The move is a response to a greater interest in rotary UV-offset, especially among high-end converters in the EU-countries, the company says.
Jakob Landberg, Nilpeter’s sales and marketing director says that most interest in the machinery has come from European converters.
“That’s not surprising since their customers expect them to meet demanding quality standards, especially at the high end of the consumer market,” he says. “Quality tends to be less of a market determinator in the USA, which depends largely on water-based flexo printing. However, several of the large label converters with global accounts are showing increased interest in UV-rotary offset.”
He says most of this growth is influenced by the demands of the corporate buyers.
“As key influencers, they tend to be familiar with the process and its ability to deliver consistent print quality and colour reproduction. This is vital to support a brand’s image and give shelf-appeal to products in the healthcare, toiletries, cosmetics and some pharmaceutical sectors. Other important growth sectors include wine and spirits labelling.”
Nilpeter pioneered the concept of offset as a combination press process back in 1994. The original 330 mm wide MO-3300 press is now a third-generation press, sold as the MO-Line.
There are now more than 175 individual MO-presses installed throughout the world. Major users include the large, integrated labelling and packaging groups, such as by CCL, Skanem and WS Packaging who are all MO-users.
The platform format allows MO-users to augment the primary offset units with secondary UV-flexo and even gravure modules, while interchangeable rotary screen and hot/cold foil modules add to the range of decorative effects. The latest MO-S model offers optional servo-drive technology, which increases the machine’s overall performance and versatility for various types of labels and flexible packaging.
The MO’s design and control systems allow for quick set-ups facilities and fast make-readies, aided by interchangeable print modules.
The development of a computerised controller for MO-presses to achieve efficient ink/water balances for varying run lengths has halved set-ups times to 15 minutes for individual units, while reducing set-up wastage.
This has helped facilitate the printing of smaller run lengths while retaining offset quality, Landberg says.
“End-users are reluctant to order large quantities of labels for fast-moving consumer goods and risk expensive waste. MO operators can maintain consistent levels of quality whatever the size of the run, anywhere in the world.”
