Belgian converter Dejonghe invests in Xeikon Fusion

Dejonghe Printing Company, based in Ypres, Belgium, is the first label converter to opt for Fusion technology by Xeikon.

L-R: Alexis Dejonghe, Birgit Dejonghe, Jos Liekens of Xeikon

The packaging and labeling specialist plans to use this investment for the production of, among other things, self-adhesive labels on cosmetics. The configuration is made up of three modules: Fusion module for the application of very high opaque white, a Xeikon CX3, and a Xeikon DCoat330. The Fusion module will be installed as pilot set-up.

The Fusion module is installed between the unwinder (used to unreel) and the Xeikon press, and facilitates the application of very high opaque covering white by means of digital printing technology. The capacity will be higher than 90 percent, a pre-requisite for the production of certain high-quality labels such as those used for cosmetics.

Dejonghe Printing Company chose the Xeikon CX3, due to its high speed in combination with high-quality print offered by the dry toner process. The Xeikon DCoat330 is installed in-line with the Xeikon CX3 and is responsible for applying the finishing touches to the printed label material. In this process, the material is varnished with a UV varnish, punched and wound up onto a roll.

Dejonghe Printing Company has invested in a digital machine for the first time with the purchase of the Xeikon CX3. The printing company has a long history as family business dating back to its founding in 1890. Today, Birgit and Alexis Dejonghe are jointly at the helm. Over the past 125 years, the five generations regularly invested in new technology from typo to offset, narrow belt labels and flexo to the production of duo labels and sleeves.

Birgit Dejonghe said: ‘Quality is the top priority at Dejonghe Printing Company. Our standards meet the BRC-IOP-certification. We can meet the high demands of our customers thanks to our specialist knowledge of color management. This new solution, consisting of the superior full color quality of the Xeikon CX3 and the high-quality covering white applied in the Fusion module, even further enables us to meet our quality standards, to have a unique range on the market and, in addition, to increase the production speed.’

Alexis Dejonghe added: ‘In recent years, we have also experienced a trend of more diversification in the product portfolio of our customers in respect of high-quality labels. As a result, we are receiving a larger quantity of printing assignments, but for fewer copies.  With our current printing processes, we are technically capable of producing this (flexo combined with screen print), but the costs attached make it less cost-efficient.  We were therefore looking for a solution that offers comparable quality and functionality. With the Fusion technology, we see a combination of digital printing technologies that meets our needs for the first time.’

Filip Weymans, Xeikon’s director segment marketing labels & packaging, commented: ‘Xeikon is proud to be able to welcome Dejonghe as customer. In recent years, digital printing has taken a significant position the landscape of self-adhesive products. However, the printing presses could only offer a response within the segment of full-color printing, nevertheless a very important part of the market. For the refinement of specific packaging and labels, one has to return repeatedly to the analogue, conventional technologies that results in it not being possible to fully use the digital opportunities in the production of high-quality labels. Fusion technology offers an answer to this and the purchase by Dejonghe reinforces our vision to, besides full color digital solutions, also create solutions that digitize specific types of refinement in combination with our dry toner printing presses that are extremely suitable for reproducing high-quality work.’