Dutch label printer invests in Prati Vegaplus

Hofprint Etiketten, a Dutch label printer, has installed a Vegaplus LF330 die-cutting machine from Italy-based Prati. 

Based in Groenlo, the Netherlands, Hofprint Etiketten specializes in the supply of customized labels to a range of industries. One of these is the textile label industry where the company recently undertook a project involving the finishing of plastic labels applied to medical garments.  

‘Serving a wide range of markets and versatility were key selection criteria,’ said Albert Hof, managing director of Hofprint Etiketten. ‘I am Italian-minded and have had a long lasting relationship with Prati. When they introduced me to the Vegaplus, I was hooked instantly: excellent quality at a good speed – and suitable for a wide range of applications; just what we needed.’ 

With its modular design, the Vegaplus series can be customized to meet the specific needs of individual customers. The version built for Hofprint Etiketten is equipped with an unwinding module for diameters up to one meter – including the roll-lifting unit, two die-cutting stations and an automatic register control. The rewinding module is processed on a glueless three-shaft turret. The Vegaplus runs at a top speed of 200m/min.  

Hofprint Etiketten also needed automatic pitch winding and a number of specific attributes for textile labeling – such as pinfeed holes. These holes enable the textile to run perfectly round, ensuring a smooth run through the machine. 

‘Those extra requirements were necessary to meet the deadlines of our customers,’ explained Mr. ‘You need to be careful with the logistics of textile labels. The pinfeed holes ensure there are no problems whatsoever in the transportation within the machine. This saves us time and money and makes sure everything is on a roll.’ 

‘We do a variety of finishing jobs on the Vegaplus LF330,’ he continued. ‘The machine allows finishing of both non-printing and printing applications. We do, for example, UV flexo printing and thermal transfer for a variety of label applications. We then pass the label reels on the Vegaplus for regular die-cutting finishing jobs. At the moment, medical label applications are booming and we are getting a lot of requests. This is where we really appreciate the Prati technology – the Vegaplus is so fast and flexible we can handle both large and small print orders.’ 

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