.

Welcome to Printing Industry News Digest (PIND) issue 20, the weekly summary of major news stories from the printing, packaging and communication sectors. Published every Friday, PIND incorporates links to the week's key news stories: ...

As we approach the end of the summer, we ask how printers view their prospects

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International Print Consumables Fair] on June 19, 2008 -21 days successfully held in Zhuhai. This exhibition by the Association for the Promotion.

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Roland DGA Corp has introduced the 54” VersaUV LEC-540 UV-LED wide-format inkjet printer cutter.

Based on the company’s VersaUV technology, the LEC-540 prints CMYK, white and clear and contour cuts ‘virtually any’ substrate up to 1mm (0.04”) thick. 

‘The LEC-540 is based on low-cost VersaUV technology that has revolutionized the packaging prototype and short run label industries,’ said Hiroshi Ono, product manager for Roland DGA Corp. ‘With the new LEC-540, professionals can print, contour cut, crease and perforate graphics all on one device. The LEC-540 prints on an unprecedented range of materials including popular large-format media. New built-in front and back tables facilitate the handling of rigid substrates for folding cartons and other packaging prototypes.’ 

The new LEC-540 is the third model in Roland’s VersaUV series. It is faster than previous VersaUV models and is said to offer greater versatility for applications ranging from packaging prototypes, short-run labels and membrane panels to interior décor items, point of purchase (POP) displays and large-format window graphics.   

The LEC-540 prints on a wide variety of flexible and rigid media, including synthetic paper, polyester film, paper and vinyl banner media, PET, leather, plastic, polycarbonates and paper boards. In high quality mode, the LEC-540 prints 25 percent faster than the 30” LEC-330 due to new larger UV-LED lamps that expedite production. LEC-540 lamps automatically reposition themselves for high-speed performance and the highest image quality in all print modes. The LEC-540 also offers high-quality artistic print mode (1440 x 1440 dpi) for images that the company says rival offset and gravure print quality. 

The LEC-540 is offered in three ink configurations: the standard CMYK + white + clear configuration, CMYK + white + white for high-opacity white printing on transparent films, and CMYK + clear + clear for thick dimensional effects such as embossing. Clear ink can be layered into both gloss and matte finishes including 72 ready-to-apply patterns from the Roland Texture Library included in Roland’s VersaWorks RIP software.  

Users of the LEC-540 can also take advantage of the Roland OnSupport system which allows remote monitoring of production activities. When a job is completed or ink runs low, the printer will automatically send an email notification to a smart phone or computer. Unattended operation and easy maintenance are further ensured by an automated white ink circulation system that prevents pigments in the ink from settling, minimizes waste and ensures continuous uninterrupted printing. The LEC-540 is Roland Eco Label and Energy Star certified.  

The VersaUV series also includes the 30” LEC-330 and 30” LEC-300A. VersaUV was introduced in 2008 has been recognized with DPI and EDP awards for innovation. 

Click here for more stories about Roland DGA Corp on L&L.com.

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UPM Raflatac has been working with HP to offer a product portfolio suitable for use with the HP Indigo WS6000 digital press. To that end, the company is introducing a renewed digital product range for the Americas which includes several paper and film labelstocks certified for use with the press through the HP Indigo Media Certification program. These products also work with the HP Indigo WS2000 press and the WS4000 range of presses.

UPM Raflatac’s roll-to-roll digital labelstocks have a proprietary top-coat, providing excellent liquid ink anchorage and a long shelf life for lasting printability, and they are engineered to deliver optimal color saturation and crisp resolution. The entire range is offered trimless at 5,000 feet with a minimum of 13 inches, reducing waste and increasing converter productivity.

‘UPM Raflatac’s renewed digital product range is proof that we’re dedicated to helping companies succeed with digital printing,’ said Patrick Goss, prime business director, UPM Raflatac, Americas. ‘By offering products certified for the HP Indigo WS6000 digital press, we're ensuring that end-users are able to move swiftly to capitalize on emerging marketplace opportunities, differentiating their brands and driving revenues.’ 

Click here for more stories about UPM Raflatac on L&L.com.

Meech has launched the 977HL Pulsed DC static controller for hazardous areas of a factory. The company says it is a unique method of monitoring performance and controlling static levels in potentially dangerous environments, while ensuring maximum productivity of the press or production line.   

‘Eliminating sparks caused by the build up of static is vital in processes where chemicals such as solvents are used,’ said international product manager David Rogers. ‘There is a risk that the vapors produced could be ignited. A significant proportion of fires and explosions encountered across various industries are the result of a spark created by static.

‘In these hazardous areas of production, Pulsed DC static control systems can be an ideal method of static control and they generally perform highly efficiently. However, ionizing bars lose their effectiveness when contaminated with dirt and dust and, if not cleaned, their ability to control static could be reduced to a dangerous level. Stopping the line to clean the bars, which may need to be done once a week, often means lost production and the problem facing the operator is to know when this has to be carried out.’

The new 977HL controller provides accurate monitoring of the performance of the bars, alerting the operator immediately, via local audible and visible warnings and remote alarm signals, when bars need to be cleaned. The performance level at which an alarm is activated can be set by the customer to suit individual requirements. 

The 977HL controller is situated in a safe area, connected to the ionizing bars in the hazardous area. Bars become contaminated at varying rates depending upon the process and equipment.

‘One of the huge benefits of the new 977HL is that it incorporates a true closed loop facility, which has the ability to automatically alter the balance of negative and positive ions being discharged by the bars, depending upon the levels monitored continuously in the material by a special sensor,’ said David Rogers.

‘Companies need to look closely at manufacturers’ claims of “closed loop” facilities because normally the material is measured only where the ionizing bar is positioned, which is simply not effective. By accurately monitoring the static levels a short distance beyond the bar, the 977HL can alter the negative/positive balance of the bar to ensure that the stock is neutral. This figure will almost certainly change throughout the day, depending on the stock, running speed or the ambient conditions.’

The closed loop facility means that current information relating to the residual electrostatic charge in the material being handled is always available on the LCD display. This data can be transmitted to allow remote monitoring and logging for quality assurance purposes. The keypad on the front of the unit enables the 977HL to be set up to suit the specifics of the application. These settings can be protected from unauthorized or accidental alteration by enabling a lock function.  

Click here for more stories about Meech on L&L.com.

Tresu, a manufacturer of customized flexo printing machines and ancillaries, has partnered with Matik in order to strengthen its presence in the North American market.  

The agreement covers Tresu’s product range of mid to wide web in-line flexo printing machines and stack printing machines which are used in folding carton, scratch-off tickets, liners for corrugated and flexible packaging. Also included in the agreement are retrofit installations of flexo printing units for upgrading of existing systems. The agreement covers the eastern part of North America (east of Mississippi and Minnesota) as well as Ontario and Quebec in Canada.  

Allan Sander, sales director at Tresu Converting, said: ‘Tresu Group is experiencing a rapid growth in all business segments and we are expanding our activities accordingly. Our range of flexo in-line printing machines is a focus area for us, and we wish to strengthen our position on the North American market. The partnership with Matik will help us pursue this strategy.’ 

Chris Davis, vice president sales at Matik, said: ‘Tresu has a real depth of expertise in flexo printing, adding value and streamlining production with a real talent for building customized solutions. There are several satisfied American customers running these presses and we look forward to bringing the new presses to market and showing the real value added features of the Tresu line.’ 

Tresu will be present at Labelexpo Americas on booth 3108.  

Click here for more stories about Matik on L&L.com.

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