Xeikon and Flint Group have now announced the launch of a brand new digital solution for corrugated converters under the brand name Idera.
Among other things, the new platform includes a Single-pass printing machine for direct corrugated board printing (post-print) with water-based inks that are also certified for use with foodstuffs. It processes coated and uncoated corrugated cardboard sheets with a width of up to 1.6 m and a length of up to 2.8 m at a maximum speed of 150 running metres per minute.
This makes it suitable for the growing market for folding cartons made from corrugated cardboard, in which more and more Smaller quantities with shorter delivery times are required and a Increasing demand for high-quality packaging is to be recorded. According to Xeikon, Idera will guarantee better print quality than flexographic printing and can produce both short and long runs.
The user benefits from all known advantages of a digital print-on-demand solution, including a lower volume of waste. With their far better ecological balance the Idera platform also enables the customisation of print jobs and the printing of different versions of the same packaging. The solution will be available to customers for testing and demonstration purposes at the Xeikon Global Innovation Centre in Lier from September.
Journey into a digital future
„It's no secret that we are seeing rapid changes in the behavioural patterns of customers, brand owners and retailers,“ says Sebastien Stabel, Market Segment Manager Carton Packaging.
These are fuelled by the exponential growth of e-commerce and the growing pressure for more sustainable solutions. This development is fuelling creative Innovations for the digitalisation of packaging and ever-increasing productivity. The ever-increasing consumer demand for immediately available, unique and attractive products poses new challenges for the supply chain, particularly in terms of against the background of ever shorter processing and faster delivery times.
„In its study from May 2019 under the title No ordinary disruption - winning with new models in packaging 2030 the management consultant McKinsey has pointed out, that it is time for companies in the packaging industry to get into gear, There are only a few years left to prepare. Against this backdrop, they need to fundamentally rethink their focus and critically scrutinise their business models and markets. For forward-looking companies the transition from corrugated postprint to digital corrugated printing offers an ideal opportunity to embark on the journey to a successful future. Xeikon's Idera is an unbeatable combination of an industry-leading single-pass digital press for the corrugated market, food-safe and patented ink technology, and an open architecture system for effortless integration of third-party products.“
Sebastien Stabel, Market Segment Manager Carton Packaging.
In developing Idera, Xeikon was able to draw on its own many years of digital expertise as well as the experience and production base of its parent company, of the Flint Group, support. As the leading Supplier of inks for corrugated cardboard packaging the Flint Group has in-depth market knowledge in this segment.
„We work closely with the Flint Group, with our partners and, above all, with our customers, to adapt the software, hardware and ink sets to better meet the needs of the corrugated board market in Europe and the USA. At the same time, we are optimising the already solid basic product with our digital expertise.“
Sebastien Stabel
Patented technology
„In our R&D competence centre for digital inks, we develop, formulate and produce our own food-safe, water-based inks. This also includes the new and patented technology for our pigment dispersion to guarantee the best price-performance ratio.“
Lode Deprez, VP Digital Inks & Imaging Technology at Xeikon
Transition to digital production
[infotext icon]Xeikon is a long-standing leader and innovator in the field of digital printing technology. Headquartered in Lier (Belgium), the company designs, develops and supplies digital web-fed colour printing systems for label and packaging applications, document printing and commercial printing. In 2015, Xeikon became part of the Flint Group to establish the new Digital Printing Solutions division for this global supplier of consumables and printing solutions for the packaging and print media industry. The Flint Group develops and manufactures an extensive portfolio of consumables for the printing industry[/infotext].„After more than 30 years of innovation and experience in digital printing, we continue to play a pioneering role. Xeikon is recognised as an advisor in many key markets, such as graphic and label printing and now also corrugated board. We see ourselves as a technology-neutral consultant in the transition process to digital production that many companies are currently undergoing. Xeikon and the Flint Group are delighted to be able to make their knowledge and expertise available to the corrugated board market with Idera and its wide range of consulting services.“
Filip Weymans, Vice President of Marketing at Xeikon
Source: Xeikon
