CS Labels adds Xeikon Cheetah to press portfolio

CS Labels has been selected as one of the pilot sites for the Xeikon Cheetah. CS Labels is already the largest digital label printer in Europe using Xeikon technology, with five presses, and the addition of a Xeikon Cheetah will enable the company to increase its capacity by another third.

CS Labels said it expects the Xeikon Cheetah to be a key enabler for continuing its year-on-year growth of up to 25 percent and taking turnover to four million GBP (6.2 million USD) a year. The Xeikon Cheetah will give CS Labels greater production flexibility and allow the company to explore new markets. CS Labels has recently moved into the digital heat transfer market and introduced flexible packaging to its offering, as well as adding a new wraparound-style peel and reveal label.

The Xeikon Cheetah, which was introduced to the market at Labelexpo Americas 2014, is 56 percent faster than any other press in the current Xeikon portfolio.

CS Labels managing director Simon Smith said: ‘I am delighted that we have been selected to pioneer this technology and integrate it into our production portfolio.

‘Over the past few years, we have led the way when it comes to helping companies make the switch from traditional flexo printing to digital. Adding the Xeikon Cheetah means that we can make even bigger inroads into a rapidly growing marketplace and a dynamically changing landscape.

‘In our view, digital has not been seen as short run/high cost for some time now as brand owners gain a deeper understanding of its many advantages. We have noticed a real growth in demand for longer digital print runs, culminating with an order for 50,000 linear meters at the end of last year.

‘Our higher end clients are up to date with what is possible and our expanded production capacity will give them even more confidence. Quite simply, the Xeikon Cheetah will enable us to cope with increased demand while continuing to deliver jobs quickly and accurately.

‘Big brands are taking digital seriously now, and we need to be able to cope with the growing volumes. Digital print enables us to change the nature of the dialogue we have. Customers are not just looking at the cost of production, they are looking at how to use the technology to enhance brand value.

‘The Share-a-Coke campaign in Europe changed everything. It blew away perceptions of limitations to digital. Personalization, versioning, improving the overall quality – these are all made affordable by digital. The result is more relevant labeling that generates a better ROI, market nimbleness and improved brand perception.

‘Being able to rapidly transition to new labels based on seasonality, geography, language and special events keeps a brand fresh. Also, the ability to cost-effectively produce these shorter versioned and personalized runs creates a different mental model with respect to run lengths, giving brands better control over inventories and wastage. It is also a way to incorporate other technologies such as micro text, augmented reality and other embellishments that can be added later to create a stand-out label.

‘With this new press, we will not only be able to expand capacity but we will also have the capability to produce different types of work. Where the Xeikon Cheetah will have the biggest impact is in raising production efficiency. We will be able to have each of the presses in our fleet setup for and dedicated to a specific product type, with no changeover in substrates or settings required. Keeping the same material on the press avoids downtime, and it also means we can offer a broader portfolio leveraging an even more robust production platform and do so more cost effectively.’

Filip Weymans, director of segment marketing for labels and packaging at Xeikon, said: ‘Selecting CS Labels as a pilot site for the Xeikon Cheetah was an easy decision. Their thought leadership and commitment to digital printing continues to pay off. We are delighted to be their valued partner as we move into the next stage of the industry’s evolution.’

‘The close partnership with Xeikon has allowed both of us to grow and develop, staying ahead of the technology curve,’ added Smith. ‘We have invested in a total of seven Xeikon presses during that time. Each year we look forward to learning about new capabilities coming our way that will allow us to increase our capacity and the breadth of our offerings. The Xeikon Cheetah is the latest advancement, and might just be the best yet.’

For Smith, customer education is still vital in the growth of digital, with a key element of that being ensuring digital is considered at the design stage to take full advantage of what it can offer. ‘The conversation has shifted from a more defensive posture on digital to an enthusiastic pursuit of how it can change operations,’ he said. ‘When we get customers into the plant and they see our Xeikon fleet for themselves, the technology literally sells itself and stimulates a lot of great new ideas.

‘In the next three to five years, there is enormous opportunity. It is not just about printing self-adhesive labels anymore. There are changes in the nature of the dialogue we are having with customers. We are starting to talk to them about digital advantages that go beyond a discussion of price. It is brainstorming with customers about the possibilities that makes it really exciting.’