Heidelberg and customers detail their digital aspirations

Designed to meet growing demand for the cost-effective production of short, medium and versioned label runs, the Gallus Labelfire 340 digital label press is a joint development by Heidelberg and Gallus, based on inkjet technology from Fujifilm. Heidelberg produces the digital inkjet print engine of the Labelfire at its site Wiesloch-Walldorf, Germany, where the company’s entire digital printing portfolio will be manufactured in the future. The base unit of the new press is made by Gallus at its German production site in Langgöns.

‘The requirements related to quality, flexibility, and speed are getting even more demanding in label production,’ said Stephan Plenz, member of the management board responsible for Heidelberg Equipment. ‘With the Gallus Labelfire, we’re leading our customers into the digital future with the growing label market. The considerable interest confirms we’ve adopted the right approach.’

Initial customers of the new series presses include those in Europe and Australia, plus several companies from the US, such as Info Label, which is to receive the first Gallus Labelfire 340 supplied to a label print shop in the US, and Hub Labels.

Info Label president Mark Dufort commented: ‘By investing in the Gallus Labelfire 340, we’re offering our customers outstanding quality combined with shorter delivery times at lower costs.’

Thomas Dahbura, Hub Labels president, added: ‘This is the first digital press I’ve seen that can do exactly what I expect it to. It integrates all steps from the reel to the finished label in a single production pass – whether digital or flexographic printing, cold foil printing or die-cutting. I was impressed by how much effort Gallus and Heidelberg put into ensuring this system was a success. Although we’ve already seen other presses with an excellent resolution of 600 x 600 dpi, this one is simply unbeatable with its resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi.’