Eastern European label printer opts for SOMA CI UV flexo press

Label printer Aluprint of Vrutky, Slovakia is one of the first companies in Eastern Europe to invest in SOMA’s central impression UV flexo press technology with the installation of a Mini 80-8-UVG model. The eight color, 800mm wide press is one of five UV flexo models recently supplied in the region by SOMA, the Lanskroun, Czech Republic based flexible packaging press specialist.

Founded in 1993, Aluprint already prints with sheet fed, web offset and UV flexo label presses and decided to select a mid web CI, UV flexo, flexible packaging press to expand its operation. The company prints a range of products from commercial printing, business forms and cartons to peel-off, scratch-off, wrap around and thermo-chromatic labels with a variety of in-line printing, decorating and finishing combinations.

High quality labels for the food and beverage industry are printed on white, metalized and transparent PP films for roll to roll label production; PVC shrink films for sleeves and transparent PE- Tereftalath films for wrap around sleeves. Aluprint supplies international companies such as Coca Cola and Lowenbrau as well as well known brands in the Eastern European domestic market.

General director Ludivit Pauliny commented: ‘We purchased the SOMA press to enlarge our capacity in UV flexo technology with a wider web size. We use photopolymer plates with 60 line screens and are able to print down to a three per cent dot on the SOMA. We print 20-25,000 print runs and the press enables us to compete in the gravure market with comparable quality on shrink sleeves at a lower cost price.  The decision to select SOMA was based on the suitability of the printing width and availability of service was also a key consideration’.

The SOMA Mini press specification includes the company’s own make central drum thermal stabilization system to assist in managing heat issues when running extensible films. Gearless servo-driven operation gives enhanced registration and precise plate pressure and provides a wider range of repeat capability. The line is completed with non-stop unwind/rewind units for higher productivity and NuvaPlus UV curing lamp heads from specialist UV systems supplier GEW. Marketing manager Petr Blasko said: ‘SOMA is dedicating its efforts to promoting UV technology in mid and wide web flexo and Aluprint is an important customer that demonstrates our capability in this field. This press is our fifth installation in a row, but our first in Slovakia equipped with UV curing. The combination of CI press with UV curing inks makes the technology ideal for the production of beverage labels’.

The SOMA range of CI presses can be supplied with a range of options to optimize performance and production capabilities including inter-changeable slide in/slide out UV curing and IR cassettes also from GEW to permit printing of both traditional and UV curing inks.