Having already been running two Tau 330s onsite, Bradford-based Labmak was approached by Durst at the end of 2017 to consider testing the new RSC variant of its label press, which boasts a greater print resolution of 1,200dpi and a print speed of 78m/min.
Closing the beta phase on Friday (14 September), Labmak managing director David Webster said the new machine had boosted his firm’s productivity and helped win a new contract with a major food brand worth £150,000 for the first year.
“We were approached by Durst to see if we wanted to test this new concept and I was very curious to see what the results would look like,” he said. “We were not even in the market for a new printer at the time but we have a strong working relationship with Durst.
“Our first couple of months were tentative because Durst did not want us to run it hell for leather and wear it down, but after it settled in we started to do some very technically advanced work. Durst chose us because they knew we would push the machine to do the highest quality labels it could and produce things even they did not think were possible.
“This was our first experience as a beta testing site and it was a very good one. I have been very impressed with the 330 RSC’s speed and quality and we are now running it on some very serious shifts. Our customers love it.”
Durst’s Tau 330 RSC adds green to its predecessors’ colour gamut, joining CMYK, orange, violet and white to increase its capabilities to eight-colour, with which it can cover 98% of Pantone colours according to the manufacturer.
In its first year of commercial operation, Webster anticipates the 330 RSC will print at least 2.5 million linear metres’ worth of labels, and said it had already done around 1.6 million linear metres in its eight-month beta phase.
While the deal for a second machine has yet to be confirmed, Webster said he would expect it to be onsite by Christmas and would replace one of Labmak’s two older Tau 330s.
The Label Makers runs its Durst portfolio alongside a toner-based digital printer from Xeikon, Digicon finishing equipment from AB Graphics and six flexo presses capable of up to 14 colours.
Having grown by 17% this year, Webster said he expected the firm to turn over £9.5m by the end of its financial year in October. PrintWeek Awards 2017 label printer of the year Labmak employs 75 members of staff on its 2,320sqm premises.
