Baker Labels installs UK’s first Durst Tau G3 Peak

The 510mm-wide press joins the company’s Durst Tau RSC 340 LED, installed in October 2024, more than doubling its production capacity on the Durst platform.

Baker Labels said the investment would provide additional capacity and production resilience as demand for its label business continues to grow.

Tom Baker and technical manager Jamie Godson visited Durst’s headquarters in Brixen, Italy, earlier this year to see the Tau G3 technology in operation before agreeing to the investment.

Baker said: ‘There has been a lot of investment and growth across Bakers over recent years, but labels remain right at the heart of the business. We are seeing plenty of opportunity for continued growth in that side of the company and need to make sure the production capability is there to support it.

‘Our first Durst proved itself and became a very important part of the factory, so there was already a lot of confidence in the platform when we started looking at the next investment.’

The Tau G3 Peak can run at speeds of up to 79m/min across all colors. Baker Labels has specified the press with double white, Hawk AI, Material Edge Protection and the Durst Imaging System.

The imaging system uses three cameras to monitor the web and support material calibration, while Hawk AI provides automatic nozzle compensation and color registration. Material Edge Protection is designed to prevent the substrate edge from contacting the printheads.

Godson commented: ‘The G3 Peak is the next step in the evolution of the Durst Tau platform that we’ve been using over the past few years.

‘The real strength is the collective package and the agility it gives us to deal with the changing requirements we see from day to day. Being able to produce at higher speeds, with less downtime and without affecting quality, is something we’re constantly working towards.’

Durst service engineer Hannes Fischnaller worked with Baker Labels during the installation and commissioning process, which included profiling, trials and operator training.

Simon Cosh, UKI business development manager at Durst, added: ‘It’s a positive statement in terms of how successful the first press has been. For us, it’s fantastic to have our technology endorsed by Bakers.’

The Tau G3 Peak is now moving into full production, with customer work already being produced on the press.