Market ready for Goss packaging press

‘All bets are off,’ said Peter Walczak of Goss International, explaining the company’s move into package printing with the variable sleeve web offset technology of its Sunday Vpak press.
 
According to Walczak, changing market conditions have driven the need to review the production method for folding cartons, flexible packaging and labels, and, he believes, the time is right for the introduction of the Sunday Vpak to the market at Drupa 2012.
 
He explained: ‘While less affected by electronic media than other sectors of the print market, packaging is nevertheless constrained by the same factors, namely: tighter margins, higher print quality demands, shorter run lengths, faster turnarounds, and a more focused and targeted type of product marketing. If you add the growing concerns for the environment, product safety, and security issues, it’s no wonder production methods are being closely scrutinized.’
 
Goss sees the new Sunday Vpak web press as a cost effective alternative to flexo and gravure, with its lower plate costs, and believes that offset makes for greater stability for many packaging requirements. Simplified and automated make ready allow fast start up on new or repeat jobs, and offer easy on-the-run adjustment.
 
With high quality now ‘a given’ demand among brand owners, and the ability of the offset process to handle sophisticated screen technology, such as FM or stochastic, Goss claims the Sunday Vpak prints excellent solids and screens for a particular color from one plate on the same unit.
 
Capable of printing at 450m/min (1,500ft/min) on a web width up to 1,905mm (75in) on the Vpak 3000, and on a 1,041mm web width (41 in) on the Vpak 500, the new press series is claimed to significantly more productive than its sheet-fed competition.
 
Variable sleeve technology is the secret to its advantage, according to Goss. The company’s experience in the newspaper industry brings with it know-how in presetting, ink, water, web tension, register, closed loop controls, drying and other variables – all of which are invaluable to package printing. ‘We have more than 2000 Sunday print units running worldwide, and can now bring this expertise to the packaging arena - we see it as a game-changing move,’ concluded Walczak.
 
Goss International products and services will be in Hall 17 at Drupa 2012.

See PPW issue #2 2012 for a detailed exhibitor preview of Drupa 2012, and read our exclusive interview from issue #1 2012 with show director Manuel Mataré here

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