Agfa makes the case for digital package printing

Agfa’s global sales director for their :Dotrix industrial inkjet press, Jan De Vooght, believes the time for industrial inkjet press technology has already arrived.  ‘We had huge interest in our seminar at the recent Gulf Print & Pack expo.  It highlighted the value of digital for the packaging segment, and provided Agfa’s first Dotrix user in the region, LabelCo of Lebanon, an opportunity to discuss its conversion to digital press technology.’

As run lengths shorten, traditional litho and flexo struggle to meet the changing needs in packaging products.  Digital technology is well suited to fast turnaround requirements, short deadlines, short run lengths, inventory minimisation and waste reduction.  With brand managers cutting not just production costs but also inventory costs and waste, it is no longer a case of ‘make then sell’.  The speed of digital press technology means that ‘sell then make’ is becoming the new philosophy.
 
‘Our :Dotrix Modular prints 1209 m²/hr on a 650mm wide substrate coil.  This can be heavy 450gsm paper, 25µ foil, shrinkable label, or any type of substrate up to 600-micron gauge.  Unlike toner based digital press technology the inkjet :Dotrix has no repeating seam from the toner cylinder.  The UV cured Agfa UV inks won’t scratch, scuff or fade – even in outdoor applications,’ he explained.

Digital press technology allows endless print possibilities that are simply not financially practical with litho or flexo.   A digital press easily handles late design changes and is the natural choice for short/medium run lengths due to the simple workflow and plateless approach.  With a digital press it is simple to co-brand packaging with the name of the retail outlet or the name of a special promotion.  It is a proven way to gain extra ‘presence’ in the battle of the shelves and increase sales.
 
Increasingly, printers are looking for more environmentally friendly improvements to their business which will also cut spending on materials.  ‘All of our :Dotrix Modular customers have reduced waste substantially since they went digital’ commented De Vooght.  ‘The :Dotrix Modular starts printing immediately with no traditional make-ready waste, and Agfa UV inks do not release volatile organic components into the atmosphere,” he concluded.