Edale customer reports FL-350 success

UK-based converter Douglas Storrie Labels installed the first Edale FL-350 press in September 2011 – primarily for the production of self adhesive labels, tickets and tags but with a view to venture into other fields, particularly flexible packaging.

Nigel Storrie, Storrie’s managing director, said: ‘It was necessary to invest in expanding production capacities because business with new customers has grown significantly’.

The company worked closely with Edale to develop a machine which would produce labels, tickets and packaging alongside servo technology to give the top quality finish expected by its customers, combined with high running speeds, fast changeover and reduced cost.

Testing the prototype model, Douglas Storrie was able to give ‘invaluable’ feedback from a real production environment to fine tune and develop the machine’s drive system. Following a trial period, the company said it is now ‘delighted with the performance of new investment’.

Nigel Storrie added: ‘The press was installed in September 2011; we felt the press could benefit from a few further developments to get it to an even higher standard. Edale worked with us to tweak the finer details which we felt would turn this from a good press to a great press – we now believe we have got one of the best presses on the market, and at a very good competitive price.’

Stuart Robinson, works/production manager of Douglas Storrie, said: ‘We have been very impressed with the operator friendly features the FL350 boasts. We are seeing a large increase in the amount of work we are getting out the door and I believe this is all down to the pit stop changeover, ease of setting the machine up with minimum waste, fast running speeds and pre-register system. The FL-350 is printing the highest quality work we’ve ever seen and matching print samples from other print processes which we have not previously been able to achieve. It also gives us the ability and flexibility to print a wide range of substrates and thicknesses enabling us to target different areas of the packaging market.

Robinson concluded: ‘Overall the FL350 is a highly versatile machine with many innovative features that we believe will help shape our business over the next year, we are glad we stayed with a flexo machine at this time instead of venturing down the digital route.’

A second machine has also been sold and installed at another UK company. This company, who cannot yet be named, produces medical products and has now brought its print and packaging in-house.

Pictured: The team at Douglas Storrie Labels

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