Epson will reveal its latest industrial colour inkjet label printer at drupa (hall 5, stand D20) on 28 May in Dusseldorf. Designed for in-house, on-demand colour label printing, the new ColorWorks C8000e produces exceptional quality labels at high-speed, while significantly reducing the costs and waste associated with traditional analogue label production processes.
Offering a range of advanced features, the new top-of-the range ColorWorks C8000e builds on the success of its predecessor, the ColorWorks C7500, to meet the high-volume label production needs of businesses in sectors ranging from food, beverages, chemicals and healthcare, to horticulture, pharmaceuticals, warehousing and logistics.
Designed to help eliminate costs associated with pre-printing, such as label waste and excessive inventory, the ColorWorks C8000e incorporates Epson’s unique PrecisionCore printhead technology to deliver detailed, consistent high-quality and accurate colour labels. The ColorWorks C8000e achieves an image resolution of 1200 x 600dpi, enabling accurate reproduction of barcodes and small fonts, while its print speed of 300 mm/sec minimises run times for on-demand jobs. To further enhance image accuracy and reliability, the C8000e features Epson’s Nozzle Verification Technology (NVT) to prevent misprints, as well as spot colour matching and ICC profiling for easy and precise colour management.
Supporting a wider variety of media types, including matt and gloss paper, film and synthetic; the C8000e is capable of printing label widths from one to four inches, while an adjustable platen gap (up to 0.6mm) enables the use of thicker media for applications such as for price tags or floral labels. With no loss of quality on BS 5069-certified media, the printer is also ideal for the production of labels for use in harsh and demanding environments such as when exposed to salt water or chemicals.
With a low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), the Epson ColorWorks C8000e is designed for optimum efficiency and reduced environmental impact. The use of high-capacity ink pouches means that it contains 75% less plastic than if using cartridges and provides 1.65 times more volume compared with its predecessor. It has also been manufactured using 2.6 kilos less metal parts than compared with the C7500.
Providing an improved range of connectivity options, including USB 3.0, high-speed Ethernet, Wi-Fi (optional) and an I/O port, the C8000e is easily integrated into new infrastructures without changing existing software systems, while ZPL and ESC/Label support ensure simple and seamless integration with legacy systems. Integration with the SAP infrastructure is also simple, using the ABAP drivers for ERP direct printing. For enterprises looking to optimise workflows and enhance overall efficiency, the C8000e enables on-demand label printing to be easily moved to the cloud, using Loftware, one of the most comprehensive labelling and artwork management solutions in the industry, or NiceLabel Cloud, which is customisable to meet the needs of businesses of all sizes. Print management and configuring is further simplified with new applications and cloud services.
With a footprint reduced by 35% compared with the C7500, the C8000e requires far less room for installation and can fit in much tighter spaces. The ColorWorks C8000e features a new one-side access design, which further simplifies printer management and maintenance by enabling all operations, such as paper loading, ink replacement and printing operations. In addition, the large ink pouches allow longer print runs, without interruption. The printer is backed by an Epson warranty with CoverPlus available for all volume customers.
“Epson’s new, compact, top-of-the-range ColorWorks C8000e is built to deliver high-speed, high-quality colour labels on-demand for a rapidly growing industrial labels market,” comments Gavin Thurston, Business Development Manager for ColorWorks, Epson UK. “Between 2019 and 2023, demand for Epson’s ColorWorks has grown significantly, and this is clear testimony to the benefits our unique technology offers, not only in terms of cost-effectiveness, value and quality, but as a means to significantly reduce waste and the many environmental impacts associated with less efficient analogue-based mass label production processes.
“It’s clear that the future for industrial colour label production lies with on-demand printing and Epson is proud to offer best-of-class technology with this latest addition to its ColorWorks range.”