INX looks for hardware partner

INX International Ink sees partnerships as key to bringing its latest hardware innovations to market, including gits NW340 UV digital label press.

INX is now looking at the best way of bringing its NW340 UV inkjet digital label press to market, with potential partners being sounded out on the Labelexpo Americas 2018 show floor

Such a strategy can be evidenced with the Gaia press, launched at Labelexpo Europe 2017 in partnership with Uteco and ebeam Technologies. INX is now looking at the best way of bringing its NW340 UV inkjet digital label press to market, with potential partners being sounded out on the Labelexpo Americas 2018 show floor.

Shown for the first time in the US at Labelexpo Americas 2018, NW340 is the third evolution of its label and package printing technology. It has a web width of 340mm, a resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi and a speed of 300 liner ft/min. The NW140 and NW210 printed at 80ft/min at 360 x 360 dpi, with the main difference being the print width.

With NW340, Jim Lambert, vice president of digital sales – ink and hardware, INX International Ink, says: ‘We’ve taken huge leaps from where we were. We’re now able to compete with offset very well.’

At Labelexpo Americas 2018, the press was being demonstrated to both printers and potential supplier partners who might want to sell it as their own press. Lambert identified a number of vendors on the show floor who do not have a purely digital offering so are viable candidates.

‘If you don’t have a digital printer and you’re a hardware group, in this industry, at this show, then you’re behind.’

He adds: ‘As an ink company it can be difficult to sell hardware. Do you sell it yourself or go through an established channel to find the right route to market. We’ve done well penetrating our print engine into a number of platforms already, so I’m excited about where it sits and who could sell it.’

Lambert’s colleague John Sweeterman, general manager, international business development, INX Digital, adds that a collaborative effort between chemistry companies, such as INX, and printers will help open doors at brands.

‘We need to move upstream and take on the responsibility to educate the brands, and to go in as partners to really tell a story. Together we can go into the biggest brands, educate them and explain all benefits of the technology.’

David Pittman

David Pittman

  • Former deputy editor