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Konica Minolta has today announced the launch of a new optional Flexo Printing Unit for its AccurioLabel presses to enable inline production of white and other colours. First unveiled as an overprinting unit at Labelexpo just over a year ago, the retrofit option will enable label-converters to advance their digital solutions.
Developed with Konica Minolta’s manufacturing partner in Europe, Danish company Grafisk Maskinfabrik A/S (GM), the Flexo Printing Unit can be retrofitted to the Konica Minolta original AccurioLabel 190 or AccurioLabel 230 (launched in September last year) toner label presses.
Following successful trials, a new Flexo Printing Unit is now also commercially available. It will target label converters who are looking for a complete hybrid solution to complement high-end digital printing systems.
The AccurioLabel Flexo Printing Unit uses standard flexo inks. In combination with the already available overprint sensor kit, it provides perfectly registered inline overprinting of white or any other colour, which will open doors to a wider range of print applications such as printing on clear substrates.
The Flexo Printing Unit comprises an unwinder, web guide, a complete flexo printing station, UV curing system, an output NIP and a touch control panel. The new option is smoothly integrated into the AccurioLabel operational concept in order to maintain its ease-of-use.
All AccurioLabel presses also benefit from AccurioPro Label Impose software that works seamlessly and provides optimised media usage, avoiding potential waste of label substrates. Easy to use, it enables operators to handle many prepress tasks from one central control station.
Edoardo Cotichini, Team Manager Industrial Printing, Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe, said: “The label printing market is considered as one of the main market segments that will grow in the future. And this year alone, almost half of the narrow web label installations will be digital."
Labelexpo was an outstanding success and we had incredible interest from visitors to our stand. We doubled the number of leads we achieved in 2017 and announced 11 more customer sales at the show. It’s been an extremely rewarding journey since we shipped our first machine in 2016. We have grown to become number 2 in the market, according to InfoSource figures, and our accelerated growth shows no sign of slowing.<br /> <br /> These latest sales are yet again prime examples of how companies are increasingly turning to our world-class technology for label printing. There is a seismic change in the industry towards shorter runs and just in time production where label printers and converters need the highest quality printing which is provided on our AccurioLabel 230 digital label press. Our dedicated market approach is working. We are here for the journey. It’s not the start any more and we are on an upward growth path.<br /> <br /> Several commentators at the show mentioned that we have really hit a sweet spot with our technology and offering to the market. But it’s no longer just about quality, that’s a given. We approach things relation-oriented and co-create with our customers, as already the development of our AccurioPress technology showed where we listened closely to our customers and improved the machine according to their feedback. We are rethinking together with our customers what is possible in label printing.<br /> <br /> <br />
Edoardo Cotichini
Team Manager Industrial Printing Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe