First Gallus One comes to UAE

Dubai-based label converter Radiant House has become the first company in the UAE to install a Gallus One digital label press, marking a significant step in its evolution from a label trader to a full-scale label and packaging manufacturer. 

Founded by Sayed Shamsuddin, Radiant’s journey reflects the rapid growth of the region’s label industry. Shamsuddin arrived in Dubai from India in 2004 to work in the printing sector before establishing his own business in 2007. Initially, the company operated as a label trader, purchasing self-adhesive labels from manufacturers and supplying them to small brands looking to save time. By 2014, Radiant had moved into production, investing in a second-hand Multitec flexo press. As demand grew, the company expanded its production capabilities with two flexo presses in 2019 and 2021. With its latest Gallus One digital press investment, the company is capturing short-run label market in the UAE. 

Today, Radiant serves a broad range of industries, including lubricants, cosmetics, detergents and logistics, while also producing shrink sleeves. However, changing market requirements prompted the company to explore digital production. 

Short-run challenge 

According to Shamsuddin, increasing demand for short-run label jobs was becoming difficult and expensive to manage on flexo technology. 

‘Before investing in the Gallus digital press, it was becoming very costly for me to produce short runs on flexo. I was spending from my pocket and did not see repeat orders,’ he says. 

The challenge is particularly relevant in the Middle East, where shorter production runs are common due to smaller market sizes and frequent product variations. 

Biju George, general sales manager, Heidelberg Gulf, explains: ‘We see a lot of short runs [in the Middle East] because the population is very low compared to India and other markets. More than 50 percent of the jobs are short runs below 3,000 linear meters.’ 

Historically, converters could generate healthy margins on long-run jobs while absorbing losses on shorter jobs. The Gallus One investment intended to change that equation for Radiant, according to George. 

Radiant is now able to achieve profits on long and short runs after adding the Gallus One hybrid press. The converter uses the new machine to produce self-adhesive labels on paper, PP and PE substrates, for customers requiring only around 2,000-3,000 labels. 

Before investing in the Gallus digital press, it was becoming very costly for me to produce short runs on flexo. I was spending from my pocket and did not see repeat orders

One of the key advantages for Radiant has been the reduction in setup times and the increase in productivity. 

‘It takes considerable time to set up a job in flexo. In digital, we can produce up to two to three times more jobs compared to flexo,’ Shamsuddin says. 

He reports a significant increase in throughput for short-run work. ‘For example, recently, we produced around 40 digital short-run jobs within 14 hours, with average run lengths lasting half an hour and around 1,000 meters.’ 

The improved efficiency is also helping the company win additional business. With the new Gallus press, Radiant can deliver far more jobs, much faster. 

One-pass production 

A major factor behind Radiant’s decision to choose Gallus One was its ability to complete complex label jobs in a single pass. 

The press combines digital printing with a flexo unit, semi-rotary die-cutting, cold foiling, lamination and varnishing. 

The hybrid configuration allows converters to print and finish labels in one pass, without moving jobs to separate finishing equipment. 

‘By avoiding a second run, Radiant is not only saving time but also eliminating the material waste that usually comes with a second finishing run,’ says George. 

Radiant is already exploring additional embellishment opportunities on the press, including installing cold foil capabilities ahead of the digital printing unit to enable printing directly over foiled effects. 

Ease of operation 

Gallus has designed the Gallus One around the company’s established Gallus Labelmaster flexo platform, helping operators transition more easily between conventional and digital production. 

‘Working on it feels just like operating a traditional flexo press, only with a DPU [digital printing unit] integrated into it,’ George explains. ‘The platform has been designed for maximum operator convenience, offering easy substrate qualification, an ultrasonic cleaning system and automatic nozzle compensation.’ 

Shamsuddin also praised Gallus’ training and after-sales support: ‘Gallus team trained my operators, and their service is very good and quick.’ 

The success of the installation has already prompted plans for further investment. Radiant had initially intended to install a second Gallus press in 2026. 

However, disruptions in the Middle East that began this year and the supply chain challenges it brought, have delayed the project by approximately a year. 

‘The disruptions in the Middle East have slowly stabilized, so we expect things to be back to normal within three to four months,’ Shamsuddin says, noting that the situation had affected material procurement for the company. 

For Gallus, the installation represents an important milestone in the UAE’s digital label printing landscape. 

Gallus is already planning additional installations in the region.