The Xeikon CX3 digital label press, based on Xeikon Cheetah technology and re-launched at Labelexpo Europe in September, is billed as the fastest five-colour digital label press in its class.
The machine runs at 30m/min, 56% faster than previous Xeikon models. Abbey Labels' chairman Tom Allum said the speed would offer more flexibility and attract new business.
“With our existing digital equipment, we were getting to over-capacity and our lead times were drifting,” he explained.
“We aim to turn jobs around in four days, but it was stretching to a week. The Xeikon CX3 will help us to stay one step ahead and keep up to speed with market requirements.”
Abbey Labels, based in Bury St Edmunds, was founded in 1996 and has 32 employees. The business makes a turnover of £4.3m from labels for a range of applications including peel-and-reveal, scratch-off and hazard warning labels for a number of industry sectors.
The company specialises in trade work for print management and procurement businesses and also serves clients in the food, drink, retail, cosmetic, chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
Abbey Labels runs two existing Xeikon 3300 machines. The CX3 is due to be installed during the first week of December and will replace one of the 3300s in a part-exchange deal.
The digital service complements Abbey’s HD flexo production on four presses; three Gallus Arsoma machines and an MPS press.
“The Xeikon CX3 was chosen to help us meet increased demand for digital and achieve a 20% year-on-year growth.
“We're predominantly a trade business and when our customers found out we had digital capability they approached us for high-quality, multisort-run work such as cosmetics and food labels.
“We have British Retail Consortium (BRC) certification, ISO 14001 accreditation and offer digital print, and that combination is quite unusual.
“Clients like this as they can place an order for a couple of million or a couple of hundred labels and know they will meet the BRC conditions.”
A deciding factor was the Xeikon's ability to print on several heat-sensitive substrates, made possible by the manufacturer's toner technology, requiring a lower fusing temperature than typical toner-based presses.
The technology also meets FDA regulations for food contact and offers the ability to print opaque white toner in one pass, Allum said.
“The Xeikon CX3 will help us to extend our product line. We will be able to work with thermal labels and thinner films thanks to the Cheetah toner.
“That we can run white toner and the inks are food safe was also a big selling point. Since we work a lot with trade customers, we don’t always know what we are quoting for.
“So being BRC and ISO 14001 accredited, we need the reassurance that however we run it, we can meet those standards. Having Xeikon technology, we are certain.”
