UK • The Scottish converter of pharmaceutical, healthcare, and medical labels has chosen a Mark Andy Digital One press as part of a major investment programme in technology and a new extension at its headquarters in Irvine, Scotland. The dry toner-base entry-level press was installed in November 2017 in order to print short run lengths and to print and to convert in one pass.
The servo driven Digital One is a dry toner-based entry-level press. With a web width of 330 mm (12.99”) it prints CMYK at 1200 dpi at speeds up to 19 m/min (62 fpm). The digital label press can handle a range of substrates, without the need to use the full web width. Its flexo station can add spot colour, varnishing, laminating, or cold-foil, before die cutting and slitting. It is fitted with an air-cooled LED-UV lamp, and requires a single-phase power supply.
CV Labels’ co-founder Bob Veitch sees the new Mark Andy as the first in a series of digital investments.The decision to move into digital print was prompted by the ever-shortening run lengths that CV Labels is experiencing, with some jobs requiring as few as 100 – 200 metres of substrate. With customers requiring quality digital labels for pharma, Veitch knew he needed to look closely at what the market had to offer. According to the UK-based company, a reason for this decision was to be able to print and convert in one pass. CV Labels ordered a Digital One at Labelexpo 2017 in Brussels and it was installed in November last year. By choosing Mark Andy, first, there was no click charge, and second, the dies from the company’s existing flexo presses were compatible.
CV Labels was founded in 1989 and moved into the pharma market in 2008, following a major decline in Scotland’s electronics sector, which moved manufacturing to Eastern Europe and Asia. The label company currently employs 24 staff and generates around GBP 2.5 million sales each year. “Our plan is to double our sales by 2022, which is why we have just added a new 7,000 sq/ft production hall dedicated to digital print – it will complement the three flexo presses we have,” CV Labels, co-founder and owner Robert (Bob) Veitch comments.
To date the company has run PP, standard label papers and light card through the press on run lengths from 30 m to 900 m (98 ft to 2952 ft). Most recently, PP with a metallised backing has been in use. “We see the crossover point between flexo and digital at around 1000 m, depending on the job. But the capability of going to 330 mm (12.99”) wide on the Digital One from 280 mm (11.02”) on our flexo lines means that we have an increased capability, and our MIS software gives us a hands-on view of costings, which takes all the guesswork out of job planning,” explained Veitch.
Mark Andy showed its Digital One line for the first time at Labelexpo Americas 2015. Since then the US-based press manufacturer announced several installations such as Primera Polska in Poland, Labels Unlimited in the USA or JR Labels in Ireland.
