Graphium, which is FFEI’s second-generation inkjet label press, following its Caslon joint venture with Nilpeter, pools technology from several UK firms.
This includes FFEI software and digital print engine, Xaar 1001/02 inkjet printheads, Edale transport, AB Graphics turret rewinder and inks from Fujifilm’s Broadstairs facility in Kent.
Three machines have been sold already, to North American customers, including one to the worldwide beta site and another two that will be installed within the next six weeks.
Managing director Andy Cook said he expected a first UK sale in the near future after the firm hosted a select group of around 15 UK label printers on its stand at Ipex on Thursday.
“The sales process for a label press is quite long but we have a number of what we would term ‘hot prospects’ and I’m quite optimistic we will soon have a UK install,” he said.
FFEI’s sales force has been boosted by the arrival of Andrew McKerlie, who joined the company as EMEA channel manager on the first day of Ipex and whose career includes 10 years with HP Indigo selling into the labels market.
The Graphium press is highly configurable, although Cook said that the machine on FFEI’s South Hall stand (S4-E330) features what will likely be a fairly standard configuration in having a flexo coating station after the digital print engine.
Graphium is currently the only digital narrow-web label press available with Fujifilm’s ink, which is formulated for some of the specific needs of the labels market.
“Digital inks typically have silicon in to aid the ink flow, but that creates problems with reticulation, which is where the coating layer forms globules rather than going on smoothly,” explained Cook.
“Fujifilm’s ink has a particularly low silicon content, which helps with the finishing process when you want to apply other coatings on top of the ink like a varnish or a flexo white.”
Other benefits include the open front-end, which will accept files from any source, including common packaging workflows from suppliers such as Esko, and an AVT camera inspection system.
