Inovalabel grows with Mark Andy Performance Series
In the twenty years since it printed its first job, Inovalabel has traded under three names. Initially founded as Gebacolor, it was a Pago Group company from 2009-12, and subsequently has been reborn under Swiss ownership. But, throughout it various incarnations, it has remained a staunch believer in Mark Andy technology, and today enjoys an annual turnover of €6.5 and converts some 7 million sq/m of substrate each year at its headquarters in Iasi, in the north of Romania.
“We pride ourselves on being innovative, as our name implies, and for that we need technology that allows us the creativity to manufacture special products,” explained Technical Manager, Lucian Popa. In a domestic market that numbers as few as 25 label converters with more than one press, Inovalabel is one of the top three, and currently 95% of its volume is self adhesive work, with an even split of 50:50 between paper and filmic materials.
The majority of its output is for the food and beverage industry. “We often find that our capacity for supplying special products of less than 2000 linear metres gives us an opening into customers’ bigger jobs,” commented Popa, who said that typical jobs were now five colours plus varnish turned around in five days from order to delivery. The Romanian market consumes most of Inovalabel’s work, with currently around 20% being exported. “We value the flexibility that this independence gives us and is something we’re looking to build on,” he added.
Inovalabel’s production facility now includes six presses in a variety of web widths from 178mm (7”) to 430m (17”), including Mark Andy 2200, XP5000, and three of the latest Performance Series in P3 and P5 formats. The latest P3 is fitted with cold foil capability, but otherwise both P3s have the high standard specification from Mark Andy, with die cutting and sheeting, while the P5 has a corona treater and turn bars. Impressively, the Mark Andy XP5000, which was installed in 2006, is still working a triple shift, five days a week. Solid, reliable, and built to last were comments elicited about this machine’s performance record.
Although now almost 27 years into independence, Romania is still largely an undeveloped print market, with little support from the Government by way of training and instruction – so all the more reason to buy from an established manufacturer with good local support. “We have received top class service from Mark Andy and its Romanian distributor Graphic Open Systems. From installation through operator training to after sales support, I cannot speak too highly of them,” commented Popa. Responding for GOS, Sebastian Boureanu said: “It has been a pleasure to watch Inovalabel grow and develop through the years, and we are proud to have been an intrinsic part of their success. They are an excellent example of how to make the best of Mark Andy’s innovative technology.”
Looking ahead, Inovalabel has signed a licence agreement with UK based Fix-a-Form Ltd for the production of multi page labels, and intends to develop its business with other special products. “We are in the early days of looking at what digital printing might offer us, so who knows what our next investment might be!” concluded Lucian Popa. One thing is certain, Inovalabel will not rest on its laurels as it seeks to cement its position in the Romanian narrow web market.