13.04.2018
St. Gallen/Vienna, March 2018 – Following a radical IT overhaul in 2017, INSIGNIS-Etiketten is now taking the next leap forward in innovation and investing in new printing technology as a pioneer of Industry 4.0. With the Gallus Labelfire 340, the Vienna-based company is adding the perfect complement to its machine fleet and defining new capacities in digital printing. The commissioning of the state-of-the-art label printing system not only ensures an expansion of the internal product portfolio, but also an increase in flexibility, quality, and performance. As the first machine in Austria and the whole of Eastern Europe, Insignis is sending a clear signal in the direction of the digital future.
Many label printers have still not ventured into digital printing. However, the market is changing. In view of the steadily increasing demand for smaller print runs and customized and versioned labels, there is a noticeable increase in investment in machines with digital printing technology.
INSIGNIS-Labels invests
Austrian label printer Insignis has responded to these changes by investing in a fully equipped Gallus Labelfire 340. This was preceded by an intensive test phase with special print jobs, which were printed at Gallus in Switzerland. These tests were very successful and provided the important impetus for the purchase decision. Following extensive reorganization and restructuring, Vienna-based label producer Insignis is now full of energy and ready for action. This involved not only a radical IT overhaul, but also the adaptation of the customer structure to the future orientation of the company. "We have also reorganized ourselves in terms of organization," says CEO and managing partner Ferdinand Hager. In future, the company will consist of two independent business units: INSIGNIS-Etiketten and Insignis Digital. "This is a deliberate move to signal our new commitment to digital printing. A production hall specifically designed for this purpose was adapted shortly before Christmas. It now houses the new Gallus Labelfire 340, where additional new and innovative products will be developed. The system was delivered and installed in February 2018.
The investment in a Gallus Labelfire is the perfect addition to the existing machine fleet and creates additional printing capacity for Insignis. It is the first Gallus machine of this type in Austria and also the first Labelfire in what Gallus defines as the Eastern European market. “This is a major step toward the digital future of the company,” says Roland Spatt of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Austria Vertriebs-GmbH, which represents Gallus in Austria and is responsible for support and service. Insignis and Gallus/Heidelberg are cooperating very closely on this project. This ensures enormous development potential, as Insignis is acting as a competence partner with this investment and the new printing center will also serve as a showcase for Gallus. Further innovation drives are definitely to be expected from this collaboration. Heidelberg Austria sees it the same way. "Heidelberg has added Gallus to its sales program, and for us that means we can operate with incredible expertise in the packaging sector," says Roland Spatt.
swim against the tide
Retailers are pushing printing companies to process their orders ever faster. Quick response times are essential. Product ranges are becoming increasingly diverse and print runs smaller. At the same time, quality standards are constantly rising, as products need to stand out on the shelf. "This machine will give us tremendous flexibility while delivering top quality. Thanks to the extended color gamut, with seven printing inks (CMYK + GOV) and digital white, we cover 96% of the Pantone color space, and with a physical resolution of 1200 dpi, we achieve offset quality, and in some cases even exceed it," says Insignis Managing Director Erwin Pudek, adding: "This is absolutely top class." "This investment has given the team a real boost," concludes Ferdinand Hager. Insignis' corporate realignment was also a decisive factor in the decision to invest in a Gallus Labelfire. "We no longer want to swim with the tide, but against it, and generate added value through the differentiation that this investment enables us to achieve," says Erwin Pudek. "In the future, it will be important for us to no longer be just part of a market, but to create a new market for ourselves." This year, this also includes using the Labelfire 340 as a catalyst to find a different approach to customers. New sales representatives will increasingly target agencies and the creative sector to provide information about these new digital possibilities.
New technology and experience in harmony
The machine operates at a web speed of up to 50 meters per minute and offers seven colors plus white. "Speed is always an issue, of course, but with 50 meters per minute digitally printed, to get a completely finished and die-cut label is what sets this machine apart," says Ferdinand Hager. "What we see in this system is that Gallus' many years of experience with conventional printing units really come into their own. Flexographic printing, screen printing, die-cutting, coating and inkjet are perfectly combined in one system." Was the machine's multifunctionality the deciding factor in the selection process? "Absolutely," confirms Hager. "We have relied on Swiss quality à la Gallus for years, and this collaboration is now continuing in digital printing. It's similar to a Swiss watch: a long-term investment that will stand the test of time."
Advantages of inline production
By combining the strengths of digital printing with inline finishing processes specially optimized for digital printing, labels can also be coated, finished, and further processed inline on the Gallus Labelfire. This contrasts with the many digital label printing presses on the market, which print exclusively digitally and integrate further processing of the label into a downstream process. This guarantees faster production times and less waste when digitally printing finished labels. For label printers, this means savings in time, costs, and materials compared to a multi-stage production process, as there is no need to switch to downstream finishing. In response to numerous customer requests, these functions have now been extended to rotary screen printing. The fully integrated screen printing unit can be positioned upstream or downstream of the machines. Upstream of the digital printing unit, customers benefit from the unbeatable opacity of screen printing white, for example. Downstream, the entire range of finishing advantages of rotary screen printing can be brought to bear, such as the tactile effect of spot coating or security applications with special screen printing inks.
13.04.2018
Many label printers have still not ventured into digital printing. However, the market is changing. In view of the steadily increasing demand for smaller print runs and customized and versioned labels, there is a noticeable increase in investment in machines with digital printing technology.
INSIGNIS-Labels invests
Austrian label printer Insignis has responded to these changes by investing in a fully equipped Gallus Labelfire 340. This was preceded by an intensive test phase with special print jobs, which were printed at Gallus in Switzerland. These tests were very successful and provided the important impetus for the purchase decision. Following extensive reorganization and restructuring, Vienna-based label producer Insignis is now full of energy and ready for action. This involved not only a radical IT overhaul, but also the adaptation of the customer structure to the future orientation of the company. "We have also reorganized ourselves in terms of organization," says CEO and managing partner Ferdinand Hager. In future, the company will consist of two independent business units: INSIGNIS-Etiketten and Insignis Digital. "This is a deliberate move to signal our new commitment to digital printing. A production hall specifically designed for this purpose was adapted shortly before Christmas. It now houses the new Gallus Labelfire 340, where additional new and innovative products will be developed. The system was delivered and installed in February 2018.
The investment in a Gallus Labelfire is the perfect addition to the existing machine fleet and creates additional printing capacity for Insignis. It is the first Gallus machine of this type in Austria and also the first Labelfire in what Gallus defines as the Eastern European market. “This is a major step toward the digital future of the company,” says Roland Spatt of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen Austria Vertriebs-GmbH, which represents Gallus in Austria and is responsible for support and service. Insignis and Gallus/Heidelberg are cooperating very closely on this project. This ensures enormous development potential, as Insignis is acting as a competence partner with this investment and the new printing center will also serve as a showcase for Gallus. Further innovation drives are definitely to be expected from this collaboration. Heidelberg Austria sees it the same way. "Heidelberg has added Gallus to its sales program, and for us that means we can operate with incredible expertise in the packaging sector," says Roland Spatt.
swim against the tide
Retailers are pushing printing companies to process their orders ever faster. Quick response times are essential. Product ranges are becoming increasingly diverse and print runs smaller. At the same time, quality standards are constantly rising, as products need to stand out on the shelf. "This machine will give us tremendous flexibility while delivering top quality. Thanks to the extended color gamut, with seven printing inks (CMYK + GOV) and digital white, we cover 96% of the Pantone color space, and with a physical resolution of 1200 dpi, we achieve offset quality, and in some cases even exceed it," says Insignis Managing Director Erwin Pudek, adding: "This is absolutely top class." "This investment has given the team a real boost," concludes Ferdinand Hager. Insignis' corporate realignment was also a decisive factor in the decision to invest in a Gallus Labelfire. "We no longer want to swim with the tide, but against it, and generate added value through the differentiation that this investment enables us to achieve," says Erwin Pudek. "In the future, it will be important for us to no longer be just part of a market, but to create a new market for ourselves." This year, this also includes using the Labelfire 340 as a catalyst to find a different approach to customers. New sales representatives will increasingly target agencies and the creative sector to provide information about these new digital possibilities.
New technology and experience in harmony
The machine operates at a web speed of up to 50 meters per minute and offers seven colors plus white. "Speed is always an issue, of course, but with 50 meters per minute digitally printed, to get a completely finished and die-cut label is what sets this machine apart," says Ferdinand Hager. "What we see in this system is that Gallus' many years of experience with conventional printing units really come into their own. Flexographic printing, screen printing, die-cutting, coating and inkjet are perfectly combined in one system." Was the machine's multifunctionality the deciding factor in the selection process? "Absolutely," confirms Hager. "We have relied on Swiss quality à la Gallus for years, and this collaboration is now continuing in digital printing. It's similar to a Swiss watch: a long-term investment that will stand the test of time."
Advantages of inline production
By combining the strengths of digital printing with inline finishing processes specially optimized for digital printing, labels can also be coated, finished, and further processed inline on the Gallus Labelfire. This contrasts with the many digital label printing presses on the market, which print exclusively digitally and integrate further processing of the label into a downstream process. This guarantees faster production times and less waste when digitally printing finished labels. For label printers, this means savings in time, costs, and materials compared to a multi-stage production process, as there is no need to switch to downstream finishing. In response to numerous customer requests, these functions have now been extended to rotary screen printing. The fully integrated screen printing unit can be positioned upstream or downstream of the machines. Upstream of the digital printing unit, customers benefit from the unbeatable opacity of screen printing white, for example. Downstream, the entire range of finishing advantages of rotary screen printing can be brought to bear, such as the tactile effect of spot coating or security applications with special screen printing inks.