Baldwin Technology (Hall 16, Stand D20 & C21), under the BW Converting (BWC) platform, has revealed the new Unity LED innovation in LED-UV curing technology; the QuadCure Unity UV system, which has introduced “a powerful advancement in conventional UV curing technology for sheetfed offset presses and web presses”; and the Defender View web viewer, designed for simplicity, intuitiveness, and readiness for future challenges.
The company said these advancements represented its latest efforts to achieve more with less, delivering enhanced efficiency and productivity while reducing the need for significant investment.
Epson (Hall 5, Stand D20) has revealed its latest industrial colour inkjet label printer, the ColorWorks C8000e.
Designed for in-house, on-demand colour label printing, the new machine is said to produce “exceptional quality” labels at high-speed, while significantly reducing the costs and waste associated with traditional analogue label production processes.
Esko (Hall 8B, Stand A12) has unveiled the CDI Crystal XPS ‘Quartz Edition’, its newest innovation that it claimed “sets incredible new standards” in flexographic print quality and offers a genuine alternative to gravure.
An addition to the Esko CDI Crystal XPS plate imaging and exposing systems family, the new device is said to combine the upgraded optics of the CDI Crystal with optimised Crystal Screening software.
Pascal Thomas, director of flexo business at Esko, said: “This is the pinnacle of flexo platemaking. In flexible packaging, gravure is still widely considered as delivering the best in print quality. With this new innovation we are giving printers a way to match that print quality in flexography. We are raising the bar on quality to the very highest level and truly enabling flexo printers to achieve the optimum results for their customers.”
Fujifilm (Hall 8b, Stand A02) has partnered with IST Metz (Hall 1, Stand A24/A24-1) to launch SmartCure, a digital curing assistant based on artificial intelligence.
The companies said SmartCure prioritises optimum curing over maximum curing and offers a comprehensive comparative calculation of how much energy within a curing device is needed to cure ink with precision, resulting in significant energy, time, and cost savings for users.
“We are delighted to partner with IST Metz to bring SmartCure to market,” said Manuel Schrutt, director, business strategy packaging at Fujifilm Global.
“This innovative technology aligns with Fujifilm’s commitment to sustainability and efficiency, and we believe it will significantly benefit our customers by optimising curing processes and reducing operational costs.”
Kodak (Hall 5, Stand A02-2) has announced the sale of five Prosper Ultra 520 Presses to an unnamed existing offset customer, over a three-year period.
Jim Continenza, executive chairman and CEO at Kodak, said: “We are delighted to announce a letter of intent for the revolutionary Prosper Ultra 520 Press.
“With an open mind for new technology, this is a printing company that will immediately benefit from the application and quality advantages of our innovative inkjet press.
“It offers users in all segments of the commercial print market a highly efficient solution for high-output, cost-effective printing of a wide variety of applications.”
LongXingSheng (Hall 4, Stand E26) has launched the 900a double/dual channel automatic rigid box production line; the 1200g automatic grooving machine, which removes waste corners; and the 1200f automatic board cutter/slitter.
OnPrintShop (Hall 7A, Stand D21) has unveiled its latest drop of custom web-to-print products along with the first look of its “newly revamped solution”.
The focus of OnPrintShop’s showcase has been on B2B/B2C storefronts, large-format, its offerings for print franchisees and trade printers, and more than 300 pre-integrations across CRMs, MIS, automation tools and a wide range of personalised print products.
Naresh Devra, vice president of product development at OnPrintShop, said: “Since 2007, we are focused on helping businesses design strategic action plans and deliver expert guidance on evolving W2P solutions per the changing market needs.
“We work closely with global printers to leverage technology in the best ways to deliver immersive customer experiences. Drupa 2024 sees the most advanced face of W2P automation from us to help businesses achieve real revenue.”
Polar (Hall 1, Stand B41) has received a visit from Augusto Monteiro, founder and owner of Portuguese kit supplier Grafopel. The 96-year-old has been attending the event without interruption since the second Drupa in 1954, the 2024 event marking his 17th Drupa.
Polar said Grafopel is largely responsible for the successful operation of machines from Heidelberg and Polar Cutting Technologies in Portugal, Angola, the Cape Verde Islands, and parts of Africa.
During his visit to Polar, Monteiro spoke with its head of sales Oliver Becker and head of marketing Frank Mayer about the company's latest innovations, such as the expansion stage of the AirGo Jog. He also followed the presentations with great interest and exchanged views on developments and trends in the industry.
Print.com (Hall 4, Stand D21 and Hall 7a, Stand D04) has announced that it will soon open for business in the UK, Denmark, and Spain.
The print platform has been giving visitors to the show an introduction to the perks of its platform: an advanced ordering environment with millions of product configurations in categories such as print, large-format, and packaging; and a ‘toolbox’ of apps and integrations that supports users with their sales and fulfilment.
Marco Aarnink, captain at Print.com, said: “We‘re in process of establishing teams in each region, composed of professionals who have earned their stripes in the industry. We believe in a small-scale approach, with short lines of communication. Think global, print local.”
Print.com leverages production capacity within its own group and partners with a European network of over 160 print partners for fulfilment.
Tresu (Hall 10, Stand B21) and Soma (Hall 15, Stand A0) have signed a strategic partnership to supply Tresu with fully automatic plate mounting. They said this will significantly reduce the time spent as well as wasted board and ink in job changes to an even lower level.
Steffan Warming-Rasmussen, VP of products at Tresu, said: “With the fully automatic plate mounter Soma S-Mount technology we close the gap from pre-press plate mounting to in-press perfect printing plate and anilox impression – and this is a great opportunity for us to offer even more competitive solutions to our customers.
“The Soma S-Mount & Iris technology will also be fully retrofittable for our installed base of Tresu presses as well – and will be one of the top options for customers buying the Innovator going forward.”
