Xeikon sells 3030 digital press to Chilean converter during Print Santiago

SCM Etiquetas Autoadhesivas specializes in industrial labels and serves the retail, chemical and pharmaceutical markets with its existing Mark Andy flexo presses. It produces 100,000 sqm of labels per month. According to general manager Juan Carlos Urruticoechea, the new Xeikon 3030 digital press will aid the company’s move into wine label production.

‘Our clients are asking for smaller runs of labels, so the Xeikon 3030 will help us to serve markets with lower volumes,’ he said. ‘We are keen to enter the wine label market. We trust the Xeikon technology and it is excellent to have local support for our new venture. We are also looking to buy new finishing equipment to complement the digital press.’

Local support comes from Xeikon’s Chilean representative Davis Graphics, a distributor of graphic arts equipment operating since 1960 and which also acts as an agent for Mark Andy, Rotoflex, Pantec, Flint Group, Nazdar, Harper Corporation and API Foils among a host of industry suppliers.

With 52 employees, Davis Graphics is run by general manager Felipe Arias. ‘Clients are seeing that Xeikon machines are working well in Chile and producing good results. This helps to grow the market’s confidence.’

Chile, with its huge export market for wine, has long been a stronghold of digital label printing: HP Indigo has more machines per capita in the country than in any other in Latin America. Xeikon’s Latin American sales manager Patrick Pittoors has been a regular visitor to the country in recent years, and the digital press manufacturer’s efforts, combined with Davis Graphics’ local support, is bearing fruit, with six press installations so far in 2016.

‘It has been a fantastic result. Chile has been our strongest market in Latin America this year,’ said Pittoors. ‘It’s the result of much work from the people at Xeikon and Davis Graphics. It is very important to have strong local support, and Davis Graphics offers excellent after-sales service and has a longstanding reputation in the market. Our customers have a great deal of confidence in Felipe Arias and his team.’

Labels & Labeling and Labelexpo Global Series had a stand at Print Santiago, which is organized by local graphic arts association Asimpres. Your correspondent gave a presentation about global label trends and technology launched at Labelexpo Americas 2016, as well as previewing Label Summit Latin America, which will be held for the first time in Santiago, Chile, on May 16-17 2017.