Ulrich switches to UV LED with Flint EkoCure inks

Ulrich Etiketten (Ulrich), Austrian label converter, has made the switch to UV LED curing in its label manufacturing operations with the support of Flint Group's high-performance EkoCure Dual Cure ink range.  

Ulrich, founded in 1868, recently invested in a new 60,000sqm production site in Austria, intending to transition label printing presses from traditional mercury UV curing to energy-saving UV LED. Ulrich partnered with Flint Group and its range of EkoCure Dual Cure inks to support this transition. The ability of the ink range to cure under both traditional UV mercury and UV LED lamps enabled Ulrich to transition in a way best suited for its business.  

Boris Wyrsch, technical sales manager at Flint Group, commented: ‘We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with Ulrich, particularly during this critical transition period for the business. The printing industry is moving away from traditional UV mercury curing systems, which will become harder to acquire and maintain as mercury is phased out of commercial use. With EkoCure, we are proving that a great alternative is in place.  

‘We have been leading the development of dual cure inks for over a decade, and we know what it takes to switch to UV LED efficiently. Our EkoCure range provides the on-press print quality that label converters need, with the flexibility to cure under both UV mercury and UV LED lamps with a single ink system. We are grateful that Ulrich put its trust in us for this important project.’ 

Rainer Ulrich, owner and manager of Ulrich, commented that Flint Group was the clear choice of partner to tackle this challenge. ‘We have worked with the team for many years. With the level of expertise available to us from the Flint Group team, we knew it was the right decision. Performance-wise, we can make fantastic gains in productivity with UV LED technology, and with EkoCure, we are securing the quality and consistency that we expect from Flint Group products. Many of the pain points we expected in switching our curing systems have been made much easier to manage.’ 

Ulrich added that with energy prices increasing, it's vital that the converter can control its operating costs. UV LED curing systems are the path forward for environmentally responsible label production using just a fraction of the energy of UV lamps. ‘Knowing the Flint Group team's focus on innovation and sustainability, we have every confidence that they are enabling us to keep delivering the quality labels that our customers deserve.’