Hélio Corbeil is working with Electronics For Imaging, Inc. as part of its transition to digital printing. The Paris-based company is investing in an EFI VUTEk h5 hybrid UV LED flatbed/roll-to-roll printer, an EFI VUTEk Q3r LED roll-to-roll printer, an EFI VUTEk FabriVU 340i dye sublimation printer and EFI Pace MIS workflow software.
Helio Corbeil Numérique reinvents its business model
For Hélio Corbeil, the challenge is to enter the digital printing market in order to offer new services and expand its customer base.
Bruno Arasa, CEO of Helio Corbeil, explains:
"We want to be able to offer our customers a unique and comprehensive set of services, from digital printing of magazines and all kinds of communication materials such as advertising brochures or city services, etc., to large format printing, and all while also providing a professional and personal experience.»
Hélio Corbeil, now called Hélio Corbeil Numérique (H.C.N.), is reinventing its business model after nearly 200 years of existence. The rotogravure printer has experienced volume declines and price wars.
"It was important for us to get out of the volume/price spiral says Arasa. So the company took the plunge in 2020, initially moving into digital printing of small and medium-sized magazines, as well as large-format communications. H.C.N. employs 30 people and has moved to a new 6,000-square-foot facility in Combs-la-Ville, France.
Versatility of the printer offer, productivity and high quality
"We chose the VUTEk h5 for its ability to maintain an excellent level of color quality, while maintaining high speed, explains Mr. Arasa.
The new 3.2-meter printer offers superior efficiency and quality in eight colors plus white and a maximum print capacity of nine layers. With a resolution of up to 1,200 dpi, its eight ink channels can be operated in a faster dual CMYK configuration, capable of producing up to 109 panels per hour.
H.C.N. has invested in the EFI VUTEk Q3r for the large format market. H.C.N.'s new 3-meter roll-to-roll printer prints up to 558 square meters per hour and offers up to nine colors of ink. "We needed a highly productive roll-to-roll printer with many finishing options to avoid unnecessary saturation of our cutting equipment, says Mr. Arasa.
The new EFI VUTEk FabriVU 340i will enable H.C.N. to provide high-end textile signage. Printing up to 250 m2 per hour, this printer is the first production solution in its class to offer direct in-line dye sublimation printing on textiles, without the need for a separate calender/hot press.
To ensure that the system is as complete as possible, H.C.N. has also invested in the MIS EFI PaceTM software to improve efficiency, reduce costs and maximize profit potential.
