Dantex launches PicoColour II high speed UV inkjet digital label press

PicoColour II is UV inkjet digital label press offering speeds up to 35m/min and a printing width of 210mm. The system works with UV-based inks and is available with CMYK + white. When used in conjunction with optional Corona treatment, PicoColour II can be used for paper as well as filmic based media. It will be on show at Labelexpo Europe 2015 and sales will begin in the UK, followed by Germany, France, Poland, Austria, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland and the US. Parallel to this, Dantex will be training its dealership network so that the benefits of the PicoColour II can be offered and supported worldwide in the fastest possible timeframe.

PicoColour II has been developed by Dantex Digital together with JF Machines (JFM), now a part of the Dantex Group and a research and development center for digital press development. JFM was established 25 years ago in Kettering by John and Joanna Furley, manufacturing narrow web digital label printing presses under the PicoColour name. John Furley will act as product designer and continue to advance the development of the PicoColour range.

‘Dantex’s extensive knowledge of the label industry together with their considerable customer base and sales and service infrastructure is what JFM needed in order to market our already very popular product portfolio, as well as to accelerate our research and development efforts to make ever more advanced machines,’ said Furley.

‘I am confident that our long-standing customers, as well as our staff, will enjoy working together with the Dantex team. We are delighted with this bold new step forward for JF Machines.’

Dantex, known as a specialist supplier of water wash photopolymer plates and processing equipment, has been developing its presence in digital label printing recent times, and is now set to bring its own range of digital presses to market. This latest move by Dantex marks an acceleration of its drive to maintain a position as a supplier of high tech goods and equipment to the narrow web industry.

Richard Danon, Dantex Group chairman, said: ‘We are really delighted with our new partnership with JFM, and very much look forward to working together. This acquisition has brought Dantex the expertise necessary to be able to build state of the art label printing presses using high-speed UV inkjet technology.

‘Press manufacturing will be based at our premises in the Leeds/Bradford area, which has a long history of working with the printing industry. We are very excited about the prospects ahead, as we blend the considerable talents and technology of Dantex with those of JFM.’

Andrew Abbott, UK sales director at Dantex, added: ‘The introduction of our digital press offering to the label industry is a natural next step for Dantex. We started our high tech offerings with Torelief letterpress plates, followed by our digital plates, and now we are offering a digital press solution to our customers. We are extremely proud that this important technological step is part of Dantex’s manufacturing capabilities.’