From: Packaging News

Folding carton supplier the Alexir Partnership has installed a digital sheet-fed printing, coating and finishing workflow aimed at the artisanal food market.

The company’s Edenbridge site is planning to offer cost-effective packaging solutions for the sector and a number of high-value services.

The Alexir Partnership identified the need to add a digital workflow to its existing litho operation when it faced demand from emerging small food businesses, including farms, that aim to sell into specialist niches or local markets.

Claire Summersby, marketing manager at the Alexir Partnership, said before the installation the firm would get enquires for runs of perhaps 500 cartons, but the litho-printing operation was too costly.

“With the Xerox and Tresu production line and its minimised setup times, we can give these producers the fast supplies of appealing, high-impact packaging that result in retail listings and sales beyond the farmer’s market.”

Installed last year, the workflow features a Xerox iGen 4 sheet-fed digital printer with a Tresu Pinta coater integrated inline and, near-line, a KAMA ProFold 74 folder / gluer and Kongsberg Plotter.

With its high speed, minimal setup times, automated features and variable data capability, the single-pass printing-coating line enables Alexir to enter short-run printing markets and offer solutions including samples on-demand and personalised packaging.

Capable of up to 110 sheets / minute, the Alexir Partnership said the 4-colour (CMYK) iGen 4 press meets exacting quality targets with minimal manual intervention.

It includes an inline spectrophotometer that automates colour adjustments and calibration, automatic density control, and high-definition linearisation that eliminates the need for grey-scale calibration.

The post-print coating operation, provided by Tresu‘s Pinta inline flexo coater, provides a layer of protection and enhances aesthetic appeal. A wide range of UV- or water-based finishes are possible that offer identical results to that of analogue print. These include matte, gloss, full surface, spot or fine-line effects.