Beau Label installs third Fujifilm LED retrofit

New Jersey-based Beau Label has installed its third Illumina LED retrofit system from Fujifilm as it looks to further its margins and reduce costs.

Beau installs third Fujifilm LED retrofit

The Illumina UV LED system is an instant on/off process, lowering the energy usage and stress on lamp bulbs experienced in conventional ‘always-on’ UV mercury lamp curing. Illumina converts any traditional UV or water-based flexo press to UV LED curing in one day or less.

The effective ink curing dosage of Illumina at 20 percent power setting is claimed as the same as the 100 percent power setting of other UV LED curing systems. Patented LED technology is said to deliver up to 44 percent more energy toward the substrate, and five times longer dwell time, resulting in faster curing. Further, Illumina’s design produces less heat than competitive LED technologies, and heat dissipation is also more effective.

The printer is also using Fujifilm’s 300 Series UV LED inks.

‘The power savings are enormous,’ noted VJ Melapioni, president at Beau Label. ‘It’s amazing. These units definitely use less power than our air dryers. We literally went from 120 amps to power the old lamps to 10 amps powering Illumina.’

He continued: ‘It feels good to use less power. We have a much lower electricity bill, which is always good, and you feel like you can leave a softer footprint on the world; we are a little bit greener.’

Melapioni is currently working with his local power company to see what types of additional programs and incentives are offered to help add to the company’s sustainability efforts and creating the right carbon footprint while boosting its bottom line with Fujifilm, a partner he can trust. 

The investment has helped Beau Label build its client portfolio, including a soap detergent client.

‘We are experiencing phenomenal results; nice gradations, and crisp, clean images,’ said Melapioni. ‘This client represents a nice, pretty line of detergents. A lot of our success has to do with the improved register on the film liner due to the reduction of heat made possible by Illumina – it was sharp. Fujifilm’s 300 Series UV LED flexo inks provide brighter, clearer, crisper and cleaner results.’

Beau Label installed two Illumina LED retrofit systems last year, on a 9-color conventional UV press and an 8-color water-based press, which was converted to full UV LED.

‘Fujifilm has delivered an impressive solution that enables us to increase our value to our clients, a key element we have focused on since my father started Beau Label more than 50 years ago,’ concluded Melapioni.