Hine Labels Ltd of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, has installed a Nilpeter FB-3300 S narrow web press. It has eight servo-driven UV-flexo units with centralised touch screen control and a maximum web width of 350 mm (13 ¾ inches). The new press complements two other Nilpeter FB-presses: A four-unit FB-2500 with a web width of 273 mm (10 ¾ inches) and a six-colour FB-4200 with a width of 425 mm (16 ¾ inches).
The family-owned company was founded in the late 1970s and has 40 employees. Bill Hine, managing director, said the reliability and performance of FB-presses were a major reason for installing the latest version. 'These presses operate to an amazingly high standard, with practically zero maintenance. Our latest is configured to run with two webs and is fitted with a relamination/delamination unit. This allows us to produce multiple products, including leaflet labels, and peel/reseal types.'
He expects the flexible configuration of the FB-3300 S will significantly increase the company's efficiency as a trade label printer. 'We can handle a wide variety of added-value work that other label printers may find too awkward or inconvenient to produce themselves. It involves working with a wide variety of substrates, from paper and filmic labelstocks to plastics for printing tags. We also produce labels with basic RFID inlays.'
The configuration includes cold foiling and three die-cutting stations. The first undercuts from the top, which allows easier and safer die changes when running with two webs. Hot air dryers with water-cooled chill rollers and UV-curing units are fitted as standard. The former allows the company to print food-related labelling and packaging with water-based flexo inks. The UV-system from IST Metz is the first in the UK to use the compact MBS-6 lamp modules. With an energy-saving output of 120 W/cm, they can achieve the same ink curing results as standard UV-units requiring up to 200 W/cm.
In the press room, the company's flexo presses handle the mid-to-long run work, while shorter runs are completed on a Xeikon 3000 digital colour press. Future plans include closer integration of its management information system within an existing EskoArtwork pre-press workflow, supported by Cyrel digital plate imaging.
More info:
www.nilpeter.com