FlexoPrint installs first Nilpeter FA-26 in Denmark

Randers-headquartered FlexoPrint, a part of Optimum Group, has become the first Danish printer to install the new Nilpeter FA-26 to increase production speed and capacity.

FlexoPrint, a part of Optimum Group, has become the first Danish printer to install the new Nilpeter FA-26 to increase production speed and capacity

FlexoPrint is one of the leading manufacturers of self-adhesive labels in Scandinavia within fast-moving consumer goods and logistics. The company has two subsidiaries in Germany - H&P Etiketten and Tom Etiketten, and employs just over 100 people at three production facilities in Randers, Salzbergen, and Greven. FlexoPrint’s customer base primarily consists of food and beverage manufacturers, major retail chains, and label distributors.

‘We identified a lot of customer products that could be run better and more efficiently on the FA-26,’ said Lars Ole Nauta, CEO of FlexoPrint. ‘In addition to that, we see a gap in the market between the big foil printers and the narrow-web business. The foil printers usually have very long lead times, where we in the label business are used to very, very short lead times. So, if we can combine our label world and the foil world, perhaps there’s a market there. That was one of the reasons why we decided to make this investment.’

‘We have followed the development of the FA-26 over the last few years, and it’s just like we want it. It’s very lean. It’s very simple,’ added Nauta. ‘Efficiency in pricing and competitiveness is very important for FlexoPrint, and also for the Optimum Group when we purchase machines. It’s not something we take lightly. Actually, I’ve always said buying hardware is one of the most difficult jobs as a CEO. It will follow you for many years. So, we did a thorough investigation, months and months of calculating, and thinking about which way to go. At the end of the day, we thought that the FA-26 was the right choice for us.’

The FA-26 is the latest and widest flexo press Nilpeter has developed. It is designed for short-run flexible packaging and labels, all in-line and fully sleeve-based, both for anilox and plate rollers. According to Nilpeter, its compact footprint and landscape design ensure optimum register and consistent high printing quality at all speeds. 

The press has been designed to print with water-based and solvent inks, with UV, LED, and E-beam processes – in any combination.

‘Of course, I know Nilpeter as a Danish company. But I have to say that we have three competitor machines, and at that time, we didn’t think the FA was ready,’ commented Nauta. ‘If we had seen the press now, looking back, we would definitely have chosen Nilpeter. We think Nilpeter will be a part of us in the future. Also, regarding narrower flexo presses. 

‘It is a bit early to look at ROI, but we can see that the speed is basically what we have calculated. We still have to work a bit on the changeover times, get comfortable, and speed things up. But when we get that right, and we can put our old flexo spirit into our new presses, it will definitely be a good investment,’ concluded Nauta.

‘We are proud to install the first FA-26 in Denmark. FlexoPrint has the right mindset to get the most out of this new printing technology. The company has a strong focus on creating bottom-line value through high printing quality and production efficiency, and before deciding to purchase the press, FlexoPrint actually ran its own production jobs on the press in order to calculate ROI and justify the new investment,’ said Jesper Jørgensen, global sales manager at Nilpeter.