Narrow web ink specialist Pulse Roll Label Products has used an exclusive workshop in Warsaw, Poland to clearly demonstrate the benefits of its Monolox fixed anilox printing technology.
In collaboration with Mark Andy Poland, Pulse and its local subsidiary, Pulse Polska, hosted an audience of distributors, customers and prospects from across Europe to witness first-hand the capability of the technology to bring substantial benefits to flexo printers, by targeting the biggest bottleneck they face – press set-up.
By combining powerful software and data, specialised chemistry – specifically, Pulse’s PureTone high strength single-pigment inks – and a set of aniloxes of one uniform volume, Monolox helps standardise and simplify this once-complicated and time-consuming step in the flexo process. Using fixed anilox printing unlocks big returns for printers by increasing utilisation of equipment; adding a large number of saleable hours back into their operations through increased press uptime; and reducing the anilox and ink inventories required to produce an almost endless array of spot colours and jobs.
Those in attendance were invited to get up close and personal with Monolox fixed anilox printing as it was demonstrated on a Mark Andy Evolution Series E5 flexo press. This included a demonstration in real-time of the anilox being fingerprinted and job being calibrated, live ink mixing using a data-driven bespoke mixing database powered by the latest X-Rite InkFormulation Software (IFS), colour approval with a Delta E below accepted industry standards, and four-colour UV LED printing at 100m/min.
A job changeover was also simulated, using a label previously printed on a Mark Andy toner-based digital print engine. This was colour-matched using the previously mentioned calibration tools and mixing database, exampling how Monolox can serve to help printers to standardise their output across different production processes. A high-lustre metallic silver PureTone ink was also run in the first print station, further highlighting the capabilities of Monolox for all involved with narrow web flexo printing.
As Monolox is “anilox agnostic”, printers can stay with their incumbent suppliers and only need move to a single-volume – 6 – to embrace, “the Monolox way”.
Ben Howell, Technical Sales Manager, Export at Pulse Roll Label, led the technical demonstrations, supported by Service Technician Adam Blue. “It was fantastic to have the opportunity to show the potential of this technology to printers, live and directly on-press,” said Ben.
“It is actually a really simple system, but the potential benefits are remarkable. When printers get to see this first-hand, they fully comprehend just what it could mean for their business.”
This was complemented by examples of the financial boost printers can experience to their bottom line, as presented by Jim Whitehead, Export Sales Director at Pulse Roll Label. He said: “We know that in the label industry, printers are actively looking at how they can make the most out of equipment and capacity. There are many ways this can be delivered but by increasing utilisation, you immediately unlock hidden potential and latent capacity that lies within existing operations. Using baseline figures to calculate machine uptime and estimate production volumes, you quickly realise there is the potential to add hundreds of hours of printing time back into a print business. That equates to huge revenue potential, whether you’re the largest international printing group or the smallest printer serving a local customer base.”
It is for these reasons that Pulse Polska Sales Manager Artur Mansfeld was delighted to see a number of key printers attend the event and to receive a strong response from Poland’s label printing industry.
“There are many printers who have already switched onto 'the Monolox way', but there are many more who stand to benefit by introducing fixed anilox printing. As well as the associated business benefits and costs savings, the entire flexo production process stands to benefit from greater control of the process and consistently high quality, job to job and across the full run length.”
Sharing his thoughts on the event, Sales Manager at Mark Andy, Łukasz Chruśliński, said: “Having pioneered the printing industry for more than 75 years, we have built a legacy based on excellence and collaboration that helps our customers be at their very best. With printers today walking a fine line between rising costs and the opportunities offered by innovations that increase efficiency and support sustainability, having the opportunity to demonstrate a technology like Monolox on our equipment has real-world implications for our customers, Pulse’s customers and our shared interests.
“Having printers join us and see such a groundbreaking technology live and in action is the best way to understand the benefits their businesses can unlock. We are delighted have partnered with Pulse for this hugely successful event.”
Concluding, Gary Seward, Managing Director at Pulse Roll Label, said: “It was fantastic to see printers engaging with Monolox and to see them immediately realise the benefits to their businesses.
“This would not have been possible without the support and assistance of Mark Andy, who opened the doors to their Technology Center in Warsaw and allowed us to make the Monolox way a reality and tangible. It is this sort of collaboration and shared interest that will see the narrow web flexo industry continue to evolve and move forward in the pursuit of process improvement, greater ROI, and maintain its place as the pre-eminent label printing technology for years to come.”
Those wishing to experience a live demonstration of Monolox for themselves are invited to contact sales@pulserl.com. Further information on fixed anilox printing technology is available at pulserl.com.