Stic Image has installed a Mark Andy Digital Series HD hybrid press, its first machine from the American manufacturer. The Lyon-based label printing company, led by Cyrille Roze, has thus expanded its fleet, which already combines flexographic and digital toner printing.
Cyrille Roze attributes this decision to changes in the French label market: "The French label market is becoming polarized: consolidation at the high end of the market, where volume is key, and the disappearance of very small label printers who can no longer afford the new technologies needed to remain competitive. It is in the middle ground that I see niche opportunities suited to our way of working and our production capabilities."
When Cyrille Roze took over the company in 2015, Stic Image had revenue of 5.2 million euros and operated three letterpresses, one flexographic line, and one toner press. Eleven years later, the letterpresses are gone, and flexo and toner capacity has increased. Revenue is expected to approach 7 million euros this year.
The Digital Series HD combines a UV inkjet engine with a Performance Series flexographic platform. The system installed in Lyon has a web width of 430 mm and can reach speeds of up to 73 m/min?more than double the speed of Stic Image?s toner presses.
The inkjet engine prints in CMYK plus white. Five flexo units, positioned before and after it, enable the addition of spot colors, varnish, cold foil stamping, and lamination. The line also includes perfecting units, a Gizmo lateral web repositioning system, and a die-cutting unit to produce finished labels in a single pass.
This configuration is designed, in particular, to handle the workload of post-printing operations. "This is a real advantage, since 60% of our workforce is dedicated to offline finishing." , says Cyrille Roze. The Digital Series HD "has allowed us to shift jobs from our flexographic presses when their run lengths became too short to remain economically viable."
At first, Cyrille Roze says he had concerns about the lifespan of the inkjet printheads and Mark Andy?s ability to provide support in France. But today, Mark Andy is represented exclusively in France by Mach Global, led by Stéphane Rateau. These concerns were thus quickly put to rest, according to the executive, who now describes the press as "completely stabilized" .
More than half of Stic Image's production is digitally printed. Operated by a single shift, the Mark Andy already accounts for 20% of total production.
Labels for the food, pharmaceutical, and beverage industries account for about 85% of the company?s business. Stic Image, which generates most of its revenue in France, also plans to expand its sales to local wine producers.
