DG press to leverage history in future growth - online exclusive

DG press has presented a working 7-color version of its Thallo variable repeat web offset press at an Open House event at its facility in Hall, The Netherlands. This follows the start of the press’ development in 2012 and a solitary printing deck being shown at Labelexpo Europe 2013.

‘Developing machines and engineering is in our blood,’ says DG press director Remko Koolbergen, referencing the company’s heritage with Drent Goebel and the VSOP press technology, but which was established anew in 2009 with the creation of a business to service existing Drent Goebel customers and equipment in the market. ‘We were good and remain so at producing machines for flexible materials,’ says Koolbergen.

Since these new beginnings with 12 staff closely linked to Drent Goebel, the company has grown strongly and now occupies the old Drent Goebel facility, which it took over in 2012 and refurbished, and has a large team featuring a balance of those experience in the history of the company and those new to DG press and the printing industry as a whole.

To continue its evolution, DG press says it has developed Thallo to satisfy the needs of the flexible packaging and film label markets for an option to efficiently and economically produce printed products in smaller volumes. Some of the benefits presented by DG press of its Thallo variable repeat web offset platform include the image carrier cost, environmental benefits, and the ability to integrate proven technology for food packaging with EB and UV curing and flexo/gravure stations.

An initial 2-color Thallo was presented at an Open House towards the end of 2014, and the first sales have been confirmed. This will see Vuye Flexible Packaging take the 7-color press that was showcased during the Open House, and Wesselink Flexibel Drukwerk take a further 5-color press, which was also to be seen during the Open House although not yet complete and in the final stages of manufacture.

‘There is lots of interest in offset for flexible package printing, and people were waiting for the right moment and to see a press printing and working. We have shown such a product, and now we expect to see growth,’ says Koolbergen.

Lowering the barrier to investment

‘The customer split is roughly 50/50 between those who are new and are from a flexo or gravure background looking to move into offset, and existing customers with machinery that needs replacing.

‘For new customers the hocus pocus of offset is the biggest hurdle, and understanding the ink-water balance. That is one of the reasons why we have designed Thallo to be intuitive to use and provide guidance and assistance to operators wherever possible to allow them to achieve stable production.

‘We have transitioned flexo printers to offset before so know how to do it and educate them on the process.’

Steady growth with Thallo

DG press is targeting steady growth in the coming years by increasing its manufacturing of Thallo presses by two a year. With two manufactured this year, and due for installation in July, the company is looking to manufacture four in 2016, six in 2017, eight in 2018 and 10 a year from then onwards.

Back to the present and the recent DG press Open House saw the 7-color Thallo configured with a flexo station, developed through a partnership with Uteco, and six wet-on-wet offset units, printing using solventless inks, producing shrink sleeves and in-mold labels. A new development was also shown where the press ran the web in reverse so allowing material already in the press to be used for set-up of the next job, as was a sleeve handling system which was demonstrated on the previously mentioned 2-color model.

‘Offset printing and flexible packaging is already in our background so we see a real opportunity in this space. Flexo printers are understanding the offset process more and more and the opportunities it can offer to help them make money. Offset is a viable alternative process for flexible packaging printing and a lot of other OEMs are moving into the market also.

‘However, no others have the heritage we do so are building first generation machines. We call the Thallo second generation technology owing to the combined heritage in offset and flexible materials.’

Leveraging the position and technology of established partners and suppliers in the flexible packaging market, such as Uteco, will also help DG press achieves its aims. This partnership means Uteco can now offer the Thallo to its customers asking about offset, says Koolbergen, as well as supplying engineering expertise to the press’ development through flexo elements for integration with the Thallo modular platform.

DG press will also bring to market other technologies through the various arms of its business, which includes EMB Technology in the powder coating sector and MIHS in can end unpacking, although these technologies are still prototypes and it will continue to focus on service activities through DG press ServiceS going forward.

‘However we have to extend the life of our service activities by introducing new equipment, and the Thallo will help us maintain and extend the focus on service,’ says Koolbergen. ‘There are lots of challenges and it has taken a long time getting to this point, but this is how we and our customers move forward together.’