Reflex Label Plus targets rapid growth and expansion with 14-unit Nilpeter FA

Destined for its Keighley site in England, the flexo press for Reflex Label Plus has 10 flexo printing units, two hot foil/embossing units, cold foil and two fully independent RSI screens. The press will primarily be used for high-end beverage labels, craft beers, wine, spirits, cosmetics and high-end combination labels.

Shaun Hanson, operations manager at Reflex Label Plus, said: ‘The label sells the product. In this ever-growing market, there are more and more craft breweries and distilleries, all looking for shelf appeal, wow factor and differentiation from competitors. At the same time, labels are getting very complicated, and the use of multiple print processes is often necessary to meet customer demands with regards to unique designs, high quality and embellishments.

‘Although our existing press bank is quite comprehensive, there are limits, and we want to future-proof with this new investment – by having many print processes combined to produce complicated labels in one single pass. And also adding additional capacity to cope with our ambitious expansion targets.’

Hanson continued: ‘Our challenges relate to how many different embellishments we can do in one pass. The new press will alleviate these issues, and save us a lot of time. We are looking to expand this exciting business through innovation. Our customers want labels that make their products stand out, and this new investment will enable us to meet and exceed those expectations.

‘Our new press will be the sixth Nilpeter press on this site over 20 years. Reflex Label Plus went on an extensive tour of Europe, looking at press manufacturers, print shops, and processes. Important decision factors in acquiring another Nilpeter press was build quality, first and foremost, but also technical ability, know-how in single-pass printing and combining different print processes. Another big factor was support and service, not just from the parent company, but local “feet on the ground” – Nilpeter is the only company to offer 24/7/365 service and support, and it has skilled engineers living locally, frankly ticking all our boxes.’

The Keighley site was acquired by Reflex in 2015, with this installation a major investment at the location.

Reflex Group CEO Ian Kendall added: ‘This machine is not only about giving our customers more of what they currently want, it’s also about anticipating future market requirements in advance. We are totally focused on efficiency in our business, and this machine is going to help use materials more effectively.’