Inline Label invests in Mark Andy P4

Inline Label has selected a 5-color Mark Andy Performance Series P4 flexo press for its operation in Middletown, Ohio to support its growing business in the paper and film label market.

The selected P4 is equipped with Mark Andy’s ProLED UV LED curing system; Inline Label has been a full UV plant since it was founded

The P4 is designed to accept plate roll tooling from legacy, or traditional, flexo presses, which will allow Inline Label to transfer work from its existing 2200 presses to the new P4. The 10in (250mm) press will be the latest addition to an integrated pressroom representing both flexo and digital print technologies. With current equipment operating on two shifts, Inline Label is still trying to meet growing customer demand. Mark Andy said the enhanced speeds and workflow benefits of the P4 will provide an opportunity for the company’s production team to more efficiently manage that current workload, transferring work to the new press and realizing operational benefits to accommodate additional work.

The selected P4 is also equipped with Mark Andy’s ProLED UV LED curing system. Inline Label has been a full UV plant since it was founded.

Dave Hechler, president of Inline Label, said: ‘I’ve always kept an eye on the equipment market. Mark Andy has taken many of the industry’s technology gains over the last few years and built an affordable servo machine which, conveniently, also allows me to take advantage of my existing tooling inventory.

‘We can now use a modified formula of UV ink in a system that requires 50 percent less energy consumption, has no heat as a by-product, requires no ozone ducting and requires little to no maintenance. The cure is better and my run speeds will be higher. The initial cost is slightly higher, but the ROI will be very quick.’

In the coming years, Inline Label plans to expand its facility and will look to make further hardware investments, which may include the addition of a hybrid flexo/digital machine. Hybrid presses had a major presence across the halls of Labelexpo Europe 2015, which you can read more about in L&L issue 5, 2015, and here.

‘After nearly 40 years in the industry, technological improvements to processes and equipment are very exciting to me,’ said Hechler. ‘I really think that type of machine will be an essential part of any printing company.’

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