Did you miss Mark Andy at Packaging Innovations?

With so much to see at the Easy Fairs event, you may have missed seeing what the leading narrow web press manufacturer had on working display. Mark Andy gave a first UK showing to its Digital One press at Packaging Innovations, and declared it a ‘resounding success’, with enquiries for this entry-level digital print technology coming from a wide sector of the market.

Speaking for the company, Sales Manager UK & Ireland Paul Macdonald said: “We know our Digital One press has applications outside the traditional label converting market and are keen to tap into new areas of interest. The mix of designers, packaging specialists, converters, brand owners, and end users that visited this exhibition has shown us new avenues to explore.”

The Digital One is aimed at those who do not have sufficient business to need a production-level digital solution, but are currently buying-in short runs of labels. Digital One offers an inline solution at an affordable price for four-colour work, with the added facility of cold foil or lamination. It is simple and inexpensive to run, with no click-charge, and only single-phase power requirement – it really is ‘plug-in and print’. It also offers great flexibility with the range of its substrate capability, none of which need pre-treatment.

One of few running machines at the expo, Digital One showed the visitors print demonstrations of a variety of specially designed beer labels on a range of different materials, with alternative finishing options. Substrates used included self-adhesive, textured, and metallised stocks, supplied by Herma, some of which were varnished, while others were cold-foiled, courtesy of Kurz.

“The Digital One is equally suited to converters who want to sell labels, as to companies who want to bring production in-house for greater control and flexibility. It prints very high quality and will enhance the on-shelf appearance of any product to which its labels are applied,” added Macdonald, who believes the press can re-ignite the demand for in-plant printing.

Also on working display and attracting attention was a Rotoflex servo-driven HSI horizontal inspection/slitting/rewinding machine. This machine is for roll to roll label production of 330mm or 440mm web widths, at speeds up to 300m/min.