Thallo prototype unveiled - online exclusive

‘Thallo, which means “goddess of youth”, is our answer to all the questions posed by all of what we call Generation 1 variable size web offset press technology, and will enable package printers to benefit from a process that has now be honed for high productivity in the flexible packaging market,’ says Peter Kloppers, DG press co-owner, along with Remko Koolbergen.

DG press HoldinG (DGpH) was resurrected from the remains of the original company by Kloppers, Koolbergen and a small team in 2009. In five short years, the company has grown to number 60 people, with 30 more due to join in 2015 when Thallo series production begins.

Addressing an audience of around 35 carefully selected converting companies, Kloppers says: ‘Offset has numerous advantages over flexo and gravure, including cheaper plates, a total lack of solvents, which along with UV or EB curing makes it food-safe, the capability of printing on a diverse range of substrates with the highest quality, and the ability to be “fast-on-press”.’

He goes on to define the changes in market demand that play into the hands of offset. ‘Ink migration is a hot topic, especially in the rapidly growing food industry, and with runs lengths shortening and customers requiring just-in-time delivery, offset has the fast response times to meet deadlines. It’s also sustainable and adaptable to meet the demands of new substrates, especially flexible ones.’

With more than 40 years of web offset experience and 20 years of expertise with web offset on film to call on, Kloppers and Koolbergen know their market and competition in detail. Each of what DGpH sees as its four main competitors’ technology was evaluated for the Open House attendees, and weaknesses were countered with design features on the new Thallo.

‘We use the latest motion control and operator interfaces, and by offering a Press Performance Package as standard,’ says Koolbergen, ‘make the Thallo both easy to operate and highly efficient. 

‘It offers more uptime, generates less waste, and has a simple and cost effective sleeve system that the others cannot match.’

Available in three web widths, 1,050mm, 850mm and 520mm, Thallo was designed from the largest size downwards to ensure machine integrity. Each is capable of printing at 400m/min on substrates from 12 to 200 microns, and all have stepless repeat. DG press believes the Thallo 850 is likely to be the best seller amongst flexible packaging converters, but has also promised that a carton version, capable of handling 200 to 700-micron board, will be developed at a later stage.

With all-new in-house designs for web tension control, unwind/rewind, cooling and drive cylinders, guide rollers, ink trays and ink train, and closed loop control, DG press says that customers can tailor their own presses with OEM arrangements for register, web video, curing systems and splicing.  Believing that specialization brings the best results, DGpH has cooperated closely with Uteco Converting to understand the flexo and gravure print processes better, and to design a flexo unit for integration into the Thallo line. Seen as a strong financial partner with global sales coverage, Uteco is the ideal complementary partner for success of the fledgling Thallo project.

By the end of 2015, with feedback from commercial operation from the first two production machine sites, series production of the Thallo will begin with a view to a global launch at drupa 2016 in Düsseldorf, Germany.

For those converters interested in Thallo who did not attend the Open House, DG press extends an invitation to visit the demonstration facility in The Netherlands and see the prototype in action on a one-to-one basis. This will also allow Kloppers and Koolbergen to disclose details of the new technology and its advantages, which, for confidential reasons, cannot be included in this report.

‘Thallo offers a unique proposition – it has a short ROI, a food safe solution for flexible packaging, an unmatched combination of quality and productivity, and a sustainable future for our industry,’ concludes Kloppers.

Read the full article in Labels & Labeling, issue #6, 2014