SCREEN has developed a new Truepress PAC520P that prints onto uncoated, machine-glazed (printing side) barrier papers from 40-250gsm at speeds of up to 80m/min with a max resolution of 600x900 dpi, a maximum width of 520mm and max paper reel diameter of 1000mm. It targets the new sustainability requirements for short to medium production runs (<10,000-15,000m), enabling small start-up companies, paper distributors and converters to print smaller quantities of paper with a much lower environmental impact. Even brand owners can vertically integrate this process in-house, helping to drastically reduce CO2 emissions during transportation and cutting down the risk of overproduction/obsolete packaging every year with a print-on-demand model.
Our CMYK inkjet digital printing engine utilizes pigmented water-based inks that are certified for use in food packaging applications, in compliance with all major EU food safety regulations currently in place.
Machine-glazed uncoated paper packaging provides a natural feel and look which is instantly recognized by European consumers and brand owners as recyclable packaging to be disposed of in the appropriate recycling bin.
Positive impacts on the sustainability of the new Truepress PAC520P digital press for barrier paper (fully recyclable) include:
- Reduction in energy consumption of up to 30-40% against CI Flexo and up to 60-70% versus Rotogravure printing.*
- Waste reduction following the 2008/98/EC Directive on waste hierarchy:
- Set-up substrate: <100m SCREEN, 400m CI Flexo, 1500m Rotogravure.*
- Set-up cost reduction (including tooling production, paper, ink, and solvent) of 85% vs Flexo and 92% vs Gravure.*
- Generation, storage, and disposal of Plates and cylinders.
- Reduction of 25% obsolete inventory disposal by Print-on-Demand and no MOQs.
- Reduction of packaging waste due to sudden changes in pack design, ingredients, or legislation.
- Reduction of CO2 emissions due to VOCs incineration and ink/solvent disposal.
- Accelerating printing localization by reducing considerably greenhouse gas and other emissions related to manufacturing and transportation. PAC520P is compact (8.4x4.8x1.8m), easy to install, and incredibly user-friendly (no need to hire and train expensive highly skilled Flexo/Gravure printing specialists).
- Variable Data Printing (VDP) that can print serialized QR codes, delivering improved efficiencies in the supply chain through track & trace.
- QR Codes can be used by brand owners to better educate consumers on the right disposal channel for the barrier paper packaging, reducing the risk of diversion to landfill or other non-recycling end-of-life routes.
- Materials recovery and circularity: FSC paper with >80-90% fiber content and less than 5% ink (w/w) is fully recyclable using existing downstream sorting and recycling processes available in most European countries.
- The use of water-based inks means a drastic reduction in VOC incineration, solvent recovery, and ink waste disposal.
- Improvements in resource efficiency: avoid overproduction and obsolete packaging disposal.
- No tooling is required, such as plates making or cylinder that needs high energy usage and produces chemical waste - currently, a must expense in analog printing, regardless of print run length.
*Data source: SCREEN's TCO model developed in conjunction with an independent Print Consultant.