Tresu Group demonstrated the productivity of its iCoat flexo coater for applying added-value varnishes to digitally printed folding cartons and synthetic materials, inline with a HP Indigo 30000 digital press at Interpack.
Tresu iCoat applies Tresu’s private label iVarnish range of UV-curable or aqueous varnishes to adhere on both plastic as well as board substrates. Like the HP Indigo 30000 digital press, Tresu iCoat has a maximum speed of up to 4,600 sheets per hour (3450sph in four colours), handling substrates of maximum format 750mm x 550mm in paperboard, and metallised boards between 250µm and 600µm. It accommodates PVC and polypropylene substrates up to 630µm, and PET substrates up to 400µm. The coater also comes with quick-change sleeve technology and automatic chamber cleaning, enabling varnish change-overs within minutes. Live daily demonstrations of the HP Indigo/Tresu digital printing line gave visitors a real-time impression of the quality and efficiency achievable for applications including food, beverage, pharmaceuticals, personal care and industrial products. “Coating is a vital post-print stage in the digital packaging printing process, ensuring that the finished product is both resistant and aesthetically appealing,” says Kim Krintel, Vice President, Tresu Digital Solutions. “The Tresu iCoat coater integrates perfectly with the HP Indigo digital press, applying full and spot varnishes in perfect register with minimal makeready time, and the result is a high-speed single-pass line with minimised waste or logistics. Its efficiency means converters can efficiently offer a host of added-value short-run or variable-data solutions that reduce supply chain costs, including targeted promotions, multi-versioning, unique package designs, serialised data, and samples on-demand.”
Meanwhile, following a successful collaboration at a number of events this year, Infigo Software and HP Indigo joined forces to deliver a live technology integration at Interpack. And, in an unusual move, the product demonstration was shown on a mobile phone to highlight the importance of delivering a user experience that is fit for the digital first generation! Infigo Software and HP have been showing how Infigo’s Catfish e-commerce platform provides the portal to integrate with hardware and software applications, and enable new levels of brand engagement. The demonstrations, which took place throughout the six day event, showed how the mobile optimised front-end user experience of Catfish and Infigo’s MegaEdit design tool allows users to quickly and easily personalise a product, even when they’re on the move. The print ready artwork was then output via the cloud-based production management solution, HP Print OS Site Flow. The personalised package was printed on the HP Indigo 30000 digital press live on the show floor. Visitors also saw Infigo’s enhanced 3D preview tool deliver a true-to-life visualisation of the end product, including finishing touches such as foiling, embossing, spot UV and coating. “Many packaging and label suppliers have not yet adopted a digital print solution that will enable them to keep pace with the growing demand for short print runs, variable packaging solutions, on-demand personalised print, and exciting brand engagement opportunities,” says Infigo’s Managing Director Douglas Gibson. “We believe that now is the time to act to avoid falling behind. Our collaboration with HP delivers greater efficiency, speed to market and new levels of brand engagement, which brand owners are demanding more and more. ”
