German printer Delo, which has specialized in flexible packaging for over sixty years, is moving into digital printing. Last January, the converter took delivery of a Fujifilm Jet Press FP790 . This is the second example of this model to be installed outside Japan, after Eco Flexibles in England.
Founded in 1961, Delo, which employs around 400 people, operates one of Europe's best-equipped sites for wide-web flexography, with 17 lines in operation and two in the process of being installed. The plant also includes extrusion, laminating and die-cutting units, mainly for the food, hygiene and household markets.
The Jet Press FP790, a response to the limits of flexo printing
And for Bernd Böckmann, head of the printing department, it was time to turn to inkjet. Short print runs are becoming a regular demand, which conventional flexo presses are finding difficult to absorb," he says.
Delo retains flexo for large runs, but is now de-bottlenecking its flexo lines by transferring smaller volumes to digital. According to Bernd Böckmann, this approach makes it possible to maintain a high level of quality, while at the same time making it viable to produce jobs of around 1âeuros000 mètres, which are unprofitable in flexo.
Managing Director Ralf Wilkens points out that the set-up time for a flexo press remains fixed, whatever the print run. Digital presses can handle smaller orders without disrupting the overall planning.
Digital, "the next generation of packaging production"
Responsiveness was also a key factor in the decision. Some customers demand two-week delivery times, which are difficult to achieve even with in-house photoengraving. The Jet Press FP790 eliminates the need for makeready and platemaking, thus speeding up turnaround times.
Bernd Böckmann emphasizes that the use of inkjet presses is a logical complement. "The machine opens the door to jobs that would have been difficult to produce before.
Delo also points out that some customers impose mixed or fragmented production profiles, ill-suited to strictly conventional processing. The Jet Press FP790 allows for more flexible load distribution.
"We see this as part of the next generation of packaging production." sums up Bernd Böckmann.
