Latvian converter Liepajas Papirs cuts costs with MPS/Domino hybrid

The press combines the MPS EF flexo press platform with an integrated Domino N610i inkjet unit.

Liepajas Papirs is one of the leading printing companies in the Baltics with over 120 years of experience and more than 100 employees. Fifty percent of its 1,000+ monthly orders are exported internationally.

Since the installation, the company says the press has been 30 percent more productive than any of its existing UV flexo presses. 

‘Our journey towards hybrid printing began at Labelexpo Europe 2017, where we truly recognized the substantial improvements UV inkjet printing made in recent years,’ explained Juris Hoijers, production manager of Liepajas Papirs. 

‘As we began discussions with Domino regarding a possible future investment in their inkjet press, at the same time a new MPS EF 340 UV flexo press was installed at our factory. With our excellent cooperation experience with MPS in mind, when we learned Domino and MPS partnered in offering a hybrid press combining UV inkjet and flexo printing, choosing the EF Symjet press became an easy decision.’

Advantages of hybrid printing for Liepajas Papirs include ability to print shrink films, addition of flexo spot colors and spot varnishing, and elimination of most post-press processes. 

Prevention of ‘log-jam’ in post-press reduces order lead-time for Liepajas Papirs, as the inclusion of cold-foiling, laminating and rotary die-cutting units on its EF Symjet hybrid press eliminates most post-press processes – with printing and converting capability all in a single pass. 

Cost-saving benefits include reduced waste, as less substrate is required when compared to a standalone digital press combined with several post-press processes. In addition, ink costs are controlled by replacing large solid areas with less expensive flexo UV inks. 

Normunds Jansons, chairman of the board of JSC Liepajas Papirs, said: ‘Significant savings in material and labor costs are proven with our EF Symjet, as this press produces in one hour what took incomparably more time with our previous printing press solutions.’

For more competitive label runs, Liepajas Papirs will offer customers label print runs of up to 50,000 pieces on its EF Symjet press. 

Arturs Gabalins, head of the sales department, explained: ‘Previously, we could not offer customers the best price for this quantity of labels as it was too high for our digital printing machine, and too small for a flexo press to reach the most favorable selling point. With our EF Symjet press, we can offer an attractive price with embellishments for mid-range label runs.’