Reflex to invest further in Landa nanography

Reflex Labels sees its initial investment in the new Landa nanographic printing process as the first step in a ‘multi-unit opportunity’ across the company.

Reflex is a UK-based operation, with six manufacturing sites supplying a range of products, from flexible packaging and tray cards to linerless and self-adhesive labels, to the UK, Europe and the US.

The company’s Will Parker travelled to the recent Drupa tradeshow, where industry name Benny Landa launched his new nanographic printing process, and signed up to be the first to order one of the new presses that are based on the water-based NanoInk technology and feature touchscreen controls for an intuitive operator user interface (pictured, below).

The launch at Drupa, which drew large audiences throughout the 14-day show with sold-out presentations of the technology on the Landa stand, included sheet- and web-fed presses. The three sheet-fed presses, respectively S5, S7 and S10, are all available in four to eight colors, range from B3 (20in) to B1 (41in) in format, and have stock capability from 60 to 400gsm. Crucially, for the package printing market, the S10 can print at 6,500 sheets per hour on virgin or recycled board up to 1,000 microns, or plastic foils.

The three web-fed presses, W5, W10 and W50, have web widths of 560mm, 1,020mm and 560mm respectively, with the W10 aimed at packaging printers with its 200m/min speed on 12 – 250-micron film, or paper stock up to 300 microns. The W5 is suited to label stock, tube stock, aluminium foil and paper as well as plastic films and shrink sleeve applications.

Reflex Labels’ initial order is for a 560mm W5 press (pictured, above), but Parker said: ‘We don’t see this as a single unit purchase. It’s a multi-unit opportunity across the group.

‘We don’t want to pigeonhole what the machine will do as it’s not something you want to do. It will evolve and there will be expansions to the technology, and we don’t want to constrain our thoughts.

‘It’s beacon technology, and we want to invest in it more. It won’t replace any of the existing presses we have but will be complementary technology that allows us to do new things, added-value work and take on special projects.’

Parker said Reflex has been somewhat of a digital skeptic as the technology has ebbed and flowed over the years, with the ‘shock and awe fading away’.

‘I bought the first Indigo press in Europe 17 years ago,’ said Parker. ‘We’ve had a long, and sometimes painful, introduction to digital technology. A lot of what we’ve seen, as Ian Kendall [owner of Reflex Labels] has said, has been a refinement of 1990s technology. We’ve been waiting for the next step.

‘This technology is that step, offering speed, versatility and ecological benefits. It’s a no-brainer.'

Ecology is a big part of the Reflex Labels business strategy. Reflex states that it uses green, carbon neutral energy supplies for the majority of its sites, compostable eco films and inks that are free from benzophenone and ITX3.

The green benefits of the water-based NanoInk were a key element in the decision to invest. NanoInk is to be delivered as a concentrate and diluted on-site by end users. Reflex has said it will use rainwater in this process, and Parker said: ‘Water-based ink is a good thing as there is a big focus on ink migration, ablation and safety in general at the moment. The cost per page is also excellent, and it’s very fast.’

The press will be delivered to Reflex sometime in the next 18 months, giving the company time to assess the optimum location and geography in which to install the W5. ‘There will be a lot of interest from big companies wanting to see it,’ said Parker.

‘A lot of people are asking if this is a publicity stunt but once the machine is operational, it will be there for people to see.

‘We are a simple company and we make money to invest money. We’re investing in our core business; we’ve recently bought an MPS press, invested in coaters and reinvested in UV. We’re also planning to move one of our locations into new premises, which will double the size of the premises.

‘You can’t stand still as a business. This is “bleeding edge” technology, so we expect some issues, but the payback is that we are regarded as innovative and leading the market.

‘Benny Landa is recognized as having moved the industry forward [when he launched Indigo], and he has done it again,' said Parker.

Read more on the Landa nanographic digital printing process here
Read more on Drupa 2012 here
Read more on digital technology here